As a first-generation college student, Chuy Garcia-Sanchez found financial barriers towering over his path to a higher education.
“I didn’t get any financial aid from my parents, nor the state,” he said about his two years pursuing an associate degree at Dougherty Family College. He recalls almost dropping out during his first year due to financial instability. “It was kind of hard for me to be able to pay for tuition, but it paid off,” he said.
His hard work definitely paid off. Garcia-Sanchez is one of 17 DFC students who will have 100% of their tuition covered when they pursue a bachelor’s degree at the University of St. Thomas. The DFC Excellence Scholarship opens the door to a four-year degree at Minnesota’s largest private university.
This year’s scholarship recipients mark a milestone for DFC. Since the college opened in fall 2017 and presented its first set of associate degrees in spring 2019, it has awarded 100 Excellence Scholarships to its graduates continuing a bachelor’s degree at St. Thomas.
“That we have 100 students who have come through our community getting the Excellence Scholarship with a full ride to continue at the St. Paul campus of the University of St. Thomas is so transformational and so impactful,” said Brad Pulles, associate dean of students at Dougherty Family College. “That legacy is so important, not only for these Dougherty Family College scholars but also for the students who follow in their footsteps. It’s a legacy that can last for generations as many of the students who attend Dougherty Family College are the first people in their family to go to college. So, to get a full-tuition scholarship to continue and finish their bachelor's degree is something that their children and their children's children can see as a role model and to aspire to when it comes to continuing their own education.”
To be awarded the Excellence Continuation Scholarship, each student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher, outstanding essays and faculty and mentor recommendations.
“It felt like getting something in return for my efforts,” Garcia-Sanchez said. “I want to see it as getting lucky.”
Given about 71% of DFC students are first-generation college students, with 63% overall continuing their education at St. Thomas, “having them trust us with that experience of their first two years in college is a great honor for us,” Pulles said.
"Those two degrees - an associate degree and bachelor's degree - are very important in today’s economy," said DFC advisory board member and St. Thomas alumnus Gene Frey '52, who along with his late wife Mary are DFC benefactors. "More than ever it counts for a graduate to show a desire and ability to succeed in college and their future career. I was able to go to St. Thomas at a time when it was much less expensive, but today I feel certain that I would be in the category of those who require a scholarship so it is easy for me to understand the significance of this."
DFC Dean Buffy Smith, the Eugene and Mary Frey Endowed Chair, added: “The scholars selected for this prestigious merit-based scholarship are celebrated for their intellectual gifts and relentless spirit for working hard to create a more just society,” DFC Dean Buffy Smith added. “They represent the best of our university.”
Lili Ruiz-Hernandez
As a first-generation college student, Lili Ruiz-Hernandez had to figure out the college process by herself. Since her family immigrated from Mexico, her parents did not understand the processes toward achieving a higher education.
She recalls the financial struggles her family faced when her older brother attended a university out of state.
“My mom was worried that it would be the same for me, so her knowing that it won’t be financially burdening is a really good thing,” she said. “Also, because she wanted me to continue to pursue college and get the major that I wanted without having to worry about money.”
For Ruiz-Hernandez, her internship as a student sustainability leader at the St. Thomas Office of Sustainability Initiatives, makes the transition to St. Thomas smooth. Outside of planning sustainability events, she works on solutions to help birds avoid running into windows.
“I started it in the fall semester, and I really liked it. I was really happy; I kind of became a mini bird expert.” Ruiz-Hernandez said.
On the fence for a set major, Ruiz-Hernandez’s interest in bringing support to others ultimately inspired her decision to pursue a social work major. She hopes to impact the lives of those in need of an advocate.
“I’m really thankful for my mom, because she’s a single mom and she raised me,” Ruiz-Hernandez said. “She’s the reason why I pursued college.”
Jaaziel Claveria-Martinez
As a young boy, Jaaziel Claveria-Martinez watched intently as a stop motion animator moved various clay figurines across the screen. He then developed a hobby for watching behind-the-scenes videos of movies and television shows. From there, his dream to work in production blossomed.
