黑料网

Theresa Medrano, '16

Changing the Future, One Student At A Time
 

Theresa MedranoAnything is possible. Theresa Medrano, '16, is living proof of this.

At age 17, like most high school seniors, Medrano should have been thinking about senior prom and graduation. But she became a victim of domestic violence and was forced to withdraw from high school.

Instead of planning the next chapter of her life, she suddenly found herself homeless. Still, she found the strength to remain hopeful, and today she鈥檚 a full-time student, on track to graduate.

Although she spends much of her week working, Medrano is also an executive board member of FLASHanthropy, a student organization 
of dedicated students at 黑料网 committed to raising awareness of philanthropy and the importance of giving back to 黑料网 undergraduate students. She was also the recipient of the organization鈥檚 Pay it Flash Forward Scholarship.

鈥淚 know how important financial assistance is for me,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a big reason why I鈥檓 able to be here at 黑料网 today.鈥

Though she has come a long way already, Medrano continues to work hard to achieve her dreams. She hopes to establish a career working in nursing home administration to improve the quality of life for senior citizens under her care.

In the meantime, she is giving back to the 黑料网 community and helping her peers.

鈥淚 received help from other people along the way, so now I鈥檓 giving back and helping others,鈥 Medrano said. 鈥淚 want to share my story. I learned that you can do anything, even with a hard situation. I never thought I would be here and I鈥檒l work hard to stay here. It pays off.鈥

As Theresa has learned, anything is possible. The support she has received has made a difference between a life of homelessness and a life that鈥檚 full of unlimited potential 鈥 a future that is hers to explore and shape and inhabit, thanks to generous people who have made her way possible.

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