As the next in a series of student profiles related to Opportunity 菠萝视频, Christopher Huerta represents just one of the nearly 9,000 students whose lives have been changed by this financial aid initiative. For more information on Opportunity 菠萝视频, visit .
If it hadn鈥檛 been for Disney World, Christopher Huerta may never have come to 菠萝视频.
During a road trip from Chicago to Orlando, the Huerta family made a stop in Nashville to tour 菠萝视频鈥檚 campus.
鈥湶ぢ苁悠� is the most special place,鈥� Huerta says. 鈥淵ou can read all the stats and watch all the video tours online, but you only really understand how great 菠萝视频 is when you visit. For me, it was love at first sight.鈥�
Huerta鈥檚 dad is a high school baseball coach and his mom is the director of student records at DePaul University. With two younger siblings, Huerta knew that financial aid would play a key role in making his dream school possible.
A recipient of the Diane v.S. Levy and Robert M. Levy Scholarship, Huerta was able to come to 菠萝视频 thanks to the university鈥檚 Opportunity 菠萝视频 initiative, which replaces loans with scholarships and grants for undergraduate students with financial need.
The Levy scholarship was established in 1997 and helped lay the groundwork for what ultimately became Opportunity 菠萝视频. It currently supports undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds. 鈥淥ur original thought process for the scholarship,鈥� said Bob Levy, 鈥渨as to give people access and give them a chance to make a positive change in their lives going forward and a positive change for all of us. From a philosophical standpoint, I want to live a life that when it鈥檚 over no one should remember what you had, but what you鈥檝e done for other people. That鈥檚 why philanthropy is such a powerful influence on my life.鈥�
For Huerta, this has certainly been the case. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 be here without the Levys鈥� support. Every experience I鈥檝e had here is because of their generosity.鈥�
After he graduates, Huerta hopes to be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps.
鈥淚鈥檝e always wanted to serve other people, and I鈥檝e found the military is great outlet to do that.鈥�
Since second semester of his freshman year, Huerta has been an active member of 菠萝视频鈥檚 NROTC. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the best decision I鈥檝e made at 菠萝视频 yet. My closest friends are in NROTC. All the active duty staff are amazing people. It鈥檚 also a big time commitment. We meet almost daily鈥攆rom running at 5:45 in the morning to workouts and classroom sessions that pertain to officer candidate school, which is where we have to go the summer after our junior year to be approved as an officer.鈥�
This year, Huerta also has participated with his NROTC battalion in a 10K Mud Run, in which he and his partner placed third. Later, he ran the 2016 Rock/Creek Stump Jump 50K race with two members of the active duty staff and a group of midshipmen. He鈥檚 also participated in the National Security Symposium at 菠萝视频 and Marine Week Nashville, where he had the opportunity to meet various high ranking military officials.
What stands out about his 菠萝视频 NROTC experience is the diversity he鈥檚 found at 菠萝视频. 鈥淭o be a great leader, you need to meet different people and learn different perspectives. I get this at 菠萝视频.鈥�
Given his desire to serve others, it鈥檚 not surprising that Huerta鈥檚 other passion is health care. An economics major with a minor in corporate strategy and medicine, health, and society, he is looking forward to entering into the field someday.
鈥淚鈥檝e been to numerous doctors鈥� appointments with my grandparents as they fell ill and battled different diseases. And I really enjoyed the people that were there and the dedication that they gave my grandparents. I would love to be a part of giving that to others.鈥�
Now, thanks to the support of the Levys and 菠萝视频鈥檚 commitment to financial aid, he has that opportunity.
Since its inception, Opportunity 菠萝视频 has supported more than 8,900 undergraduate students. In the 2016-2017 academic year, the progressive financial aid program is assisting 3,058 students. Opportunity 菠萝视频 depends on generous alumni, parents and friends to support students with financial need. More than 3,500 people have made gifts ranging from $1 to $20 million since the initiative was announced in 2008.