2021 Scholarship Recipients

Ajmaani Whitter

Going to college was always a task on my to-do list to get further in life. I’ve always had a firm opinion on continuing my education from a young age as I actually enjoyed school, more so what I went home with: new knowledge.

As an Irish-Caribbean and person of color, female at that, I have to advocate for what I want and to have my voice heard amongst the crowd of our oppressors who are even seen today in media, politics, and our government. That being said, I knew from a young age that change was needed.

I became very invested in being a role model and an overall leader to others, especially those younger than me so I could share my wisdom with them. By showing these skills, I became a student helper at my school whereas, I would assist in AP Biology with grading papers and setting up labs, creating quiz let flashcards for Spanish and global history, and overall offering my assistance to my teachers and classmates as my way of giving back.

After my freshman year, I became involved in my school’s Student Government Alliance by becoming a grade-wide representative not only my freshman year but my sophomore year also. At the start of my junior year, while continuing to take on more challenging classes and responsibilities, I became the Student Council Vice President. I oversaw the beautification team at my school to make the atmosphere more welcoming and hospitable for the long hours in the building. I also became captain of my school's newly founded badminton team. My point through this is that, when I see a need for change, I don't wait for someone else to offer, and take action myself which I plan to bring to DePauw University.

I plan to continue my stride in leadership at DePauw University by joining their Student Government Association, not as the token black person to show diversity as many have, but to bring change to the campus regardless of it being a Predominantly White Institute. I want to change the preconceived atmosphere of PWI’s.

Over the summer of 2020, I lost my mother and sole parent in my life to metastatic ovarian cancer. My father was never in my life and her death brought not only sorrow to my life, but future challenges I would need to go through without her or the financial stability she provided while I was growing up until the age of 17. Receiving the HESUS Fund Scholarship would not only make me stand out amongst my peers, but also support me throughout my college experience to bridge the gap of financial assistance I need, so I can further my education and extend my leadership skills and role to DePauw University. In a sense, I’ll be using the scholarship money to help my university.

Sheila Camacho

“Ponte las Pilas mija'' is my mom’s way of telling me to pull myself together and never give up. My parents emigrated from Mexico at a young age and due to their undocumented status, we were constantly facing financial instability and fear of deportation. At 12 years old, I edited my dad's work emails, deciphered banking statements, and even helped my mom study for her GED. I witnessed all of the underlying injustices my family had gone through and it pushed me into the world of politics. I quickly developed a passion to advocate against inequality within my community and become an outspoken voice in and outside of the classroom.

I’ve always had a hard time picturing myself as a leader because I was afraid of building up a standard that I could never live up to. However, my expectations changed over my sophomore and junior years, when I was the event coordinator for the Smile Operation. As event coordinator, I managed after school bake sales, oversaw toy drives, led workshops and made weekly announcements. We raised over $2000 and our hard work translated into four life-changing surgeries for low-income victims of cleft disease. I realized that you don't always have to be the loudest voice in the room to make a difference. What matters is passion.  

Although I loved my school community, I felt distant from my own culture and after years of living in fear I wanted a space to express my personality and identity. I channeled my energy into founding the first LatinX Student Union at my school. My team and I hosted bi-weekly meetings to discuss issues such as gender, discrimination and identity. It was a refreshing experience to speak my truth and be a mentor for other LatinX students who faced the same adversity. This is why I'm excited to join the Alianza Student Union at Middlebury College in the fall.

Along with encouraging cultural awareness and embracing diversity, I aim to major in political science and minor in global health. On campus, I plan on building on my passion for political science by joining the Pre-law Club and Model UN. Another goal is to intern at The Rohatyn Center for Global Affairs and work alongside professors to complete research projects and host student-led conferences centered around current events.

My motivation to become a politician and advocate for immigrant and low-income communities solidified during the pandemic. I watched both my parents suffer through unemployment and be rejected for the stimulus packages due to their immigration status. As a result, I’m focused on advancing my educational career and using my voice to bring power back into my community. I plan on using the HESUS Fund to offset expenses such as books and dorm supplies, so I can succeed in my classes and give back to the neighboring community through volunteer work. Estoy lista para ponerme las pilas[1] and work hard to make my goals a reality.

[1] I'm ready to never give up 

David Guiracocha

Unlike the typical high school experience, my everyday routine consisted of intense yelling, rigorous physical training, and hours of military drills. As a cadet in multiple military cadet programs, leaving home for weeks at a time, training with students from other states, and meeting with high-ranking military officers were some of the most crucial experiences I had. As an officer in my squadron, I also worked hard in my local community to organize community service projects around the city including a blood drive at a local church, and a food pantry at a local recreational center. However, the most important part of my role as a cadet thus far has been my participation in emergency response missions during the disastrous coronavirus pandemic.

Learning, training, and growing was a big part of my personal development, but as I moved up in the ranks, I began to prioritize my younger peers who always sought guidance and support when they were thrusted into the same intense environment that I had been put into at the start of my journey as a cadet. It was the leadership experience that I gained from my participation in the military cadet programs, as well as my active role in community service projects around the city, that drove my ambition and desire to lead and serve in my community.

