Christopher Lara, February 22, 2016

With college decisions coming up, I applied to Loyola's scholarship program with offers a full ride. My application essay is the following:


Loyola University Chicago provides a transformative educational experience in a Jesuit tradition. In 700 words or less, please explain how the Cristo Rey Scholars program will assist in your own transformation while at Loyola.

It is uncommon for the youth in Detroit to challenge themselves to improve their capabilities;  fortunately, the help I’ve received from my high school- Detroit Cristo Rey- and local business partners has developed me into a youth leader for the Southwest Detroit community, and an ambassador for the student population at Cristo Rey. Because I have transformed into an advocate of change for my demographic in Southwest Detroit over the last five years, my development will not stop after high school. I am grateful for being accepted into Loyola University and I will continue my success in college by receiving an education in the Pre-Nursing curriculum, and I hope to achieve this with as minimal debt as possible with the Cristo Rey Scholars Program. After my education at Loyola, I will bring my community development skills back into Detroit to help low income families in clinics, specifically in the field of Endocrinology.

               Starting from a young age, I was always taught by my mother, father, and sisters to appreciate everything offered in life. My family has always lived below the poverty line, but my dad always provided for my family, which taught me to be humble. Watching my father work so hard has led to my ambition to provide for others that need it, and the Ideal Group, a corporate partner of Cristo Rey, opened up a perfect opportunity for me to practice this moral. They started a community garden and park in 2011, and I signed up to volunteer. At first, I only did the tasks needed of me and stayed behind the line of sight. As the months passed, I started to ask for bigger tasks, and more leadership opportunities came with it. Coordinating volunteer groups and planning projects was slowly becoming my job. I was learning the skills needed to be a leader in the community, which transitioned into my school life. The talents that I had, like being a fluent public speaker, motivator, and diligent worker would be useful in the National Honor Society (NHS) and Environmental Group (Green Paws) in Cristo Rey. Now I lead NHS as the president and Green Paws as the Co-Founder to implement activities that help both the students and the school, like the new mentorship program and recycling initiative.

               All of these projects I’ve worked on have been influenced by my ambition to better myself and my community, which will transition into my educational life at Loyola. With the Cristo Rey Scholars Program, not only will I be able to get an education with minimal debt, I will continue to be a source for help and motivation who my peers can use. I know that the cost of attending college is huge, and I was raised to appreciate every nickel. Knowing that the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing is as prestige as it is, I will use the skills I have honed at Cristo Rey and do my very best to excel in the Pre-Nursing curriculum. The fact that I will be able to study my passion will be one of the greatest features of the Loyola experience; I am excited to spend my college career studying something that I am so passionate about.

The reason for nursing to be such a strong goal in my life is because of my drive to come back to Detroit to work in a clinic that provides for low income families. I know the certain aspects of health care that families living on the poverty line don’t receive, like complete information on their health and sustainable treatment plans, but what I don’t know is the technical and informational side of this career. The Cristo Rey Scholars Program will transform me into a knowledgeable individual who can better the lives of those in need in Detroit and bring a healthier, brighter generation to lead their families and friends. My growth has occurred because of the challenging yet nurturing education at a Catholic high school, and I look forward to continuing this mindset at a Jesuit institution. Loyola will allow me to develop my skill set further, transforming me into a better leader with the unique education offered and morals implemented by Loyola University.