NHU Familia Recognizes Student Achievements

The familia at the National Hispanic University held its end-of-semester student recognition ceremony, to celebrate student achievements, culture, and motivate them to keep moving forward.

The event was a joint collaboration between the Student Succes Program, the Center for College Success, and the Trio Science program, that brings the staff, faculty and students got together at the end of the second semester of 2010, to give 150 top students the recognition they deserve right before finals.

"We are proud of you because today the light is beaming at NHU and on the (San Jose) Eastside," said NHU President Dr. David Lopez.

"During this Christmas time we give recognition to the students for the work they have done, and we ask our professors to identify outstanding students… this event is to support them, and set them on a path toward leadership, not only for Hispanics, but for California and the world," said Dr. Lopez.

For these students Christmas came 23 days earlier, as some of them received scholarships from the Trio program, certificates for outstanding performance, t-shirts and other gifts to celebrate student achievement based on their academic performance, perfect attendance records. Some students who have made mistakes in the past but have improved after self-acknowledgment also received recognition. It was not an easy task, however, to only select a few students according to most professors and Dr. Lopez.

Some even luckier students got brand new iPads and laptops after winning a raffle, others enjoyed the warm champurrado and tamales.

Other awards were given to students who overcame difficulties at home, especially women who become the first member of their families to attend college.

Hiroshima Sanchez, a Biotech Engineer student, received multiple awards. One of them was recognizing that "she embodies the struggle of what it means to be the first member of her family to pursue an education, not only as a women, but as a Latina, as a Mexican," as her Geography teacher mentioned with a broken, emotional voice.

Despite the busy schedule of Sanchez – she works over the weekend, takes her mother to the doctor, and takes care of her younger siblings – she studies hard and plans to become a physician.

"If you want an education, it doesn't matter what you have to do, if you want it, you will get it," said Sandra Chavez, a Microbiology student friend of Sanchez who in a similar case, takes care of her family, works and studies.

Many students were surprised with the recognition, some of them had just been called the night before. They received their awards from their own teachers, who each gave a brief, sometimes emotional speech describing why each students deserved to be acknowledged.

"My teacher told me to apply (for the scholarship), but I didn´t think I would get it," said Alejandro Ramírez, a Mathematics and Science student who wants to study Computer Science. "Now I want to apply myself more, if it's a challenge, you want to take the challenge."

NHU´s students highlight the one-on-one attention they receive from staff, and the encouragement they receive helps them move forward, even when studying can become a little too busy.

"It is difficult, but studying here has been an unforgettable experience," said another Mathematics and Science student, Enrique Ortega Jr., who wants to be a commercial airline pilot.

The Student Succes Program recognizes scholarship recipients every year for students who have the highest GPAs and attend activities of the program. This program, now five years old, provides tutoring and opportunities for students to work together through two leadership groups, Mariposa and Hombres, for women and men respectively, and other programs.