Success Stories
Melissa
Melissa is a First-Generation High School and College Student. She volunteered as a tutor and mentor for middle school students during the pandemic. She is a member of La Raza Club, La Fuerza Latina Club, United Club President and co-founder, Adventure Risk Challenge participant, Cheerleader (co-captain), and Softball. She also helped a boy she met through Adventure Risk Challenge who had migrated from El Salvador, becoming his tutor, translator, and voice. She works at Dairy Queen and uses half her earnings to care for her animals – 2 dogs, a leopard gecko, and two chinchillas. The other half she uses to help support her hard-working parents and even buys her father the puzzles he loves to complete. This scholarship will enable her to attend UC Santa Cruz with a major in Early Childhood Education.
Ramanjot
Graduating Ohlone Spring ’23 with AS in Business
First-generation college student, emigrated from India
Ramanjot is a First-Generation College Student who emigrated from India from a low-income household. This scholarship would help him attend UC Santa Barbra and achieve his dream of higher education.
Nicole
Nicole, a First-Generation College Student, faces unique challenges in funding her higher education. As an applicant for DACA with no eligibility for federal financial aid, she relies heavily on local scholarships for support. Despite living with her father’s ex-wife and receiving no financial assistance from him, Nicole manages to work 16 hours a week cleaning houses while actively participating in school activities. Her involvement includes serving as the secretary of the Leadership Club, receiving awards for Student of the Month and Distinguished Scholar, and demonstrating leadership as the captain of both the lacrosse and basketball teams. The committee was impressed by Nicole’s independence, dedication to her studies, and school engagement. Although she received a promising financial aid offer from UC Riverside, Nicole, as an independent student, will need to work consistently to cover her living expenses. Unlike many students, she cannot rely on summer jobs to save for the upcoming year’s expenses with free room and board at home. The Boosting Hope Scholarship aligns perfectly with Nicole’s circumstances, providing her with the necessary support on her challenging journey. Despite the obstacles ahead, Nicole is determined to shape her future and build a successful path.
Michaela
Michaela, a single mother and First-Generation College Student, faced numerous challenges while pursuing her education. Despite being a stay-at-home mother with a son who had special needs and caring for her disabled war veteran brother, she enrolled in college immediately after her husband unexpectedly left. She managed to maintain a perfect GPA while coping with the loss of her mother and three friends. Financially, she faces uncertainty and anxiety, but recently became her brother’s certified VA caregiver, earning a small monthly stipend. Her divorce has been difficult and costly, with her ex attempting to hinder her education. Thankfully, the court recognized the importance of her degree for survival in the high-cost Bay Area. Her goal is to earn a BA in sociology from San Jose State University to support her family, and this scholarship would greatly assist her in achieving that dream.
Ilze
Ilze is a First-Generation College Student. She has strong academic and leadership qualities and was the soccer team captain. Coming from a lower-income family, this scholarship will enable her to attend college and achieve her dream of higher education. She will be attending the University of Nevada, Reno.
Tianren
Terry is a First-Generation College Student, an international student from China. Terry is passionate about coding and had to proceed to the US at Ohlone College to pursue his dream against his parents’ wishes. He started learning to code like Linux at Udemy and Google Data Analysis Professor Certification Program from Coursera. This scholarship will enable him to go to UC Davis. Terry is motivated to pay it forward and help others after graduation.
Barbara
Barbara is a First-Generation College Student. She has strong academic and leadership qualities and was a student representative for the Student Advisory Council and Student Voice of the district. Coming from a lower-income family, this scholarship will enable her to attend college and achieve her dream of attending Santa Clara University.
Rukhsar
Rukhsar, a First-Generation College Student from Afghanistan, faced significant obstacles due to the Taliban’s ban on education and work for females. Undeterred, she applied to Ohlone College and was accepted as a freshman. With the current dire conditions for women in Afghanistan, there is a pressing need for young female leaders to combat oppression. Rukhsar aspires to serve Afghan women by providing them with educational and professional opportunities, aiming to be an agent of change. One way she plans to contribute is by conducting online classes for girls in Afghanistan who lack access to education and growth opportunities. By pursuing her education at Ohlone College, Rukhsar is equipping herself to help others effectively. This scholarship has opened the path for her to complete her AS at Ohlone and proceed to a four-year degree college, enabling her to make a lasting impact.
