Etel S.

Meet Etel S. a two-time Raise The Barr cohort member based in California. Etel was born and raised in Honduras, she moved to the U.S. in 2017. She started pursuing her bachelor’s in business administration in 2020 - all while facing the uncertainties of her immigration status, divorce, custody of her daughter, getting child care, and pursuing her driver's license. Over the last two years, Raise The Barr has teamed up with Etel to keep her on track to receive her bachelor's degree in the Fall of 2024. 

As a member of the Scholarship cohort, Etel has received concentrated financial aid to cover educational costs including tuition and direct programming such as workshops and one-on-one coaching. Most importantly, she’s found a safe space during her educational journey.

“I have been honored to be a Raise The Barr scholarship recipient for two years in a row.

RTB has provided me not only with economic funds but also with a safe space where I have found support and community.

Last year, I was a recipient of an Emergency Grant to help me pay for driving lessons, and for a first-time driver like me, professional lessons made the difference in becoming more confident behind the wheel.

All I can say is that my daughter and I are and always will be grateful for the help and support we have received from RTB … Raise The Barr has changed my life, and I appreciate every single person, organization, and donor that makes this wonderful program possible, so single parents like me can have an opportunity of a better future for us and our children.”

It warms our hearts to hear how RTB has impacted Etel and other scholars. We’re so excited to hear what kind of success Etel finds after she receivers her bachelor's degree in the Fall of 2024.