{"id":1207,"date":"2018-06-07T01:34:23","date_gmt":"2018-06-07T01:34:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/?p=1207"},"modified":"2018-05-30T19:34:38","modified_gmt":"2018-05-30T19:34:38","slug":"meet-siu-scholarship-recipient-esmeralda-valerio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/?p=1207","title":{"rendered":"Meet SIU Scholarship Recipient \u2013 Esmeralda Valerio"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Meet<\/p>\n

Esmeralda Valerio is a junior from Chicago studying social work<\/a>. She is a Harvey and Trish Welch Scholarship recipient.<\/em><\/p>\n

Why did you choose SIU?<\/strong>
\n<\/b>I chose SIU because it felt like home. I felt I could make some sort of impact on this campus and I am glad I have. I’m making my impact by working with New Student Programs.<\/p>\n

What inspired you to choose your area of study?<\/strong>
\nHaving to work with other social workers growing up.<\/p>\n

What is your most memorable experience at SIU?<\/strong>
\n<\/b>Being part of the New Student Orientation as a team lead.<\/p>\n

What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about SIU?<\/strong>
\n<\/b>I brag about how proud I am to be a leader on campus through our New Student Programs office.<\/p>\n

Could you tell us about the impact of the scholarship on your education at SIU and your life in general?<\/strong>
\n<\/b>This scholarship helped me have peace of mind to not worry about my current financial struggles. The $1000 I received really did make a huge difference.<\/p>\n

Why should people consider donating to SIU?<\/strong>
\n<\/b>Because our students have heart, they are passionate for their institution and what SIU does to impact its students.<\/p>\n

If you had $1,000 to donate to SIU, what would you like to see that money benefit? Why?<\/strong>
\n<\/b>I would use it to create a scholarship for first generation Latinx students who struggle with physical or mental disabilities.<\/p>\n