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2008 WIF Scholarship Reception
Guest Speaker - Stephanie HerreraStephanie Herrera is a 2006 “I Have a Dream” scholarship recipient, now a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She was born in Madison, but raised in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Spanish is her first language. A graduate of James Madison Memorial High School, she is a first generation college student, majoring in Social Work with a certificate in Chicano Studies at the University of Wisconsin.
Stephanie's Speech
I would like to thank Women in Focus, Inc. for giving me the opportunity to be here today and for working as hard as they do to provide these scholarships.
I am a scholarship recipient from 2006 and little did I know that this money had been sent as a blessing at a time where it was most needed. As we all know life is full of ups and downs. My family was going through a very difficult time that took a toll on the family’s finances. In fact, on the day I received my scholarship my family could not be there and although I was delighted to have come to the reception and receive my award, my heart was aching as everything around me seemed to be crashing down.
Without this scholarship I would not have been able to purchase books and school supplies, actually, come to think of it, we would have not been able to buy my younger brother’s school supplies either. I refer to this scholarship as a blessing because that is what it truly is. It lifted a huge burden off of my family’s shoulders and gave us all something to look forward to. It truly allowed me to continue my education.
Today you are being honored for having stood out among a long list of applicants. You were chosen with a purpose, you were chosen because something about you captivated the women of Women in Focus, Inc. You are here because your efforts throughout your high school careers have made you a deserving student.
I don’t know what you are going through today, or what obstacles you had to overcome to get to where you are, but I do know that each of you has been mature enough to value education in a society that views minorities as statistics prone to failure. And for that I applaud you. Many of you were forced to “grow up” fast because of certain life experiences; others of you may say you “had it easy”, but today one factor brings you all together…as in the words of Nelson Mandela, you have recognized that education is a powerful weapon and you have been responsible enough to take it and are taking a step towards destroying ignorance.
Programs like Women in Focus, Inc. taught me that only one can put a limit to what one can do. I didn’t think I was going to be able to go to college because I knew that my parents could not afford it. Then I realized that resources were out there and that if I wanted to, I could. I applaud you because I know that it is not easy. While everyone else was partying and embracing senioritis to the fullest, I was sitting at home filling out scholarship applications, writing cover letters and resumes. All of this can be stressful, tiring, and certainly time consuming, but in the end, I promise you that you will feel a great sense of accomplishment which no one will be able to take away from you.
You will all be graduating soon, and although it may sound like a cliché, it really is only the beginning. I never understood what it was that made people say “college is so different than high school”, and today, I just want you to believe it. But like with most valuable life experiences, you won’t know until you get there. Even if I stood here and told you many things, they probably would not make sense, and that is okay, I know, I was there once.
If you will allow me, I would like to give you one piece of advice: If you are given the chance to relax this summer, take it! Don’t get me wrong, college is great, it’s not some place where you’ll lose your mind or go crazy, and I know you won’t have trouble because by being here today you are demonstrating what you priorities are. What I mean is that you should really take advantage of having absolutely nothing to do, in fact, embrace it!
In college you will see and hear things that will challenge your values and thoughts on certain issues, but in the end this means that you will be a well rounded, more educated and aware individual. You will be handed new tools that will take you one step closer to achieving your goals. But one thing I ask you to keep in mind is to always, always stay true to what makes you who you are. It easiest to go around picking up on what other people do, but it takes a person of true character to be comfortable in their own skin at all times. Be proud of who you are, I know that everyone here is proud of you. We may not all know you as much as we would like to, but your being here let us know one thing, that you have been determined enough to know what you want and take hold of it.
It is truly an honor to be standing in front of you today. I congratulate you all for valuing education. For showing society that regardless of what color a person’s skin may be, what a person’s gender or race is, or what background they hold, you have demonstrated that everyone is capable of succeeding, everyone can achieve great things. You have made the Madison community proud. This is your time to shine! I will take note of remembering everyone’s face because I know that in the future I will get to say “and to think I got to give a speech in front of who is now the president, a famous journalist, proclaimed author “etc.
You each have a purpose on this earth and it is my hope that you will take every opportunity to fulfill it. Within each of you lies the potential to do great things, I truly believe that this is not the only award you will receive. I am excited to see what the future holds for you as I know that if you continue to be responsible and carefully prioritize, you will reach high places. I am grateful that you have allowed me to accompany you on this special day. As you leave here today, walk with your head held high, unafraid to show the world what you’ve got, be proud of your accomplishments, but remember to be humble and thank those around you for supporting you. Congratulations 2008 scholarship recipients and may every desire that lies in your hearts become reality.
Speech presented by Stephanie Herrera
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Women In Focus 2008 Scholarship Reception
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