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The spirit of “lucecitas” — glimmers of light — shone brightly on the Westmont campus as nearly 200 enthusiastic students and their families gathered for the powerful fourth annual event, Affording Your College Dream on Nov. 1. In a vibrant, Spanish-language event brimming with energy and hope, Westmont, in partnership with the Santa Barbara Unified School District’s Program for Effective Access to College (PEAC), Resilience, Education, Adventure, Community and Health (REACH), and the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, equipped Santa Barbara’s aspiring Hispanic students with the vital tools and confidence needed to turn their college aspirations into reality. Westmont initiated this effort four years ago with the dream and vision to impact local families.
A Spark of Inspiration: Hilda Maldonado’s Journey
The room buzzed with excitement as the event, focused on empowering first-generation college students, welcomed dynamic keynote speaker Hilda Maldonado, Superintendent of Santa Barbara Unified School District. Maldonado shared her deeply inspiring journey of overcoming challenges as an English-language learner, describing the moments of hope that guided her path as “glitters – ‘lucecitas’.”
“Being first-generation means being willing to take on the huge responsibility of being the first in your family to attend college and being resilient enough to overcome adversity,” Maldonado said. She stressed that grit (determinacion), effort (ganas) and grace (gracia) give you the will to keep going when things get difficult. “The road ahead is not perfect, so give yourself some grace and maintain your inspiration and dream (la belleza del camino).”
Her powerful story highlighted the unwavering support of her mother, who, despite having only a second-grade education, made it clear that education was their highest priority when they immigrated from Mexico to California. “I was driven to succeed, confident in my abilities to create opportunities and serve others,” she shared. “I felt a powerful spark — a deep desire to be a woman who profoundly changes lives.”
Illuminating the Path to Affordability
Beyond the inspirational keynote, the event delivered actionable guidance, ensuring every “lucecita” knows how to glimmer through the financial aid process. Experts from the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara and Cal-SOAP provided vital, step-by-step assistance, covering everything from successfully completing the FAFSA to identifying critical scholarship opportunities.
These essential partnerships are fueling higher education access throughout the community.
“Students and parents share the dream of higher education,” says Araceli Espinoza, Westmont director of community and campus partnerships for admissions. “We hosted this Spanish-language event to ensure parents felt included, supported and empowered to take part in the financial aid process. Today was a significant moment for these families.”
For the past four years, Westmont has established a beloved tradition: surprising students who completed their applications during the event with on-the-spot admissions decisions, ensuring their families and parents could witness this momentous news and celebrate the achievement in person.
“Each year, this event is a highlight for me, standing on stage and handing each admitted student a symbolic envelope with the bold words ‘#WestmontSaidYES’, to their college dream,” says Irene Neller, Westmont’s vice president of enrollment and one of the architects of the annual event.
Every accepted student is also notified of the merit scholarship they’ve earned based on their academic achievement. “It’s more than an acceptance letter; it’s a pathway to a future filled with hope,” Neller says. “What a joy it is to celebrate this moment with them and their families.
“The event has not only provided knowledge, but has cultivated a community of support, making the journey to college brighter and more attainable for Santa Barbara’s next generation of leaders.”
At the event, Westmont announced an exceptional, near full-tuition guarantee to all admitted Santa Barbara students: if they receive and accept the full Pell Grant, Cal Grant and federal loans, their remaining gap need, according to the FAFSA will be met. This ensures that all qualified Santa Barbara County students can access a Westmont education.
“Together as a community, we are bridging the opportunity gap for our local youth and cultivating a network of resources students can access to support their plans to pursue higher education,” says Patricia Madrigal, CEO and president of the PEAC Foundation. “This commitment ensures we are actively investing in growing our own here in Santa Barbara.”
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