Fajitas and drinks with live music are great reasons to celebrate anytime. But when the Scholars Latino Initiative (SLI) community of support gathered this weekend, it was also to celebrate the accomplishments of SLI alumni and SLI’s record year of support for students.
A college access nonprofit based in Harrisonburg, SLI hosted its annual “Celebración” on Saturday, November 8. Returning to the stunning downtown venue The Loft at Liberty St., the 5:30-9pm event featured sharing by SLI alumni from Harrisonburg, Richmond, and Winchester, a fajita bar with locally sourced Mexican cuisine, wine and local beers, the music of Lua Project before and after dinner, a silent auction and 50/50 raffle, and more. Missed the event? Donate here!
“For many, including myself, SLI was a place where we discovered our potential, built confidence, and learned that we weren’t alone,” recalled SLI alum speaker Dulce Alonso, who recently became the SLI program director at Harrisonburg High School. “As I think about the impact [long-time program directors] Carlos and Hannah had on my life, I’m honored to be able to do the same now with the lives of our scholars. For me, this has definitely been a full circle moment as I’m now on the other side, getting to witness every day the strength, resilience, and brilliance of our scholars. I see the future they’re building, one that is more equitable, more hopeful, and more empowered.”
The mission of Scholars Latino Initiative (SLI) is to support Latino/a/x high school students with college access through rigorous academic challenge, leadership development, scholarships, and supportive mentorships. Through collaborations in Harrisonburg, Richmond and Winchester with university and high school staff, faculty, and students, SLI provides college access opportunities throughout high school. In addition, its scholars can become eligible for financial support for college success.
“I had a destination in mind, but not a road map,” SLI alum Guadalupe Tenorio Ramirez (EMU ’26) told the gathered community. “That’s where SLI made all the difference.” READ GUADALUPE’S SPEECH BELOW
Many SLI scholars are first-generation college students, and therefore face unique challenges.
“When I think back to my time as a scholar in high school, I often think about if it weren’t for SLI, how lacking I’d be in the unwritten skills and knowledge necessary for college success,” shared alum Adriana (JMU ’27). “SLI is a part of my community and has remained a constant as part of my village…, providing me with resources to continue being successful on my track towards earning dual degrees and transcending barriers.” READ ADRIANA’S SPEECH BELOW
In a speech read at the event by SLI alum Jennyfer Hernandez Austria (University of Richmond), SLI alum Jennifer (William & Mary ’25) shared, “I often reflect on how the program gave me a sense of purpose from applying to college to working towards making meaningful impact in my community. I see a clear thread: Mentorship opportunities and guidance empower individuals to make meaningful change and achieve their goals.” READ JENNIFER’S SPEECH BELOW
A Celebración social hour featured music by Lua Project, an open bar with wine and local beers, and chips and salsa. Dinner then included a fajita bar with shredded chicken and pork carnitas, corn and flour tortillas, beans, Spanish rice, roasted vegetables, curtido, guacamole and queso fresco, salsa and pico de gallo, and fresh kale chop chop salad – with coffee, flan, Mexican wedding cookies, fresh fruits, and chocolate chili bites for dessert. Vendors included La Bendición Bakery, A Bowl of Good, La Morena, El Sol, Merge, and others.
“An effective way to help solve the problems of today is to celebrate and invest in young people who show incredible talent and positive drive,” said SLI board chair Fawn-Amber Montoya, a professor of history at James Madison University. “That describes the students SLI serves, and I am so grateful for the community of individuals, businesses, foundations, and organizations whose support has enabled SLI to support their access to college.”
Read additional event coverage in the Daily News-Record
The event was generously sponsored by Cargill, SLI founder Peter Iver Kaufman, Genworth | CareScout, Glass and Metals, Inc., Harrisonburg City Public Schools, Dick & Pat Gardner, Brent Holsinger & Laura Toni-Holsinger, Eastern Mennonite University, The Gaines Group Architects, LD&B Insurance and Financial Services, Larry Miller & Liz Yoder, Blue Ridge Community College, Bridgewater College, CT Assist, DuPont Community Credit Union, Everence Financial, F&M Bank, Herr & Company, Highest Roofing & Exteriors, InterChange Group, Inc., Lantz Construction Company, Park View Federal Credit Union, Sentara Health, Steven Toyota, Christopher & Maria Clymer Kurtz, and Phil & Loretta Helmuth.
