Student’s Outlook on Future is Bright, Thanks to AlamoPROMISE

AlamoPROMISE Student of the Month - April 2024, SAC Student, Ivan Orellana

As a high school student, Ivan Orellana only thought of college as a place to earn a degree so that he could find a job that would pay the bills. Graduation had been tough, so his future after high school was filled with uncertainty.

Then, Ivan received a call from the Alamo Colleges District (ACD) congratulating him on qualifying for AlamoPROMISE, a last-dollar scholarship that covers 100 percent of tuition and fees for graduating seniors from partner high schools. 

At that moment, Ivan knew that he needed to change his attitude toward college and seized the opportunity in front of him. He began attending San Antonio College (SAC), where he studied Biology. During his first year, he applied himself vigorously to his studies, eventually earning a 3.59 GPA.

“It all happened very fast, but in less than a year, SAC and AlamoPROMISE brought me to places I had never even imagined seeing with my own eyes,” shared Ivan.

Although studying is his priority, Ivan is passionate about learning new languages in his free time. He is an active participant in the Japan America Society of San Antonio, where he volunteers for the cultural and language exchange activities held throughout the year.

Now in his second year at SAC, Ivan is proud to be a first-generation college student and is close to graduating with an Associate degree. After graduation, he plans to continue his education at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) through the support of the AlamoPromise to UTSA Bold Promise program, where qualifying students can have their tuition and fees covered for four fall and spring semesters within a two-year period.

Ivan credits the opportunities presented to him during his time at SAC for changing his viewpoint on college. While he used to think of college as solely a place to obtain a degree, he now thinks of it as a place to learn and grow as an individual. 

During the April 2024 ACD Board Meeting, Ivan was awarded the AlamoPROMISE student of the month. During his recognition, he shared how much the program means to him and the impact it’s making on the future of AlamoPROMISE scholars.   

“There’s a lot of opportunities available to me through this program…Other PROMISE students and myself can go as far as we can imagine,” said Ivan.  “There’s nothing stopping us, we just have to apply ourselves. We just need to find that courage. And I found it here, thanks to AlamoPROMISE.”