The Sánchez Scholars Program will celebrate a new class of graduates and welcome a new generation of students during its annual recognition ceremony tonight at Madison College’s Truax campus.
The event will honor four graduating high school seniors, four former scholars who recently completed college degrees, and five newly selected eighth-grade students who will begin their journey as Sánchez Scholars this fall.
For Lesli Ann Vázquez, coordinator of the Sánchez Scholars Program, the celebration represents much more than academic achievement.
“This is a family celebration,” Vázquez said. “We really try to have it feel like a coming together of the Sánchez family.”
Founded through the legacy of the late Professor Roberto G. Sánchez, the program provides support, mentorship, guidance and enrichment opportunities for students throughout their high school years. The scholarship is designed to help students fully participate in educational and extracurricular experiences during high school, preparing them for future success.
Currently, 22 students participate in the program. Four seniors are graduating this year, including:
1) Ashley Juárez, a student at Vel Phillips Memorial High School and a STEM Academy scholar, earned an associate degree from Madison College while completing high school. She plans to attend Edgewood University and pursue studies in criminal justice or criminology, with the goal of a career in law enforcement
2) Christian Rubio of La Follette High School will attend Madison College.
3) Gyselle Morales of Vel Phillips Memorial High School will attend UW–Madison as a PEOPLE Scholar.
4)Jonathan Escobar of West High School will attend UW–Milwaukee.
The ceremony will also recognize former Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) Sánchez Scholars who recently completed college degrees including:
- Luz Rodríguez Camacho graduated from Dominican University with a Bachelor of Business Administration.
- Vielka Pérez Martínez graduated from UW-Madison with a Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies, a Bachelor of Arts in Chicano/Latinx/e Studies and minors in Criminal Justice and Textile Design
Saúl Díaz Anguiano - Saúl Díaz Anguiano graduated from UW-Madison with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice
- Izcel González Pérez graduated from UW-Whitewater with a Master of Business Administration in Accounting
Vázquez said alumni involvement remains one of the program’s greatest strengths. Many former scholars return year after year to volunteer, mentor students and support program events.
“They’re not obligated to do this,” she said. “They come willingly. It really is a testament to family and the legacy, and how it affects our lives.”
That sense of family is rooted in the vision of Professor Sánchez, who dedicated his resources to supporting future generations of students.
“One of the reasons Professor Sánchez left his money and established these endowments was because he really didn’t have anybody else to leave it to,” Vázquez said. “We like to think that we are his family, and that as a family we need to honor his legacy.”
The program’s mission, she said, has become increasingly important as students and families face growing challenges in accessing educational opportunities.
“Our families are feeling a struggle in a way that’s different right now,” Vázquez said. “We’re facing more challenges and more limitations. It’s important for our students and our families to have support.”
She noted that many students encounter obstacles that can make higher education feel out of reach.
“It’s heartbreaking when you’re young to hear that you’ve worked so hard and done what was asked of you and more, and you still have to do more than other people to get where you want to be,” she said.
The role of the program, she added, is to ensure students know they are not facing those challenges alone.
“It’s a matter of providing the support and encouragement students need to not give up,” Vázquez said. “It would be easy for them to say, ‘It’s just not for me.’ And no — it is for you. We’re going to find a way.”
As the Sánchez Scholars family continues to grow, organizers say the annual celebration serves as a reminder that educational success is not achieved alone, but through a community committed to lifting up the next generation.
