José Ventura and Margarita Melendez Mexican-American Scholarship Fund

Hi, My name is Martha, and being a first-generation, Mexican-American student is a big part of why I’m so passionate about pursuing higher education. My parents are immigrants who came to this country with very little, and their sacrifices have shaped not only my life but also the values I carry with me every day. Growing up, I saw my dad work long hours as the sole provider for our family of five while my mom stayed home to take care of us. She’s a deeply faithful woman who often woke up in the middle of the night to pray and ask God for strength and guidance. Even though we didn’t have much, my parents always found ways to make things work. My mom would take us to thrift stores, and she taught me the value of being resourceful and grateful for what we had. But being frugal came with its own challenges. My parents’ hardships made them cautious, and even as they financially recovered, they rarely allowed themselves to enjoy life. That stuck with me because, while I admire their resilience, it also made me realize how important it is to find joy in the life you work so hard to build. As a first-generation student, I didn’t always know what I wanted to do with my life. But when I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, everything became clearer. My parents told me to see it as a reminder to slow down, take care of myself, and focus on my future. That advice changed everything for me. It helped me embrace my passion for coding and computers, a field I now see as an opportunity to create a better future, not just for myself, but for my parents, too. Being a first-generation, Mexican-American student means carrying the hopes and dreams of my parents while paving a path of my own. It means honoring their sacrifices by working hard to achieve the opportunities they didn’t have. It means showing gratitude for their resilience and using their story to inspire my own journey. I’m passionate about being a first-generation student because it’s about more than education, it’s about giving back to my family, representing my community, and proving that hard work and perseverance can overcome any obstacle. I hope to one day give my parents that break they deserve and show them how much they mean to me and give them a chance to enjoy life. Thank you so much for allowing me to share my story.

Walking up the endless stairs at Seattle Pacific University with a burrito made of chilaquiles con huevo in my hand, I was struck by the magnitude of the moment. There I was, a first-generation Mexican-American on a predominantly white university campus with a breakfast made by my mother at 4 am before heading to work with my dad. In that instant, I was reminded of all of the challenges and struggles that my parents and I faced to make my education possible. As I headed to the commuter lounge to heat my burrito before going to a group study meeting, my heart was filled with overwhelming gratitude. I am passionate about being a first-generation Mexican-American student because my graduation will be the culmination and fruition of many sacrifices, hard work, and determination. It is with guilt and inspiration that I have watched my parents wake up at 4 am to commute an hour and a half every day to their jobs. Their work ethic has inspired mine and it is through them that I learned that with hard work and ambition, anything is possible. Working the moment I turned 16, late nights studying to maintain a high GPA, playing volleyball, and endlessly volunteering all in the hopes of getting into a university. I am determined to make the most out of my education and take advantage of every opportunity available to me. I currently work as an accounting assistant and although it is challenging to balance school and work, I know it'll be worth it in the long run. As a Mexican-American, I grew up being at a crossroads between my two identities. My collectivistic Mexican upbringing clashed with my individualistic American environment and I felt that I was "ni de aquí y ni de allá". I remember wishing my family could be “normal” and I wondered why we didn’t wear cashmere sweaters and eat steak and salad every night like the Americans on TV. I resented that other kids had parents who could speak English and that they didn't have to act the adult by interpreting and thus growing up too fast as a result of these responsibilities. I can also count on my fingers the number of times I tried to ask my parents for help with my homework (three times). I so desperately wanted to be a kid who could rely on their parents and ask them for help instead of having it be the other way around. But by wanting so much to be “normal”, I ignored the beauty of my cultural upbringing and how it has shaped who I am today. Instead of complaining about my circumstances like I used to, I have realized that all of these experiences have given me valuable skills and lessons that I can use in the workplace, at school, in life, and to help other people. I am fiercely independent, resourceful, self-driven, empathetic, caring, and resilient. These characteristics are the reason that I will graduate with honors, get a good job, and make my parents as proud of me as I am of them. They are my biggest supporters and I will make their sacrifices worth it. Getting to graduate university when my parents did not even finish middle school is a blessing I do not take lightly. Just like my parents have worked hard so that me and my siblings would not have to face the struggles that they did, I will also do the same for my future children. Being a first-generation Mexican-American student is difficult, but it has become my greatest strength.