Achieving the Dream, Inc. and OneMain Financial Award Completion Scholarships to Deserving College Students
Achieving the Dream, Inc. and OneMain Financial are providing scholarships to four deserving El Centro College students who are near completion of their associate degrees; El Centro is one of five community colleges in the Achieving the Dream National Reform Network. Nangoyi Zulu, Carlos Roca, Heaven Abraha, and DeMarcus Craddock are each being awarded Achieving The Dream Scholarships in the amount of $3,000.
Nangoyi Zulu, originally from Mufulira, Zambia, graduated high school in 2010. Following in her mother’s footsteps, she is pursuing nursing at El Centro. She is going into her final semester of the associate degree in Nursing this fall. After graduation, she wants to continue with her bachelor’s degree while working, and ultimately become a Nurse Anesthetist.
Carlos Roca, of Dallas, is a native Bolivian. The 26-year-old is pursuing a degree in Radiology. Roca is going into his second year this fall for an Associate in Radiologic Sciences at El Centro. He will spend three days a week doing clinical training at the Dallas VA Medical Center and Texas Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital. His remaining days will consist of classroom work at El Centro. Roca’s ultimate goal is to get a bachelor’s degree in Radiologic Sciences from Midwestern State University upon graduation from El Centro. He would like to work as a radiographer for the Department of Defense and possibly work as a travel tech during the early years of his career.
Heaven Abraha was born in Ethiopia and then moved to Eritrea in eastern Africa at age 10. She graduated from high school in 2001 and went back to school in 2012. She came to the U.S. to visit and was encouraged to go back to school. Abraha decided to get into the health care field and applied for the radiology program at El Centro. She chose health care because she really loves to help people and wants to aid in the diagnosis of their diseases. Not only does she attend classes at the college, Abraha also works in the Admissions Office as a part-time employee. This coming fall she will no longer be able to work due to a heavy course load and having to be at clinical sites for three days each week.
DeMarcus Craddock, of Dallas, graduated high school in May 2013. The 20-year-old started at El Centro the summer after graduation and is pursuing an associate in Science; he only has one or two more semesters left. Craddock is currently employed in the Advising Office at El Centro. His goal is to transfer to the University of North Texas or the University of Texas – Arlington to complete a bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering.
