Congratulations to Nogales High School Senior Fernando Rax, recipient of the Questbridge National College Match Scholarship, where he will receive a full four-year scholarship to attend the renowned liberal arts college, Vassar College.
Match Scholarship recipients are awarded early admission and a full four-year scholarship (worth more than $200,000) to students who have shown outstanding academic ability despite financial challenges. The generous financial aid package covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition and fees, room and board, books, supplies, and travel expenses.
Rax screamed with joy as he opened up his email that congratulated him on being a scholarship winner and matched with the college of his choice. “Vassar was one of my favorite picks because I’ve had this dream of going across the country. I’ve spent my entire life here in California and now I will have the opportunity to go to the East Coast and spend the next four years in New York,” said Rax, who lives in West Covina. “I was also really interested in the student culture at the school, a community based on helping others. Another huge draw was its open curriculum that allows you to take a variety of classes so I don’t have to limit myself to just one academic field in the first two years. This is really an exciting opportunity for me.”
While at Nogales High School, Rax has been a scholar athlete, involved in four years of sports, including football, track and field and cross country. He is in the school’s rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) program and is the President of the school’s IB Questers Club. Rax is also part of the selective college access program called PAYS (Pomona College Academy for Youth Success), a three-year program that supports each scholar in matriculating into competitive institutions completely free of charge to the students’ families.
“I want to tell my fellow Nobles that if there is an opportunity, you have to push yourself, put your best foot forward and go for it. You have nothing to lose.”