Silent auction items were provided by Parentheses Books, Silk Moth Stage, Edible Landscaping, Massanutten Resort, Mary Jo’s Flowers, Shirley’s Gourmet Popcorn, Luray Caverns, and others.
The sponsors and individuals present were thanked by Hannah Bowman Hrasky, a SLI board member and program director now at Rocktown High School in Harrisonburg.
“Because of your generosity, we are able to have programming that supports our students both through their high school education and their college pursuits,” she said. “Even more importantly, we’re able to build this community that’s meant so much to so many of our students in a country that is so often telling them that they are not wanted. Moments like this, your support shows them just how many people have their backs, believe in them, and will ultimately be impacted by their success in achieving their goals.”
Since 2012 SLI has served 223 scholars, including 67 current and 156 alumni. Its scholars have attended 28 colleges and universities, and SLI financial awards for students now total more than $913,000.
SLI awards announced this summer for the 2025-26 academic year totaled $217,500, a 38 percent increase over 2024’s then-record $157,500. This year’s awards include a $6,000 college scholarship and $1,250 technology grant each for 22 high school class of 2025 SLI scholars for their first year of college, plus $58,000 in college scholarships for 27 SLI alumni continuing their undergraduate studies.
Scholarships for scholars pursuing studies in health sciences were funded by a $25,000 grant from Valley Health for awards for Winchester SLI scholars. A $5,000 grant from Sentara Health also helped fund awards for students in health related studies, and a three-year grant from F&M Bank helped fund students in business and accounting studies.
Of this year’s 49 awardees, 24 are in health-related studies, eight are in business and entrepreneur-related studies, and 17 are studying architecture, education, engineering, political science, and other fields. They are studying this fall at Dickinson College, Eastern Mennonite University, Harvard College, Hollins University, the Illinois Institute of Technology, James Madison University, Longwood University, Old Dominion University, Randolph-Macon College, Shenandoah University, the University of Chicago, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, Washington Adventist University, and Blue Ridge, Brightpoint, Harrisburg Area, J. Sargent Reynolds, and Laurel Ridge Community Colleges.
Speech by Guadalupe, Hopewell High School ’22, EMU ‘26:
Good evening everyone. First I want to thank Christopher for inviting me today to share my story tonight. It’s an honor to be here and with all you to celebrate the impact of SLI in so many students’ lives.
I joined SLI in 2019 during a time when my life was full of change and uncertainty. I had recently moved from Mexico and everything from the language to the school system felt new and overwhelming. I was moving between schools and struggling to find a place. Being accepted into SLI felt like I finally found a home. It also felt like a ticket to make my dream of going to college a reality.
What makes SLI special is the community. I love learning about the stories and histories of other Hispanic cultures and hearing students share their experiences with such passion. I remember workshops where students took time from their own college work to help us write essays. Mentors shared their experiences and guide us step by step through the college life will be like.
SLI became my foundation, a place that gave me confidence, a sense of identity, and a community that believed in me before I fully believed in myself. Today, I’m proud to stand on the other side as a SLI alum, helping new members just as others once helped me.
As a first generation student and a recent immigrant, going to college felt overwhelming. I didn’t feel confident in my English, and my family couldn’t guide me because they never attended college. I had a destination but not a road map. That’s where SLI made all the difference. They helped me with every step from FAFSA to the ACT and SAT prep, the college applications and the essay writings. They organized college visits that showed me that it was possible.
One of the most impactful moments was visiting Eastern Mennonite University. Walking around campus and hearing stories from students who had been in my shoes, I realized that college wasn’t just a dream. It was something that I could achieve. That day, I didn’t just see a campus. I saw my future.
Today, I am pursuing a major in accounting and business administration. I chose this path because financial knowledge is useful both personally and professionally. I enjoy working with numbers, organizing system, and promoting transparency and trust. In college, I have participated in clubs like the Super Mileage Club, the Latino Student Alliance, Campus Activities Council. These experiences have helped me grow as a leader and communicator.
I’ve also gained real work experience through internships. Last summer, I interned with the Latin American Youth Center at Washington DC, and this semester, I’m a teacher assistant in the financial accounting class. I also have an internship for the coming tax season with DB Accounting.
My goal is to earn my CPA license in the next two to three years and eventually either start my own firm or work in a private organization. Beyond my career, I hope to build a family and give back to organizations like SLI, help students achieve the same opportunities I had.
