College costs are more than tuition, room and board...

Recently, fellow board member Vicente Garcia (COL ’05) passed along a Wall Street Journal article detailing the college student’s dilemma: the cost of attendance estimated by the financial aid office doesn’t meet certain and sometimes unexpected college expenses.

Reflecting on this, I realized that my experience at Georgetown was similar. Some of the following scenarios may sound familiar to you:

• Are you from Southern California, the land where a winter coat is a light Dickies jacket? Suddenly, that decision to go to school on the east coast means investing in a thicker (more expensive) coat. Time for a peacoat.
• When on campus, did you decide to take that awesome Latin American history class, but then realized that the required list of books numbered past a dozen? Suddenly, that intellectually stimulating class means being saddled with a large bill made payable to the university bookstore. Time to look for a part-time job.
• Did your family’s income decrease unexpectedly due to job loss or work hours reduction, but your expected family contribution on your award letter wasn't met with a proportional reduction? Now what?

As an alumna, I remember the struggle to make ends meet; this is precisely why the Georgetown Comunidad Scholarship Association is so important. We know there are more expenses to a college education than tuition, room and board.

If you’re an undergraduate student at Georgetown, I can say to you: you are not alone because we are here for you. “We” are a comunidad of alumni ready to pitch in because we know how hard you and your loved ones worked to get where you are. The GCSA’s scholarship cycle occurs twice during the academic year: fall and spring semesters. To be eligible, you must be a full time undergraduate student in any college at Georgetown University and not have been a past recipient of this scholarship. We award four $500 scholarships each semester.

If you’re an alumnus or alumna of Georgetown, I invite you to consider supporting the work of the GCSA or matching or exceeding your previous contribution to this worthy cause. With the support of friends like you, we can ensure that current and future Hoyas aren’t unnecessarily impeded with unexpected college costs.

Click on the PayPal link on the upper right-hand corner to make your contribution today or send a check payable to Georgetown Comunidad Scholarship Association to GCSA, P.O. Box 3531, Redwood City, CA 94064.

Felicidades Mariana, Yvonna, Christine and Marta!

Congratulations once again to Mariana Hernandez, Yvonna Wade, Christine Nguyen and Marta Aparicio for being selected as part of this semester's scholarship recipients! We're proud to have them on the Hilltop! Below are biographies and photos of our recipients.

Mariana Hernandez (COL ’14) is in the Georgetown College and plans to major in Mathematics and minor in Science, Technology, and International Affairs within the Walsh School of Foreign Service. Mariana is involved in several activities at Georgetown, including the Georgetown Meyers Institute for College Preparation and the Living Learning Community of Justice, Diversity and Action. She is also a founding member of Hermanas Unidas de Georgetown, a student organization that focuses on building healthy relationships among the Latino women and men on campus, as well as advocating for issues, such as immigration, civil rights, and the importance of being bi-cultural. Recently, Mariana was selected for membership in the Carroll Fellow Initiative at Georgetown University. The University describes the program as a “flagship opportunity for Georgetown’s most academically talented and ambitious undergraduates.” In her spare time, Mariana enjoys dancing and engaging in activities on campus that reflect her multicultural values. She participated in Reventon Latino during the fall of 2010 and is currently working on the Asia Fest 2011 showcase, where she will perform a traditional dance.

Yvonna Wade (COL ‘12) is pursuing a degree in Government and a minor in Theology. A native of East Orange, New Jersey, Yvonna developed a passion for serving inner city communities. Recently, Yvonna was awarded the Young Leaders for Change Award, commending her on her outstanding commitment to serving her community. In December 2009, Yvonna was selected to participate in an exchange program sponsored by the Republic of China’s Ministry of Education, where she participated in language programs as well as cultural activities. Yvonna has an interest in politics and international affairs, which inspired her to study abroad during the fall 2010 semester at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. In Cape Town, Yvonna volunteered at a local charter school for students in Cape Town. Yvonna founded a mentoring program, Sisters of the Cape, which was created to cultivate dialogue among young women from local townships, while building lifelong friendships and support systems. While in the Washington, D.C., Yvonna has coupled her interest in politics with invaluable work experience. Yvonna has interned with political analyst and Georgetown University professor Donna Brazile, as well as Congressman Donald Payne of New Jersey. After graduation, Yvonna plans to attend law school and is interested in pursuing a career in public office.

Christine Nguyen (MSB’12) is a junior in the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. She is pursuing a degree in marketing with a minor in English. Christine was born in Guam, but she and her siblings spent most of their lives in Houma, Louisiana. She is the proud daughter to Steve and Mary Nguyen, both immigrants of Vietnam. At Georgetown, Christine works in the Undergraduate Admissions Office as a student assistant. She is active in campus life and participates in the Georgetown University Vietnamese Student Association and in the Dahlgren Chapel Community Choir. In the fall 2010 semester, Christine studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark. Her major accomplishments include being selected for and participating in the Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America Program in 2007. With her passion for diversity concerns and community building, she hopes to one day become the director and/or founder of a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing leadership and educational opportunities for students of underrepresented backgrounds.

Marta Aparicio (COL ’14) was born and raised in Guatemala before coming to the United States at age 11. In high school, Marta managed to deftly juggle two part-time jobs while staying on top of her studies. Marta graduated from high school as the class valedictorian and received the Providence Mayor David Cicilline Youth Excellence Award at the Rhode Island 2010 Hispanic American banquet. Marta plans to pursue a career as an immigration attorney and has an interest in juvenile justice issues. At Georgetown, Marta has been a great role model to the students that she works with through the D.C. Schools Project.