First-Generation Student Receives Life-Changing Scholarship

The Blackhawk Technical College IDEAL Opportunity Scholarship (announced in fall 2020) has selected its first scholarship recipient. After much deliberation of talented, worthy candidates, the BTC Foundation announced Paola Delgado as the first recipient of this ground-breaking award. This scholarship opportunity will provide Paola (and future recipients) with funds to cover classes and materials, a stipend for living expenses, a faculty mentor, and an internship in their future career path. This scholarship program is an intentional effort to increase access to education and transform the lives of low-income, first-generation, or students of color entering specific programs.

This scholarship requires that candidates are nominated by community organizations that have seen Blackhawk students deserving of this helping hand. Pao, as she prefers to be called, was nominated by her case manager with Project 16:49. Project 16:49 ensures access to the services and supports that unaccompanied teens need to remain in school, graduate, and become self-sufficient adults.

As a current resident of their transitional living home, Pao’s case manager calls her “an excellent example for other residents to follow.” Along with being a dedicated student at Blackhawk and a conscientious full-time employee at the Staples Distribution Center, “Paola has a huge heart and will be the first person to comfort [other residents] or use her amazing sense of humor to make them laugh. She has truly become a big sister to all the residents in the house.”

Paola’s life has been filled with challenges. While born here in the States, her parents were Mexican immigrants who spoke Spanish exclusively. Therefore, learning English and doing schoolwork in her second language has always been a challenge.  As the eldest of five children, she’s frequently had to put education on the back burner to help care for her younger siblings. With the help of her high school graduation coach and Project 16:49, Pao managed to catch up on her lagging school work, graduate early, and then enrolled at Blackhawk.

“The program helped me grow into the woman I am right now,” she said. “It surrounded me with amazing people. With some of the girls, we are what you call “familia,” it means family in Spanish. I have so many memories to cherish there and unbreakable bonds that I’ve built.”

As the first person in her family to graduate from high school and now attend college, she is dedicated to creating a brighter future for herself. As a student in the Criminal Justice program, Pao plans to become a police officer after graduation. She’s already been fit for her Janesville City Police Department uniform, where she will be serving her internship.

Her faculty mentor and Criminal Justice instructor Will Walsh said, “Pao is academically successful and can always be counted on to contribute intelligently and imaginatively to conversations that cover a wide range of subjects encompassing the Criminal Justice System.  She has a maturity beyond her young age and shines with a spark of determination that she will succeed at anything she may put her talents and intelligence towards.”

The entire Blackhawk community wishes Pao all the best as she continues on her educational journey.

About the IDEAL Opportunity Scholarship

The IDEAL Opportunity Scholarship is an intentional effort to increase access to education and transform the lives of persons of color who are low-income and may be first-generation college students. Individuals must be nominated for this scholarship by a community-based organization. 

School district staff, non-profit staff, church leaders, and other community-based organizations who want to learn how to nominate individuals for the IDEAL Opportunity Scholarship are encouraged to attend an upcoming Coffee and Conversation event at BTC at 8 a.m. on either Mar. 23 or Apr. 1. Seating is limited, facemasks and social distancing are required. Guests must RSVP to Lisa Hurda at lhurda@blackhawk.edu or (608) 757-7704.

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