September 9, 2008
Dear Association of Latino Alumni,
First, thank you for your generous scholarship as it has helped me continue to attend this institution. I am a sophomore from Rochelle Park, New Jersey and I am very grateful that I have been given the opportunity of a lifetime. Penn is an amazing place, both academically and socially. From only one year here, I already see that this university is shaping my character and helping me become a better person. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education." I believe I am receiving both here.
Last semester, I took a class that traveled to West Philadelphia High School and helped to create a new public high school. It was very rewarding. I was able to communicate with students who wished to learn but were not in a suitable environment to do so. The fact that these students were still yearning for an education despite the difficult conditions really made me admire them. I hope to continue similar endeavors this semester as I will hopefully join a group of students as they go to Sayre High School in West Philadelphia once a week to teach sophomores neuroscience. It is because of this joy of helping that I wish to become a doctor in the future. I have been fortunate enough to be given the chance to learn and earn a higher education, and I hope to put this knowledge to good use by caring for others.
Again, I would like to thank you for your aid. It has financially made attending Penn easier, which in turn means I can continue to use all of its great resources to achieve my goal. I appreciate the faith you put in me as a student. I hope to hear from you sometime in the near future. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Cristian J. Barrios
