Meet Mauricio
Wheaton High School, Class of 2010
Gettysburg College, Class of 2014
“As far as I knew, I couldn’t afford to go to college anyway because we didn’t have any money.”
Mauricio wasn’t optimistic about his future. Even though he was only in the 9th grade, he had seen his peers join gangs and drop out of school. He was keenly aware that the education he was receiving at Wheaton High School was very different than the education students at a more affluent school might receive. Mauricio, the oldest of four boys, knew that finances were an issue for his family, and higher education just didn’t seem realistic. His mother worked as a maid at a hotel, and his father worked for Montgomery County doing manual labor. “As far as I knew, I couldn’t afford to go to college anyway because we didn’t have any money,” Mauricio says.
Because he didn’t think college was an option for him, he stopped paying attention in school. Then, in his junior year, a senior named Binh told him about Collegiate Directions, Inc. Binh, a CDI Scholar, encouraged Mauricio to apply. Mauricio was hesitant. His grades were low, and he felt no teacher or counselor would recommend him. Undeterred, Binh said that he would recommend him. Mauricio submitted an application and received an interview. But the CDI team was also uncertain. They had seen his report cards and questioned if he was committed to his studies. Once again, Binh intervened. He emailed founding executive director Theresa Atta saying, “Ms. Atta, please give Mauricio a chance. I believe in him.” That email ensured that Mauricio would be part of the program.
As a CDI Scholar, he received college counseling, ACT preparation, and numerous workshops on life skills. The CDI team helped him to understand the financial aid process and how he could afford college. He began to see higher education as a real possibility and became more motivated in school. When he handed in a straight “A” report card to Theresa, she couldn’t believe her eyes. With tutoring, Mauricio did remarkably well on his ACT, scoring a 32 out of a possible 36. He applied to 10 colleges and was accepted to eight of them. The school with the strongest financial aid package was Gettysburg College, a school that CDI had introduced him to.
At Gettysburg, Mauricio thrived. He fostered his love of writing and became an English major. He also volunteered with the LIU Migrant Education Program, which provides academic support for the children of migrant workers. He connected with the children because they were like him – children of immigrant parents who came to this country for a better life, but were still struggling. “Many of these kids showed a drive I didn’t see too often in my own life in education, and working with these kids taught me a lot more about the world and myself than I could ever describe. I owe the person I am today to those kids,” Mauricio says. He remained connected to CDI, as well, checking in regularly and giving tours to younger CDI Scholars who visited Gettysburg.
In the spring of 2014, Mauricio became the first person in his family to graduate from college. He decided to stay in Gettysburg, and began working full time for the LIU Migrant Education Program, helping other students as CDI once helped him.
Mauricio speaking at the Annual Spring Benefit in 2014