Finally, I want to thank the donors and supporters to who make SLI possible. Your generosity has changed my life, in the life of countless students who carry big dreams but often lack guidance. You’re investing not only in us but in our families and our communities and in the next generation of leaders. Many parents carry heavy sacrifices for their children.
Thanks to you, they can rest assured that we are supported by people who truly care and believe in our potential no matter our background. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for giving us the chance to dream and to achieve. Your support is planting seeds that will grow for generations and I hope one day to stand on the other side giving back just as you gave to me. Thank you.
Speech by Adriana, Harrisonburg High School ’20, JMU ’27:
Hello, my name is Adriana and I am a proud Friendly City local. In fact, I am so local that I was born at JMU before it was JMU and it was the Rockingham Memorial Hospital. I’d like to think that this coincidence was a glimpse into how my life would turn out.
It wasn’t until the end of 8th grade that I began to understand what college was and what going to college entailed. I heard about SLI from my best friend Mary, who’s here tonight – Hi, Mary – when she was recommended by one of her teachers her freshman year. When I got the news that I was recommended, I was ecstatic to say the least. Eventually, I interviewed and was accepted to be a part of SLI by the end of my freshman year.
I felt like I was officially joining the exclusive organization that my friends were a part of. It was while I was being integrated as a scholar during the induction ceremony, I quickly learned that SLI was much more than exclusivity. It was about the inclusivity for those of us who were challenged with being first generation college-bound students by preparing us early in high school. Expectations were set high. We had to complete about 100 community service hours per year, attend meetings after school on a regular basis, visit universities around the area on weekends for workshops, and attend community events such as the International Festival every fall. That was my favorite.
Our mentors were 10 steps ahead in preparing us for their college applications through exposure to FASA, testimonies from other students, mentorship, and most important to me, I was provided with a safe space to navigate the college application process with leadership that was knowledgeable in the distinct challenges that is pursuing higher education as a child of immigrant parents.
When I think back to my time as a scholar in high school, I often think about if it weren’t for SLI, how lacking I’d be in the unwritten skills and knowledge necessary for college success. In particular, I remember how frustrated I felt when we were asked to turn in a written assignment as a PDF. I wasn’t frustrated because this wasn’t a grade for a class. I was frustrated because I didn’t know what a PDF was. And so, a free Adobe trial later, I had finally figured it out. That’s how big the accessibility gap was for me.
The exposure to challenges like those and the many small lessons that I learned during my time as a scholar made an impact beyond my readiness for college. I was prepared for their adult world. I learned the meaning of agency. And in many other ways and many other things that I can’t say with certainty I would have been prepared for otherwise. I wish I could say that my journey through college was straightforward, but that’s far from the truth. I take a lot of pride in my non-traditional and anything but linear trajectory as a student. Four years after my high school graduation, three attempts later, and my stubbornness turned into the determination, I earned my associates degree spring 2024 from Blue Ridge Community College. Despite
Despite more setbacks than I’d like to admit, it was the first degree in my family, and I have SLI to thank for helping me change the narrative. However, I’m not done. My associates was a redemption for the graduation I was robbed as as a pandemic graduate. And it’s true, the class of ’20 will never let that go. When I began at JMU the following semester, I was confronted with a different set of challenges than I had anticipated. As much as I told myself I was simply a 20-teen-year-old sophomore, in reality, I was struggling with imposter syndrome and having a hard time connecting to campus.
On top of being a student of color at a PWI, I was older than most of my actual teenage freshman classmates. Most days, I felt overwhelmingly homesick despite being 10 minutes from my house. It felt like as soon as I stepped onto campus, I was transported into a different city within my city. I decided to look for a piece of familiarity on campus after struggling to adapt my first few weeks there. And I reached out to Dr. Alemán, my SLI mentor who I have known since middle school. I was received with enthusiasm and fondness when we met his office. I quickly felt the comfort of being at home. It was the first time I felt at home that whole semester.
That comfort was me reconnecting with the sense of community I didn’t know I was missing. I’d like to take a moment to thank Dr. Alemán and I know he’s not here, for his unwavering dedication and propelling me forward through the countless times he spoke life to me and is a source where I’ve drawn strength, guidance, and continued mentorship all these years after graduating as a SLI scholar. SLI is a part of my community and has remained a constant as part of my village and their commitment towards providing me with resources to continue being successful on my track towards earning dual degrees and transcending barriers. I was able to make the president’s list both semesters of my first year at JMU in part thanks to the financial relief that I received through the SLI alum scholarship and the computer that I purchased through the technology grant that got me through the year before shutting down permanently. It sounded like an airplane about to take off.
