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Luke Perez of Santa Maria and Joseph Helm of Palm Desert, who had both planned to attend a community college this fall, have enrolled at �Ļ�ӰԺ after receiving 2019 Young Life Multiethnic Scholarships. The full scholarships, a combination of efforts by �Ļ�ӰԺ and Young Life Southwestern Division, cover the cost of tuition, room and board. This award cultivates thoughtful scholars, grateful servants, and faithful leaders who have benefited from Young Life and will remain in leadership in the ministry throughout their college years and beyond. Young Life officials recommend potential recipients to �Ļ�ӰԺ for consideration.

Irene Neller, �Ļ�ӰԺ vice president for enrollment, marketing and college communications, says �Ļ�ӰԺ is delighted to offer the scholarships to make their education possible.

“Luke impressed us with his tenacity and perseverance and the way he was approaching his goal to go to college,” she says. Perez, whose father died at a young age, has been working to augment his mother’s income and remained diligent with his studies and activities with Young Life. “He gives 100 percent to his commitments no matter how difficult they are to pursue,” Neller says. “He’s gregarious, warm, personable and accepts challenges as opportunities that will help him build character. He’s also an outstanding student, and his references praise his dedication to his studies and his strong hard ethic.”

Helm also thought that attending a college like �Ļ�ӰԺ wouldn’t be possible. “Joseph impressed us with his tenacity to keep going strong in life despite setbacks and limitations,” Neller says. “He is independent and self-reliant, overcoming the challenges of work, life and being a student to rise above the external daily hardships, keeping his eye on his goal of attaining a college degree. He accepts what is before him with a deep, joyful attitude, and he truly has a spirit about him that brings others to admire his tenacity. He models resiliency.”

Both students look forward to arriving at �Ļ�ӰԺ in the fall and thriving in the college’s residential, faith-based programs that offer opportunities to connect with a like-minded community. “They have both worked so hard throughout high school, and I know this scholarship will give them some welcome relief so they can focus on their studies,” Neller says. “They are dedicated to Young Life, and I’m looking forward to the influential role they’ll play with those in the Santa Barbara community connected with Young Life: students, youth and other leaders. I have no doubt they will plug into clubs and multicultural experiences, including spring and summer leadership opportunities abroad or with Young Life. Their vibrant, magnetic and cheerful personalities will also draw others to them, and I can see them being resident assistants in the future.”

Recipients must be high school seniors attending a school in the Southwestern Young Life Division (Hawaii, California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas), meet �Ļ�ӰԺ’s admissions requirements, and show an interest in continuing to work with Young Life during and after their time at �Ļ�ӰԺ.