Victory Early College High School Senior Earns Full-Tuition Posse Scholarship

Arnaldo Sandoval-Guerrero has been selected by the Posse Foundation to attend the University of Virginia.

Arnaldo Sandoval-Guerrero will head to the University of Virginia in fall 2019. He will major in computer science. As a Posse Scholar, he will be attending on a four-year, full-tuition scholarship.

The Posse Foundation selected Victory Early College High School (VECHS) senior Arnaldo Sandoval-Guerrero to receive a four-year, full-ride scholarship. He got two offers from partnering institutions — the University of Virginia and Baylor University. He chose to attend UVA on a $178,896 scholarship.

UVA stood out to Arnaldo. He lauds the school’s outstanding computer science program, which he intends to major in. He wants to learn how to program artificial intelligence machines to perform tasks associated with “human-level intelligence that can assist people in everyday tasks.”

The soon-to-be grad also plans on taking advantage of UVA’s numerous career opportunities in Washington, D.C., New York, and Los Angeles.

Preparing for the Future

Arnaldo, who comes from a single parent, low-income household, will be the first in his family to attend college. Currently, Arnaldo ranks 10th in his class of 92 students. He acknowledges that competitive students choose to attend a competitive campus like Victory ECHS. However, he didn’t spend his time at Victory comparing himself to others. Instead, he focused more on his personal and academic growth.

Arnaldo admits it has been challenging navigating the process to higher education, but he chose to remain resilient. He sought answers to questions he had along the way.

Posse Scholarship Process

He heard of the Posse Scholarship opportunity through a past Scholar, Kiel Fernández who is a 2017 Victory ECHS alumnus. Fernández currently attends Wellesley College through the Posse program. Arnaldo’s college adviser nominated him for the scholarship. Arnaldo encourages other AISD college-going students to pursue the Posse Scholarship.

The Posse Foundation does not merely seek students with outstanding academic records; they seek leaders who are overlooked by the traditional admissions criteria but have the skills to excel on campus. If students wish to be nominated, they should speak with their school counselors. — Arnaldo Sandoval-Guerrero

The Posse Foundation recruits and trains outstanding young people from urban high schools and sends them to top colleges and universities as part of supportive, multicultural teams or “Posses” of 10 students. In addition to the scholarship, students receive academic support throughout their time in college.

Students undergo a rigorous selection process that includes three rounds of interviews. Arnaldo recommends students remain confident in their abilities. He added that time management is critical when writing essays and applying for scholarships.

The Posse Foundation — Shaping the Future

“The Posse Scholarship process was challenging at times,” said Arnaldo. “I even experienced moments of self-doubt. I managed to strive past these moments of uncertainty by remaining confident in who I am and my personal capabilities.”

At the end of the interview process, each student met with a team of representatives from the college or university of their choice, including the Dean of Admissions, tenured faculty, and the school’s president. The students were then selected through collaboration between Posse staff and the partnering institutions.

A Grateful Posse Scholarship Recipient Thanks Those That Helped Along the Journey

According to Arnaldo, the Posse Scholarship means a fresh chapter in his life. He will have a strong support system composed of fellow scholars, mentors, and staff. Arnaldo is also grateful to his experience at Victory ECHS and meeting the greatest friends he has ever known.

“The scholarship has removed my financial stress and has permitted him to pursue higher education,” said Arnaldo. “I am incredibly grateful to the Posse Foundation. I also have to acknowledge and deeply thank all of my teachers at Victory. The various lessons they’ve taught me will stay with me beyond high school.“

Fulfilling the Dream

Arnaldo’s mom is proud of his academic accomplishments. She is also grateful for the opportunities that the Posse Scholarship is giving her son. Arnaldo aspires to someday return to Texas to mark one item off his bucket list. He wants to fulfill his mom’s dream of giving her a two-story house.

“My mom is a bit sad I will be leaving Texas, but she is beyond thrilled that I’ll be able to pursue my dreams. If I am honest, they are not just my dreams. They are her dreams too.”

Congratulations!