A Journey from Adversity to Achievement Made Possible by AlamoPROMISE

When Anevay Perez graduated from South San Antonio High School, she became the first person in her family to receive a high school diploma. She was the President of the Student Council and an accomplished TRIO Upward Bound student who graduated with honors and scholarships. She had been accepted to her first-choice college, PACE University in New York City, and thought her academic path was set in stone.

Unfortunately, Anevay quickly realized that attending PACE University would not be an affordable option. With a heavy heart, she decided to save money by staying local and enrolled at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Even with the help of scholarships, Anevay faced financial strain and made the difficult choice to withdraw from classes. She left UTSA without hope and committed to the workforce full-time to meet her basic needs.

During this time, Anevay continued to struggle with little to no income and experienced homelessness. She was a single mother to her 1-year-old daughter and dreamed of being able to go back to school so she could build a better future for her family. She connected with NXT Level, a youth opportunity center, which helped her enroll at Palo Alto College (PAC) through the AlamoPROMISE program, a last-dollar scholarship that covers 100 percent of tuition and fees for eligible students.

At PAC, Anevay began working towards a Cosmetology Operator Associate of Applied Science with the goal of becoming a licensed cosmetologist. Although she started her journey solely focused on the program, she soon realized that PAC provided a support system that drastically improved her college experience as an adult learner.

Anevay was paired with a TRIO advisor who helped her stay on track with her goals and achieve academic success. She found employment through Alamo on the Job, earning a steady income working for the nonprofit organization Dress for Success. She also found a sense of community through student organizations such as Ascenders Catch the Next, PAC Beauty Society, the Student Parent Resource Network, and PAC Student Life.

Although she had little spare time, Anevay wanted to make the most of the opportunities PAC provided for her. Through hard work and dedication, she earned a 3.21 GPA and became an active member of PAC Honors, PAC National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), and LeadHERs. Determined to help other disadvantaged students find a path to success, Anevay became an Alamo Colleges Foundation Scholar Ambassador, where she advocates for the importance of scholarship funding.

“AlamoPROMISE gave me the security and stability to enroll in a post-secondary education without worrying about finances. I never imagined that I would have achieved all that I have thus far, and none of my success would be possible without the support, opportunities, and resources provided to me through PAC and the Alamo Colleges District (ACD),” said Anevay.

She serves as a prime example of the great things that students can achieve when the financial burden of higher education has been removed. Through her personal experience at ACD she has been able to influence five of her close family members to return to college.

“Being an AlamoPROMSIE student at PAC has been one of the greatest opportunities that I have received. It has been life-changing for me and my family. I have been able to influence the enrollment of my two sisters, two cousins, and aunt in returning to college to achieve their academic and career goals, which has drastically impacted my entire family to better their circumstances and opportunities,” said Anevay.

At the August 2024 ACD Board of Trustees Meeting, Anevay was recognized as the AlamoPROMISE Student of the Month for her outstanding academic success and commitment to achieving her goals. Her future is bright as she continues to take prerequisite courses at PAC to participate in the new Bachelor of Applied Technology in Operations Management program. She also plans to continue in the 2025 PAC Cosmetology Barber program to obtain a dual license and start her own business and full-service salon.

When accepting her award, Anevay expressed her gratitude for the second chance AlamoPROMISE provided for her.

“Today, I represent the success of a program like AlamoPROMISE and the impact that it has for a minority, non-traditional student. I stand before you today as a licensed cosmetologist, an Associate degree holder, and an aspiring leader of our community who can now build financial stability and provide a better quality of life for my daughter, myself, and my family. None of this would have been possible without the AlamoPROMISE program,” said Anevay.