Meet Melanie Paredes '25
Melanie Paredes ’25, 他长期以来为有需要的人服务的记录延伸到了电子游戏软件的松树庄园学生成功电子游戏正规平台所, has been awarded the 2024 Saint Oscar A. Romero Scholarship.
Paredes, a native of Bronx, NY, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in communication, and a minor in general business, 由大学校长William P. Leahy, S.J., at the annual Saint Oscar A. 3月23日，罗梅罗奖学金宴会在约基体育中心默里厅举行.
罗梅罗奖学金获得者梅兰妮·帕瑞兹和她的母亲安娜在颁奖仪式上.
她将获得大四学费的75%，以表彰她优异的学业成绩, extracurricular leadership, community service, 参与西班牙裔/拉丁裔社区以及校园内外的问题.
Paredes and the other finalists, juniors Karol Bedoya and Jacob Bojito, 从创纪录的23名申请者中脱颖而出.
资讯科技服务处人力资源助理处长. Norton, co-chair of the Romero Scholarship committee, 将帕雷德斯描述为“一个努力工作的杰出人物”, 热情和奉献体现了圣奥斯卡罗梅罗的服务承诺和价值观.”
“今晚作为著名的奥斯卡·罗梅罗奖学金获得者站在你们面前，我深感荣幸和谦卑,” said Paredes, who was introduced by Rebecca Mitchell, 松树庄园学院课程与评估副主任. Paredes works at PMI as a success coach, 通过学院的项目，在学术和个人发展方面与高中生和同龄人建立关系并提供支持.
“这一刻不仅仅是个人的胜利，也是所有支持我的人共同努力的证明,” she said, citing her mother Ana for “her dedication and sacrifices, and for paving the way for me to access education. 她的坚韧、毅力和无私一直是我生命中的基石. 我永远感激她，但我也明白，我永远也报答不了她.”
As a youth, 帕雷德斯在目睹了拉丁美洲人在收容所和公共住房系统中受到的虐待后，对房地产法产生了兴趣. A forceful advocate for her South Bronx community, 她热衷于为母亲和其他需要帮助了解纽约市住房体系的拉丁裔家庭解释房地产合同和文件.
As the founder of College Ambassadors, Paredes played a crucial role in aiding low-income, 第一代高中生在复杂的大学申请过程中导航. 她被授予旨在提升拉丁裔社区的前沿奖学金, 这使她能够深入电子游戏正规平台拉丁美洲人对头发纹理和黑人特征的看法, a topic closely tied to her identity as a Dominican American student; she plays an active role in BC’s Dominican Association.
She was also a grant recipient from Start: Empowerment, 一个调查无家可归对单身母亲抚养的孩子的教育成就影响的组织. 她的倡议包括带头发起一项食品运动，以减轻无家可归的单身母亲所面临的经济负担.
Rev. John Dinneen Service Award winner Migdalia Iris Nalls ’01, J.D. 2004年祝贺罗梅罗奖学金的入围者，并感谢他们“为我的孩子们树立了榜样”.”
Paredes, who is on the pre-law track, 谈到了拉丁裔社区为平等教育和负担得起的住房而进行的斗争, calling it “a battle that transcends generations, 这是一场回响着前人呼声的斗争, and of those who follow. 我们必须团结一致，继续为我们中间被边缘化和没有发言权的人的权利而斗争.
“The journey may be long, but it is a journey worth undertaking, and one that I’m grateful to have started.”
Migdalia Iris Nalls ’01, J.D. ’04 also was honored Saturday night with the Rev. John A. Dinneen, S.J., Hispanic Alumni Community Service Award, 表彰一位有拉丁美洲血统的BC校友，他的工作和服务既反映了罗梅罗大主教的理想, and the late Fr. 迪尼恩对拉丁裔社区的承诺、领导和服务.
“Thanks for being role models for my children,” said Nalls, addressing the Romero Scholarship finalists. “Your stories resonate with me. Please keep your passion for your community.”
纳斯在罗克斯伯里和多尔切斯特长大，是家里第一个大学毕业生. 她目前是萨福克县地方检察官办公室青少年部门的负责人, where she supervises delinquency/criminal, youthful offender, and Superior Court cases involving 12-to-18-year-olds. 她之前是萨福克县公共法律顾问服务委员会青年倡导司的审判律师, 为被控违法犯罪的年轻人辩护. 她还曾担任the South Coastal Counties Legal Services Inc .的律师., 代表低收入家庭暴力受害者处理家庭法案件、儿童监护和虐待案件.
Among her honors, Nalls has been the recipient of the Brian J. 萨福克县社区服务奖和法庭卓越奖.A.’s Office; the District Attorney’s Role Model Award; and the MassHousing Agent of Change Award for her commitment to youth. 她是马萨诸塞州西班牙裔律师协会的活跃董事会成员和前主席，也是Mass mentor Partnership组织的执行董事会成员. In 2017, 她创立了一年一度的少年司法青年研讨会，并担任联席主席，让年轻人参与并了解少年司法系统.