When asked to define what it means to be a leader, I often refer to a quote by John Quincy Adams, who once said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” On top of that, I am also a firm believer that it matters not what you do nor who you are, anyone can be that person who inspires others. This is why I pride myself in being that person who inspires others and, in the process of doing so, I have also developed a heightened sense of responsibility, perseverance, resiliency, and empathy.

As a Vanderbilt University student, I will continue my military training by being a leader in Vanderbilt’s R.O.T.C. program, as well as in Nashville’s military cadet program. I acknowledge that I will be in a brand new community full of people that are very different than those that I have lived with my entire life, but I intend to embrace the new community of people that I meet and continue my committed service. In addition, I want to focus on my studies as a mechanical engineering major who brings ideas to reality and works on solving the world’s biggest technical issues. Being awarded the HESUS Scholarship would not only be an honor and a privilege, but having recently found out that my family’s current free health insurance plan will not cover my needs while I am away at college, the funds would also help me cover the costs of Vanderbilt’s Student Health Insurance Plan, which is not covered by my grants or institutional scholarships.

Samantha Rodriguez

The soles of my sneakers were worn from marching 17 miles along the streets of Manhattan. My cheeks were sunburnt from where they peeked out from under my mask. I carried a bag with first aid and athletic tape that I had learned prevented blisters through a process of trial and error. The aches in my muscles were a source of pride, and every night I slept knowing that I was part of something greater- I was on the right side of history.

Gun violence has always been a part of my life, even from a young age. My memories of living in Florida consist of gun fairs and my father comparing interesting weapons with our neighbors. School shooter drills were as normalized as fire drills, and running from my brother's pellet gun was part of our play. Life in New York brought a different reality; it meant understanding that sometimes people around us get hurt. It meant my father and my brother losing childhood friends to gunshots, and the realization that the deli man (who made my lunch every day for three years) had been killed in a robbery for a few packs of cigarettes and $22. Seeing it in my communities so young gave me a false idea that it was okay, that it was something we must accept as we grieve. It wasn't until middle school that I became aware of gun violence from the police and the racism that was present in our legal system through the murder of Trayvon Martin. As a high school student, I never saw an opportunity to create real change, though I tried every possible angle. I enrolled in a law program. I joined the NYPD Explorers. I started volunteering with the local library so that I could work with local youth. It never seemed to be enough, until the summer of 2020.

My activity in this movement gave me the experience of working for something one will never see. I will never experience a childhood free of gun violence, but I march for the generations that follow. To work for something I will never see was the most humbling experience in my life and highlighted to me how far the generations before me had gone for the rights I have today.

I plan to extend this attitude towards my university, DePauw, as I step on campus as a minority student during a time where institutions are still learning to adopt inclusivity and break generations of microaggressions. I intend to invoke positive change in my wake until my graduation, leaving precedents for those who follow. However, there are many steps between me and the DePauw University I envision: eight hundred and twenty-three miles, to be precise. If selected, the HESUS Scholarship would ease the burden of this travel for my family and me, as well as offer financial stability during my time on campus.

Cassandra Dormeus

The room was dimly lit by the light of a disco ball. The sounds of children laughing and stomping filled the room. In the corner of that dimly lit room was me, Club Penguin book in hand as I laid on my mother’s shoulder. I was always easily identified as the young lady with a book in her hand. When armed with a pen and paper, the world was my oyster. I was able to create my own world and manifest my destiny. Growing up, I’ve always believed that words have power and hold a deep meaning. While actions do speak louder than words, words have the strength to move mountains.

            Growing up, I never saw myself as a leader. I believed that leadership was your ability to be loud and tell people what to do, so that’s exactly how I tried to be. It felt extremely unnatural, almost as if I was a dictator. Through my role as my school’s National Honor Society President, I’ve grown significantly and developed a new meaning of leadership. Leadership is how you work to elevate others. It is how you bring others to your level and push them to go beyond you, being their best selves.

          As the President of my school’s chapter of The National Honor Society, I represented something bigger than myself. Not only did the members look to me for guidance, but the staff and entire student body looked to me. At first, my ego was extremely inflated! However, I was quickly humbled when I came to know the other students. As their skills and talents began to shine, I saw that they were all gifted individuals who were able to hold their own. Though it was hard for me to relinquish control, I learned how to trust in others' leadership capabilities.

            Working my entire senior year to finance my hopes and dreams as a first generation college student, I took leadership roles in my workplace. Having a father who did not support my college dreams, I knew I had to work ten times harder. At Middlebury College, I plan to be an active advocate for BIPOC and First Generation students. I plan to continue my work to empower young black writers and poets, especially on campus in a predominantly white state and student body. I aspire to be the person who calls out things that many others refuse to speak on, the person who will say the unsaid and address the elephant in the room. I want to continue making spaces for those who do not have the space to do so, and encourage black and Hispanic girls to take up room and enjoy being themselves! If selected for this scholarship, I hope to set myself up first and then create a “Black Girls Who Read” book club to encourage first generation students like me to accomplish their dreams of attaining higher education.