FACES Scholarship Winner 2024
College: Fresno State
Career goal: School Ppsychologist
About Luis: Luis Macias will be the first generation in his family to attend college. Heand looks forward to completing his education and getting a good job so that he can help his parents. He hates to see his father come home exhausted from working as a gardener all day in the heat, or his mother rushing to free food giveaways. Luis grew up extremely poor, at one time living in a converted garage. Paying just half of the electricity bill was standard.
In high school, Luis was in part of McLane’s Teacher Academy, working with students after school and during winter and summer breaks tutoring, learning to create classroom curriculum, and assisting the teacher. He wants to become a school psychologist or school counselor, and eventually an administrator. Luis was also heavily involved in leading language, cultural, and diversity activities at McLane. He has been awarded a Smittcamp Family Honors College full-ride scholarship to Fresno State.
In Luis’ words: “What has really inspired me to do well in school has been the determination to overcome stereotypes and break down the barriers cemented around young Latinos like me. Being consistently criticized and downplayed for being a young Latino is an experience I and others are too familiar with. Therefore, altering the critiques into fuel has been my motive, alongside the strong foundation of support and love my family provides.”
“Luis has a work ethic that has been instilled from an early age and takes initiative on any task or project. Luis is a committed young man. He has been looked to as a leader among his peers and has an unyielding drive to accomplish his goals while doing his part to help others in the community.”
– Carol Padilla-Shaath, teacher on special assignment in English Learner Services
