BETHELEHEM, Pa. — DeSales University biology major Rachel Apiolaza beamed as her name was called Thursday inside the Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley.
Upon receiving the certificate for the $1,000 Nuestro Futuro scholarship, Apiolaza lifted it toward the parents, who looked on.
“Receiving this takes a lot of stress off. Their hard work brought me here, and this scholarship is my way of honoring that.”DeSales University biology major Rachel Apiolaza
“My parents immigrated here from Chile, and I’m a first-generation college student,” she said.
“Receiving this takes a lot of stress off. Their hard work brought me here, and this scholarship is my way of honoring that.”
Apiolaza was among eight students awarded $1,000 scholarships by the Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley, or HCLV, and the Latino Leadership Alliance, marking the first year the two organizations formally presented the awards together.
Scholarship recipients were: Edwannys Antoine (Alvernia University), Rachel Apiolaza (DeSales University), Marieni D. Hernandez (Chestnut Hill College) and Natalie Herrera (DeSales University).
Also, Jalinee Marquez (Howard University), Denise Lozada (Moravian University), Mileysshka Cordero (St. Joseph’s University) and Kiara Larrama.
A merger in the making
The scholarships come after a major shift in the region’s Latino support network.
In April, the East Fourth Street center — long a hub for senior services, family support and community health programs — formally merged with the Latino Leadership Alliance.
With the merger, the Hispanic Center now houses the scholarship program launched by Maria Teresa Donate, and manages services, scholarships and broader community support.
"People in this room have worked for decades so students can stand here today."Guillermo Lopez Jr.
Guillermo Lopez Jr., founder of the Latino Leadership Alliance and now a board member with HCLV, said the merger reflects a shared mission.
“We’re not just combining organizations — we’re bringing community together,” Lopez said.
“People in this room have worked for decades so students can stand here today.”
Before the merger, Lopez said, scholarships awarded by the LLA traditionally totaled $500.
This year’s increase to $1,000 per student was made possible by aligning resources and expanding outreach, he said.
“Belief in your potential”
Standing before families, scholarship winners and local leaders, HCLV Executive Director Raymond Santiago said the awards represent more than financial aid.
“They represent belief in your potential, your resilience and your ability to shape a brighter future,” he said.
“You carry the hopes of generations who dreamed of opportunities you now have.”
Community leaders, including Janine Santoro, Bethlehem's director of equity and inclusion, and Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk, the city’s first Latino mayor, cheered on the students.
A former president of the Latino Leadership Alliance, Santoro urged the recipients to lead on others when college challenges hit.
“When it feels overwhelming, remember your community is behind you,” she said.
Not 'walking alone'
Karina Fuentes, a Moravian University alumna who now works at the university supporting first-generation and Latino students in the admissions department, told the graduates that she once stood exactly where they were — excited and facing barriers she didn’t yet understand.
“It took me six years to get my bachelor’s degree due to a lot of doors being closed, due to a lot of people not wanting to support me,” Fuentes said.
"It’s already hard becoming a Hispanic student going into an institution that was not necessarily built for us."Karina Fuentes, Moravian University
“But once I found my village and remembered who was part of my family, such as my mother, my chosen family — the Lehigh Valley for me is really huge — I was able to succeed and become the person that I am.”
She urged students to lean on the people who show up for them, especially when college feels unfamiliar or unwelcoming.
“You are not walking alone… connect with us, email us, contact us,” Fuentes said.
"It’s already hard becoming a Hispanic student going into an institution that was not necessarily built for us.”
Fuentes said the rising number of degree-earning Latinos is proof that path is widening.
“I’m proud to share that 20 percent of Latino and Hispanic students now hold a bachelor’s degree," she said. "When I started college, it was about 10 to 17 percent.
"So to see that number rising — don’t forget we are the majority."
Along with the eight $1,000 scholarships, the students received free Dell laptops donated by Comcast — which went to students from high schools including William Allen, Liberty, Freedom, Whitehall.
To learn more about the Nuestro Futuro scholarship program, visit theprogram's website.
