Palo Alto College TRiO Upward Bound students named Dell Scholars

Palo Alto College TRiO Upward Bound students Guadalupe Hernandez and Norma Soria were named Class of 2012 Dell Scholars by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. As Dell Scholars, Hernandez and Soria will each receive $20,000 to continue their higher education for the next six years.

Guadalupe ‘Lupe’ Hernandez, a senior at Pleasanton High School, will be attending Houston Baptist University in Houston, while Norma Soria, a senior at Lytle High School, will study nursing at Texas State University in San Marcos. Both students are the first in their family to attend college. Through the Upward Bound program, both students have completed nearly 800 hours to their college preparation. The $20,000 scholarship will be issued over four years, but the students have up to six years to use the funds. In addition to the scholarship, the students will receive computer equipment, computer technical support, textbook vouchers, tutoring services, and mentorship.

“We are grateful for the generous support of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, which will allow these students to fulfill their college dreams,” said Monica Ayala, TRiO Upward Bound Coordinator at Palo Alto College.

In 2012, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation has announced scholarships totaling $6 million to 300 high school seniors through the Dell Scholars Program. The national Dell Scholars Program targets underserved youth and lower income students from high schools across the country, many of whom participate in TRiO programs, in an effort to promote higher education. Requirements include graduation from an accredited high school, demonstrated financial need, a minimum GPA of 2.4 on a 4.0 scale, and intent to enter a bachelor’s degree program at an accredited higher education institution in the fall.

Upward Bound is one of eight U.S. Department of Education TRiO programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, enabling individuals to progress academically into a postsecondary education. For more information about TriO programs, visit http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/index.html.