Alondra, a Bellevue LifeSpring college scholarship recipient, graduated from Eastern Washington University on June 12! She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work, a Minor in Sociology, and a Minor in Spanish – and that’s not all. Alondra also earned a certificate in Addiction Studies: Suicide Assessment, Treatment, and Management.
Alondra received Bellevue LifeSpring scholarships for all four years of her studies. “Bellevue LifeSpring has been a huge support for my education,” shared Alondra. “Without the big financial burden, I was able to focus and do very well in my classes. It also gave me the time to join clubs and gain experience through volunteer work, such as volunteering at a homeless shelter in Spokane. I am very thankful for the opportunities given to me as a result of the scholarship.”
Alondra’s senior year proved to be a challenging one due to the pandemic shutdown. “COVID-19 made a huge impact on me educationally. I had to adapt to the new online learning system, which was difficult. I moved back home, and that challenged me the most. There are six of us in my family living in a small two-bedroom apartment. With three of us having online school, it wasn’t easy to find a quiet space to study or participate in class.”
Despite all the challenges of the past year, Alondra succeeded! She expressed her gratitude for her Bellevue community helping her along the way. “Without community, it can be difficult to find the support needed to succeed. When I think of community, I think of people working together with a common goal or value to achieve an outcome. For example, a community valuing its students and supporting their success.”
What’s next for Alondra? She will be pursuing her master’s degree in social work and hopes to work with the Latinx population in the Puget Sound area. “Thank you to all the people who helped organize this scholarship! I hope the community realizes how much of a great impact this has on students like me.”
Congrats, Alondra! We wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors.
Along with Alondra, seven other Bellevue LifeSring college scholarship recipients graduated this year. Congratulations to Jane, Sophia, Kavina, Ramou, Hailee, Pallavi, and Emily!
Support Bellevue Students Like Alondra
Bellevue LifeSpring’s goal is to close the graduation gap for Bellevue students from low-income households. In addition to college scholarships, Bellevue LifeSpring provides summer school scholarships to high school students through our Grads-On-Track program.
Just one barrier can prevent a student from staying in school and making it to high school graduation and then on to college. Support a path to stability and self-sufficiency for local students by making an investment today.
