Edwin Quito

I was so excited to be one of the selected students awarded with the JUVE Becas (2009) and received this economic help for my education. Just a month ago I received my Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice. I felt proud of being not just an Ecuadorian immigrant but also a Hispanic student who even didn’t have the same opportunities as the other students, but still I graduated with high honors “magna cum laude”. Besides that I was considered one of the honor students in Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. I have achieved one more of my goals, but i am not finished yet. I still have to work on my other goals.

I have not been in touch with Juventud Ecuatoriana because of my job. However, I really appreciate the scholarship that they awarded me last year. This amount of money received helped me to buy all my books for my last semester and pay one of my summer classes. My graduation from a two-year college was dedicated to my parents, to my sisters and to the organization which helped me to continue my education no matter what! As I mentioned before, my dreams are not completely realized. My next step will be to reach my Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. It is going to take two more years. However, I’m very optimistic that I will make it. I hope one day I could give all the help that Juventud Ecuatoriana has given me, and help others to realize their dreams as well.
Thanks a lot for your support of the Ecuadorian people.

María Cruz

First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude in having the privilege to be a 2009 Juventud Ecuatoriana scholarship recipient. Being born in Ecuador and raised in New York, I was overwhelmed and proud to know that there was an organization that awarded scholarships to Ecuadorian students.

The scholarship helped me with the financial obligations of my undergraduate senior year. I spent my last semester at the New York University Study Abroad Program in Paris. I was able to pay for my flight to Paris with the scholarship. Because of my scholarship, the completion of my second major of Romance Languages was made possible in the ideal city to improve my French. I was completely immersed in the French language by taking advanced French literature and culture courses, living with a French host family, and by simply absorbing Parisian culture while walking through the streets, cafés, and museums.

Thank you JUVE board members for bestowing me with the scholarship.