Leydi
Leydi is a First-Generation College Student. Her family migrated to the United States from Mexico for a chance to have an educational opportunity. Growing up was challenging because of her financial limits. She qualified for DACA for the California Dream Act. She aims to work towards a bachelor’s in Public Health and help people in their most vulnerable state. She is a Certified Nursing Assistant and plans to become a nurse after graduating. This scholarship will help her on this path by enabling her to attend Sacramento State University.
Adnan
Adnan is an international student and is not eligible for financial aid. He has a dream of going to college and working in cloud computing. This scholarship will enable him to attend UC Davis. He is highly motivated to pay it forward after graduating from college.
Just two years after immigrating from Afghanistan, Mursal has achieved a milestone that seemed nearly impossible when she first arrived: acceptance to an elite college with a full scholarship covering tuition, fees, housing, and meals. When she began her educational journey in the United States, everything was unfamiliar. Every application form, every deadline, every requirement represented not just a task but a puzzle to solve in a system she was learning from the ground up. What carried her through was determination—the courage to ask questions when she didn’t understand, to persist when the path forward seemed overwhelming, and to believe in her own potential even when doubt crept in.
Mursal’s success is a testament to resilience and the power of refusing to let circumstances define limits. From navigating an entirely new culture and language to mastering the complexities of the American education system, she transformed obstacles into stepping stones. Today, as she prepares to begin her bachelor’s degree, Mursal represents the best of what becomes possible when talent, hard work, and opportunity align. Her journey reminds us that with the right support at critical moments, dreams that once seemed distant can become reality.
Mia Salas graduated from Incline High School in 2024 with plans to attend a two-year college. But somewhere between graduation and enrollment, something shifted. She decided to reach higher, enrolling directly at the University of Nevada, Reno to pursue a four-year degree in Political Science with minors in Ethnic Studies and Sociology. It was a bold choice—one that required not just ambition but also the confidence that she could succeed and the resources to make it possible.
Now finishing her second year, Mia has thrived. She’s joined clubs, participated in campus activities, and made decisions about her academic path—like adding those minors—with clarity and purpose. The financial peace of mind has allowed her to focus on what matters: learning, growing, and building the foundation for a career in public service. From a student who once planned a shorter path to someone confidently pursuing a comprehensive education in social and political systems, Mia’s journey reflects the transformation that happens when financial barriers are removed and belief is backed by support.
Sierra is pursuing one of the universe’s biggest questions at one of the world’s most prestigious universities. As a physics and astrophysics major at UC Berkeley, she’s working toward understanding the fundamental nature of reality itself—the physics behind the universe’s origins. Her ambitions don’t stop at undergraduate studies; Sierra plans to continue in a PhD program specializing in particle cosmology, where she’ll contribute to humanity’s understanding of the cosmos at its most fundamental level.
The path to becoming a research physicist is demanding, requiring complete focus and years of intensive study. For Sierra, having the financial pressure of living expenses lifted has meant the difference between surviving college and truly thriving in it. She can dedicate herself fully to the complex coursework, research opportunities, and intellectual challenges that will prepare her for graduate school and beyond. From a student with a dream to a scholar actively pursuing answers to the universe’s deepest mysteries, Sierra represents the potential that emerges when talented minds are freed to focus on what they do best.
Roberto arrived in the United States from Italy with a clear vision: to build a career in finance in New York City, the financial capital of the world. He began his American journey at Lake Tahoe Community College, balancing the challenges of being an international student with the demands of academic life. The expenses were significant, the cultural adjustments constant, but his goal never wavered. After graduating, Roberto transferred to a four-year college in New Jersey to pursue his degree in Finance while continuing to play soccer—a strategic move that brought him within reach of the city where he’d always dreamed of starting his professional life.
Now standing on the edge of graduation, Roberto has built the foundation for his future. His time in New Jersey has allowed him to develop a professional network in New York, positioning himself for that crucial first opportunity in the financial industry. From an international student navigating a new country and education system to a finance graduate with connections in Manhattan, Roberto’s journey demonstrates what becomes possible when determination meets opportunity. His dream of working on Wall Street, once an ocean away, is now just across the Hudson River.
Selected Videos
Barbara, a National Honors Society student with a Seal of Biliteracy, will use her awarded scholarship to help her achieve her goals of graduating from Santa Clara University.
Nicole, a First-Generation College Student and DACA applicant, will utilize her awarded scholarship to attend UC Riverside.
Ilze, a determined First-Generation College Student, excels academically and in leadership roles. With financial support, she will pursue her dream of higher education at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Melissa, a remarkable First-Generation Student, excels in academics and community service. With this scholarship, she’ll pursue Early Childhood Education at UC Santa Cruz.