DACAmented: Oscar's Med School Fund
Donation protected
Hi everyone!
My name is Oscar Adrian Hernandez and I was recently accepted into UC Irvine School of Medicine, Class of 2019!
This means three things ...
1. I will be the first person in my family to not only graduate from college, but attend medical school.
2. I will be the first DACA student to ever attend UC Irvine School of Medicine
3. I need to raise money quick!
Here's why...
In 2012, President Obama created a new policy for certain undocumented young people who came to the U.S. as children, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Shortly after, I became one of many DACA students living in the United States. This doesn't grant me permanent immigration status, but I am given a renewable 2-year work permit and exempt from deportation.
Unfortunately, as a DACA student, I am not eligible to receive federal student aid, the traditional method of funding medical school. My only option is to finance my education through private loans, an option that is nearly impossible to obtain for my low-income family with little-to-no credit and will place a great burden on any potential co-signer.
My medical school tuition, books, room and board this year alone is costing $58,503.50, a figure that seems nearly impossible to obtain, but hopefully one I can achieve with your help.
Here's my short story...
I came to the United States when I was a year old. I was raised in a low-income community in San Diego with very little resources. I did, however, excel in academics and athletics, ranking top of my class and leading my soccer team to championships.
It was when I met my first doctor at the age of five that I knew I wanted to heal people. He was the homeowner of the house my mother would care for. One day while I was waiting for my mother to finish her cleaning duties, he showed me how to use a stethoscope on my stuffed T-rex. The rest is history.
I have played many roles since then to attend and excel in college, including a cashier at a taco shop, a laundromat attendant, a housekeeper, and a customer service representative. I was also a volunteer at UCSD's Burn Center, a volunteer at UCI's Pediatric Exercise Research Center, a math and science tutor for middle school students, and a college mentor for high school students.
The path to achieving my education has been unconventional, and one not many have endured. Now, I aspire to be one of the first undocumented students in the United States to attend medical school.
Latinos are the largest, youngest and fastest-growing population in the United States. However, there are still so few of us entering the medical field.
If you choose to give any donation, please consider it as an investment rather than a donation. Investing in me is investing into the future, especially the future of our Latino community. There is no doubt I plan on giving back to my community through education and medicine as a way of thanking all of the inspiring people who have helped me on my journey.
Please consider investing in my future so that I may push the boundaries of medical education and make the change we all wish to see. I will not let you down.
Gracias.
Oscar Adrian "Pony" Hernandez
My name is Oscar Adrian Hernandez and I was recently accepted into UC Irvine School of Medicine, Class of 2019!
This means three things ...
1. I will be the first person in my family to not only graduate from college, but attend medical school.
2. I will be the first DACA student to ever attend UC Irvine School of Medicine
3. I need to raise money quick!
Here's why...
In 2012, President Obama created a new policy for certain undocumented young people who came to the U.S. as children, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Shortly after, I became one of many DACA students living in the United States. This doesn't grant me permanent immigration status, but I am given a renewable 2-year work permit and exempt from deportation.
Unfortunately, as a DACA student, I am not eligible to receive federal student aid, the traditional method of funding medical school. My only option is to finance my education through private loans, an option that is nearly impossible to obtain for my low-income family with little-to-no credit and will place a great burden on any potential co-signer.
My medical school tuition, books, room and board this year alone is costing $58,503.50, a figure that seems nearly impossible to obtain, but hopefully one I can achieve with your help.
Here's my short story...
I came to the United States when I was a year old. I was raised in a low-income community in San Diego with very little resources. I did, however, excel in academics and athletics, ranking top of my class and leading my soccer team to championships.
It was when I met my first doctor at the age of five that I knew I wanted to heal people. He was the homeowner of the house my mother would care for. One day while I was waiting for my mother to finish her cleaning duties, he showed me how to use a stethoscope on my stuffed T-rex. The rest is history.
I have played many roles since then to attend and excel in college, including a cashier at a taco shop, a laundromat attendant, a housekeeper, and a customer service representative. I was also a volunteer at UCSD's Burn Center, a volunteer at UCI's Pediatric Exercise Research Center, a math and science tutor for middle school students, and a college mentor for high school students.
The path to achieving my education has been unconventional, and one not many have endured. Now, I aspire to be one of the first undocumented students in the United States to attend medical school.
Latinos are the largest, youngest and fastest-growing population in the United States. However, there are still so few of us entering the medical field.
If you choose to give any donation, please consider it as an investment rather than a donation. Investing in me is investing into the future, especially the future of our Latino community. There is no doubt I plan on giving back to my community through education and medicine as a way of thanking all of the inspiring people who have helped me on my journey.
Please consider investing in my future so that I may push the boundaries of medical education and make the change we all wish to see. I will not let you down.
Gracias.
Oscar Adrian "Pony" Hernandez
Organizer
Oscar Adrian Hernandez
Organizer
San Diego, CA