I’m a junior now, pursuing a bachelor’s of arts in Spanish in addition to my bachelor’s of science in communication sciences and disorders. I adapted well because I found value in community and the difference that it makes when you lean into it. This year, I work as a Centennial Scholars program mentor and provide support similar to the mentorship that I received from SLI for first and second year students at JMU. To you donors: your support is a lifelong investment back into the community, into the welfare of the community. My story is a testament that your contributions are more than opportunities for first generation students. They’re life changing.
SLI was an avenue for me to connect deeply with my community. My experience with community engagement as a high school volunteer kickstarted my journey that eventually led to me obtaining a job as a special education interpreter for the city schools of Harrisburg and ultimately finding my life’s calling. My goal is to become a bilingual speech and language pathologist. I emphasize the bilingual part of the professional title for my aspiring career because I see a need in my community for the representation and speech therapy in the division.
SLI nourished my learning, acknowledged my diversity, and celebrated it. I’m inspired to provide exactly that. In addition to care and treatment, I will provide for students and patients one day. If there’s something that you can be assured of about me as a SLI mentor, it is this. I am committed to continue striving to live a life of service and engagement with my community for the advancement of the collective of first generation students, students of immigrant parents or immigrant backgrounds, students with disabilities and diverse learning needs facing adversity through education, leadership, and resilience. Thank you.
Speech by Jennifer, John Handley High School ’21, William & Mary ‘2025:
Growing up as a first generation student, it was a dream come true for me to attend college. At 7 years old, I researched different institutions and it ignited a flame in me to want to pursue higher education. I learned the importance of perseverance. My family relied on resources like SNAP, WIC, and other programs to help with our financial situation. I remember my mom’s struggle to speak English, much less understand the process of applying to college.
When I was in ninth grade, I was invited to apply to SLI. In hopes of achieving my my goal, I crafted an essay and prepared for my interview for SLI. One day, in my Spanish class, I received an email from SLI with my acceptance to the program.
SLI was one of my first programs that made me feel like college wasn’t just a dream, but a possibility. SLI felt like a strong, supportive community. Every student in the program had the opportunity to succeed beyond their own expectations.
One of the ways SLI ingrained empowerment was through their resources. I attended every mandatory meeting and signed up for volunteer opportunities. I knew every single opportunity provided by SLI was my time to expand my knowledge and skills. Throughout my time at SLI, I was provided the ability to but not limited to develop essays, learn how to public speak, and navigate college resources. The partnership with Shenandoah University was so crucial because it allowed us to attend activities at the Brandt Center, have a mentor and attend classes with mentors.
Fondly, one of my favorite moments with SLI was the peer mentorship with Quarles Elementary School. I was paired up with a young boy named Joseph. This opportunity surged my interest in public health and volunteerism. Afterwards, I remembered I signed up for so many volunteer opportunities in my area outside of the program.
SLI allowed me to see firsthand the the the impact of equitable resources on underserved communities and how meaningful support can transform lives. The program also prepared me to apply to colleges during my senior year by offering informational meetings on FAFSA, scholarships, and navigating the Common App. Ultimately, I was accepted into William & Mary as a William & Mary scholar for a selective scholarship for underserved students who demonstrate perseverance and community service. I am deeply grateful to SL for instilling the values of service and the importance of education.
At William & Mary, I built upon the foundation SLI provided. I participated in programs that offer professional support and guidance as first generation college students. My professors at William & Mary critiqued and graded papers meticulously, but thanks to the skills I developed in SLI like outlining academic papers, I was well prepared to complete my 30-page capstone. During my undergrad, I continued my service to the community through volunteering and mentorship. Many of my research papers and presentations focused on HIV risk among migrants, reflecting my ongoing commitment to helping underserved populations.
I continue to expand my skills by supporting homeless families in my community and volunteering, gaining insight into mental health issues in Latinx populations and how best to provide support. I am hopefully almost finished with my graduate applications for a fall 2026 start for a master’s in health policy where I hope to focus on expanding coordinated care and improving mental health support for low-income individuals.
SLI continues to inspire me every day. I often reflect on how the program gave me a sense of purpose from applying to college to working towards making meaningful impact in my community. I see a clear thread: Mentorship opportunities and guidance empower individuals to make meaningful change and achieve their goals. It is imperative to continue supporting the mission of SLI to inspire the next generation of students. Thank you.
