Five Miami Dade College students—Alejandro Fayad, Ivette Gomez Fornos, Elianis Rodriguez, Amanda Torrecilla and Adrian Rupert—were awarded the Hites Transfer Scholarship.
This $7,500 scholarship, which is merit-based, recognizes Phi Theta Kappa members for their academic and civic achievements, as well as leadership, who are transferring to a four-year institution to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
All applicants were required to have a minimum 3.5 GPA. Winners were announced in early March.
Alejandro Fayad
Fayad is an economics student in the Honors College at Kendall Campus who immigrated to the United States from Cuba in 2022.
He has completed two research projects during his time at the College, which examine the economic impact of deportation on South Florida’s labor market and local businesses as well as analyze the driving factors behind the housing crisis in Miami.
“As an immigrant who moved to Miami about three and a half years ago, balancing academics, leadership, and volunteering has been tough, but it taught me resilience, discipline, and time management,” Fayad said.
The 19-year-old is a recipient of the Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship and a semifinalist for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.
He plans to transfer to Harvard University, Princeton University or the University of Pennsylvania to pursue a career in economics.
“This very prestigious scholarship is a recognition for my work and a huge support to continue my studies, research and community involvement with less financial stress,” Fayad said.
Ivette Gomez Fornos
Gomez is a political science major in the Honors College at North Campus.
In 2024, she immigrated from Nicaragua to the United States to attend Miami Dade College.
Gomez has served as secretary of the Student Government Association, honors in action director for Phi Theta Kappa and social media director for The Reporter.
The sophomore took part in a research project with the Institute of Educational Empowerment where she studied the impact of education on former inmates of the Everglades Correctional Institution.
“I am really happy that I decided to take on the project because the stories and testimonies that they gave us changes your perspective completely and makes you value what you have a lot,” Gomez said.
The 19-year-old plans to transfer to Georgetown University, Princeton University or Yale University. She aspires to work as a lawyer in the future.
“They are amazing programs with amazing faculty and extremely interesting research programs that I would love to become a part of,” Gomez said. “Having this scholarship really lifts off some weight and it is really nice to be recognized for the work that I have put in.”
Elianis Rodriguez
Rodriguez is a business administration student in the Honors College at Eduardo J. Padrón Campus.
The 25-year-old immigrated from Cuba in 2022, and found difficulty getting accustomed to life in a new country.
“I arrived without many resources, connections, or certainty about how I would rebuild my future,” Rodriguez said. “Adjusting to a new country while pursuing education was challenging, and there were moments when I questioned whether college would even be possible for me.”
Rodriguez is the founder and president of Brushes of Hope, an initiative that provides children in Cuba with art and school supplies. She is also an Honors College ambassador and a peer mentor in the Honors College Mentorship Program.
The sophomore is applying to several schools, including Carnegie Mellon University, Georgetown University and Brown University.
“Growing up in Cuba with limited resources showed me how important economic opportunity can be in shaping people’s lives,” Rodriguez said. “My goal is to study in a place where I can combine business knowledge with research and social initiatives so that I can develop projects that address real-world challenges and create opportunities for others.”
Amanda Torrecilla
Torrecilla is a chemistry student in the Honors College at Kendall Campus,currently on an MD/PhD pathway in neurology who is passionate about addressing drug addiction.
“After immigrating to the United States from Spain during high school, I became aware of how many of my peers misused substances,” Torrecilla said. “Having witnessed addiction in my family, I wanted to understand how to help people recover.”
The sophomore is the founder and president of The Chemists’ Circle, a club that promotes chemistry education through tutoring and science demonstrations. She is also the Vice President of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society.
Torrecilla founded the Leadership Learning Center Initiative, which is an afterschool volunteer program where student organizations design and lead educational workshops and activities for grade school students in Miami.
The 19-year-old plans to transfer to John Hopkins University, the University of Miami or the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Adrian Rupert
Rupert is a physics major at Hialeah Campus who immigrated to the United States from France in 2024.
He has completed three research projects while studying at the College about seismic dynamics and nuclear energy systems and how they impact the environment.
The 19-year-old is the founder and president of ATLAS Physics Club, a research and mentorship-based STEM club at North Campus. He is also the vice president of fellowship and service of the Phi Theta Kappa chapter at Hialeah Campus.
“I think that Hites scholarship specifically rewards academic excellence, which is something I’ve been really focused on, and it also rewards outside academics, as well as the kind of leadership and impact that you give to your community,” Rupert said.
He plans to transfer to Stanford University, the University of Michigan or Princeton University and major in physics. Rupert aspires to work in the nuclear energy field in the future.
“It just felt like I’m going on the right path, and it made me want to keep going, because it showed me that even though I made mistakes, I came out with a positive impact, and people have recognized that,” Rupert said.
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