“To this day, I continue to have the desire to work in a production that tells stories that transmit impactful messages,” Claveria-Martinez said.
Claveria-Martinez, a first-generation college student, hopes to pursue a major in digital media arts in the College of Arts and Sciences at St. Thomas, with a minor in marketing.
For him, a college degree means growing and building character through knowledge and the discipline of showing up.
“It means that I am going to carry with me gems of stories that I can share with my siblings, friends and family,” he said.
Nayeli Garcia-Genis
With experience in subject tutoring to the student advisory board, Nayeli Garcia-Genis has done “a lot of everything.” She came a long way from average high school grades to being on her way to pursue a bachelor’s degree at St. Thomas as an Excellence scholar.
“My experience at DFC has been that of growth,” she said.
One of her most fond memories is spending time with her mentor, Dr. Carla Gonzalez, who was the literacy specialist at DFC. “She really helped me develop as a student and as a person,” said Garcia-Genis, who also worked as a literacy tutor and biology tutor, assisting other DFC scholars.
In her last year at DFC, Garcia-Genis was named the commencement speaker for the DFC class of 2025.
“Being a commencement speaker is impactful because I get to represent my DFC class. And alongside it being such a big honor, it’s such a big gift,” she said.
She is the first woman in her entire family to attend college. “Hopefully it inspires my cousins, my sister and whoever comes next after me to know that they are also capable of doing it,” she said.
Growing up in Minneapolis and suburban Columbia Heights, Nayeli Garcia-Genis was surrounded by a diverse community. Her hometown population inspired her to double-major in social work and sociology at St. Thomas.
“I chose that major because of the impact I want to have in my community,” she said. “It brought me to want to do more for them.”
Jesús (Chuy) Garcia-Sanchez
Growing up, Chuy Garcia-Sanchez saw his family’s restaurant shut down due to their lack of understanding all the regulations and laws to keep up a restaurant. This inspired Garcia-Sanchez to learn all the information, skills and abilities to properly run a business.
“I know deep down they were proud, and they were amazed by the effort that I put into getting the scholarship,” he said.
With a special interest in cars, he aims to major in business management at St. Thomas’s Opus College of Business to create his own car business. His goal is to provide detailing, customization and repair services for car owners.
The scholarship provides Garcia-Sanchez with the financial support he needs to pursue his future goal.
After receiving the Excellence scholarship, Garcia Hernandez looks forward to learning about the rules and regulations for running a strong and successful business.
Shanneal Young '25 AA
“Coming out of high school, I didn't really know what I wanted to pursue for college, so going into college at DFC led me to different workshops, opportunities to advance my learning, and also network with different individuals,” said DFC Excellence Scholarship recipient Shanneal Young, who plans on pursuing degrees in business, real estate and finance once she continues her education at St. Thomas.
“I've learned a lot from different people in different departments” she said about her time at DFC, which included an internship with U.S. Bank. “DFC just helped me navigate my way as a college student and also figure out what I wanted to do at St. Thomas. As a first-generation college student, knowing that I have the opportunity to expand on my learning and excel without having to worry about the financial burden is amazing.”
The 2025 Excellence Scholars are:
- Joel Agbemadon
- Danielle Bolin
- Jaaziel Claveria Martinez
- Andres De La Cruz Delgado
- Nayeli Garcia Genis
- Chuy Garcia Sanchez
- Anna Her
- Sam Lara Perales
- Vincent Leishman
- Isaiah Maharaj
- Christian Malveda Bosquillos
- Tyler Ruble
- Lili Ruiz Hernandez
- Edson Rosa Hernandez
- Emelyn Valencia
- Kashia Xiong
- Shanneal Young
“I am forever grateful to the families who cover the full cost of tuition and fees for scholars who are pursuing their bachelor's degrees,” Smith said.
The DFC Excellence Scholarships were made possible through the donations of Ryan/Sterbenz Estate and Eugene and Mary Frey.
“The great success of this special college does not surprise me and I’m proud to be a part of it," Gene Frey said. “It makes me feel very good knowing 100 students have received the DFC Excellence Scholarship.”
Photos by Brandon Woller '17 and video by Marquan Harper '28.
