Giselle Saldivar has lived in Weiser, Idaho her entire life and is the daughter of parents who immigrated from Michoacán, Mexico years ago. She recently was awarded the Hispanic Heritage Youth Award through the Hispanic Heritage Foundation which was founded in 1998. Now in the 22nd year, the Youth Awards strive to honor Latino seniors who show outstanding performance in the classroom as well as the community.
Saldivar first heard of the award from the school counselor. Learning that she was an excellent candidate for the award, she decided to apply. The application process involved writing a short essay about her career goals, leadership positions, and the community service she has participated in. The foundation focuses on students who are skillful in various categories including education, business, finances, healthcare, science, and more.
When asked what the most challenging aspect of the process has been, Saldivar answered, “the most challenging thing about applying to this scholarship was knowing that it was a national scholarship. I had to stand out from over 30,000 other students who also applied.”
Saldivar proved her excellence by describing her specific goals, positions, and service to the community. “In the future I aspire to become the Business Financial Manager of a complex international company, like Hewlett Packard. I will be attending Idaho State University this summer to get ahead in classes and will continue my education in the fall. My career goal involves earning a dual-Business master’s degree in: Marketing, Finance, and Management,” she explained. Saldivar has held many leadership positions in school including Freshman class secretary, Sophomore LEO club secretary, and captain of the Mexican Folklore Dance team.
From thousands of applications nationwide, only 3 seniors were selected among 10 different regions across the United States. Saldivar was chosen to receive a one-time grant to help fund her college education. “I feel honored to have been elected for this National scholarship award. I want to thank the sponsors for their contribution to my education and my parents for supporting me through this journey,” she shared.
