Previous Students of the Month

• Remedios Hernández Mancilla

by Renee Devereaux

A Tough Road to Law School

Everyone has a chance with Jóvenes Adelante! Scholarships are not granted only to 18 year-olds fresh out of preparatoria. The criteria are talent and potential demonstrated by good grades, perseverance, and financial need—regardless of age or field of interest. Although the majority of applicants are in their teens, some are in their twenties, married, and either already in a university or applying to one after a period of working or tending to family responsibilities.

Once in a while a mature person applies, such as Maria Virginia Arteaga Gonzalez, who was granted a scholarship last August and completes her first year of law at the Centro de Estudios Superiores Allende in Ceyala this June. Virginia, in her forties, demonstrated the determination, discipline and courage to return to school to pursue a law degree in spite of the fact that she has confronted many difficulties and works full time. She says, “I love to study.”

After completing primaria in San Miguel, Virginia was offered and accepted a place in a convent in Mexico City where she could continue her education, learn nursing and care-giving skills, and ultimately take her vows. Virginia wasn't convinced that she wanted to be a nun but was determined to investigate the experience.

Eight years later, she decided the church was not her calling and that what interested her was law. Law school required funds, so she relocated to Ceyala and completed a course in accounting, thinking that with this training she could support herself and put money away for university enrollment. Unfortunately this did not work out as she hoped; she could get by but not save. Seeing the reality of her situation, she decided that the only job available to her where she could actually support herself and save some of her income was to become a policewoman.

Virginia was hired by the police department and for the next twelve years worked as a policewoman and sometime security guard. Then, ten years ago, she suffered a near fatal accident that left her unconscious for two months. Under her sister's dedicated and loving care, she recovered, and returned to work, this time selling books door-to-door until she turned to her nursing skills and started caring for an elderly person. When she felt she had put enough money together, she applied for law school.

Virginia’s desire for further education has tested her determination. She applied and was accepted at a law school and attended classes for eight months. Unbeknownst to her, the school was unlicensed and the degree would mean little; she had wasted her time and money. She withdrew and reapplied to the licensed Centro de Estudios Superiores Allende, and, having heard somewhere about the Jóvenes Adelante program, she applied for a scholarship. She was accepted by both. Virginia is now in law school, has financial support, and continues to work full-time as a combination nurse/care giver/companion.

Law seems to run in the family. Of a family of eight siblings, two sisters are attorneys. Probably because of her experience in law enforcement, Virginia's particular interest is in civil and penal law. She loves the field and her joy comes from learning. She has 3 and 1/2 years to go before she graduates, and is already considering what field of study she will take up next.

Virginia is deeply appreciative of her Jóvenes Adelante scholarship. Although it does not provide for all of her financial needs, it helps keeps her dream alive. She finds that it not only provides funding, but also a mentor to befriend and support her, and interesting and informative presentations at the monthly get-togethers. She also received a computer that has made it much easier to prepare her academic reports.

Virginia’s road to fulfillment has not been easy, and is still a work in process. Jóvenes Adelante is proud to count her among its 57 scholarship recipients pursuing professional degrees in 20 universities throughout Mexico. The organization’s goal of awarding another 25 scholarships this August depends on its success in raising funds through contributions, individual sponsorships, and events such as the March 19 concert/raffle fundraiser.

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