Trinity Hall is proud to announce senior Sheila Riano-Cruz has been admitted to Stanford University and has been awarded a full, four-year QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship.
Out of over 25,500 applicants, QuestBridge selected 7,288 Finalists to be considered for the QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship. This year, QuestBridge’s 52 college partners matched with 2,627 Finalists, who are recognized as Match Scholarship Recipients. This is the highest number of Match Scholarship Recipients to date for QuestBridge. Recipients are admitted early to QuestBridge college partners with full four-year scholarships provided by the colleges and universities, ensuring for these students and their families that an education at a top college is affordable.
“Being awarded a QuestBridge scholarship to Stanford University means that I have proven to younger girls, like myself, that we can obtain the stars. It has always been my dream to become the representation that I needed to see when I was younger. The journey of achieving this dream was full of late nights, sacrifices, and moments of doubts,” Riano-Cruz expressed.
Riano-Cruz is a dynamic presence in the Trinity Hall community, where she excels as a leader in Talk in Unity, the Latina affinity group on campus. As the group's leader, she successfully organized and executed this year’s school-wide Cultural Day celebration. Her commitment and drive extend far beyond academics and extracurricular activities, as she actively seeks opportunities to broaden her experiences and make a meaningful impact. Over the summer, she was selected for and attended programs such as QuestBridge’s Summer Scholars and Dartmouth Bound’s Fly-In. Additionally, she volunteered with TutorLinkNYC and gained valuable experience through an internship with Pretty Kind Co.
Gina Jadelis, Trinity Hall college counselor, worked closely with Riano-Cruz through this process. She said, “Sheila’s radiant positivity spreads through everyone she interacts with, and she pushes herself to give her academics and extracurriculars 100%. While some first-generation college-bound students may be overwhelmed by the process, Sheila was excited and eager to jump into it. When it came time for the QuestBridge application, Sheila always had a positive mindset. It was inspiring to witness the sense of care she put into the entire application. For the past four years, Sheila has surpassed her own expectations of being a role model for her family, and other Latina students at Trinity Hall and her community. I know Sheila is going to take advantage of every opportunity Stanford has to offer and will use her QuestBridge scholarship not only to educate herself but to better the world around her.”
Ana Rowena Mallari, Co-Founder and CEO of QuestBridge, expressed her excitement, saying, "We are delighted to welcome this record-breaking number of QuestBridge Scholars. These Scholars will contribute a rich diversity of perspectives and experiences to our college partners, enhancing the vibrancy of their campus communities."
Riano-Cruz added, “The path of obtaining this dream was not without the unconditional support of my family, friends, Ms. Madriz, and teachers. This dream would not be attainable, especially, without Ms. Jadelis, who pushed me and instilled in me her unwavering belief throughout this lengthy process. My acceptance into the Stanford Class of 2029 with a full ride is a testament to what girls like myself can achieve with hard work, support, and most importantly, self-belief.”