Albert Cisneros is the first to admit his life was on the wrong track.
For almost a decade after graduating from Deer Park High School, Cisneros worked an assortment of low-paying jobs and lived a carefree life. But as the years passed, he began to worry about not saving any money and what to do with the rest of his life. Then one day a flyer landed on the doorstep of his security job that grabbed his attention.
It was an invitation to a Capital IDEA meeting that changed his life.
"A lot of things have opened up for me. The future is a lot brighter. I have choices."
Capital IDEA is an organization that sponsors educational opportunities for low-income adults in central Texas. Cisneros discovered to his amazement that the non-profit would pay everything for him at Houston Community College from tuition, books and childcare assistance to career counseling and job placement.
"When I first heard (Capital IDEA) speak about how they work, it was too good to be true," Cisneros said. "I thought, 'Where were you when I was 20 years old?'"
Under Capital IDEA's guidance, Cisneros enrolled in HCC and began working toward an Associate Degree in Process Technology.
"One of the things I realized once I got into school was that I should have been doing this a long time ago," he explained. "A lot of things have opened up for me. The future is a lot brighter. I have choices."
Financial Options Abound for Students in Need
Like Cisneros, many of HCC's students — a staggering 67 percent — come from economically disadvantaged homes. Here's a breakdown of the students served by the college: 28 percent Hispanic, 26 percent African-American, 22 percent white, 11 percent Asian and 13 percent international and "other."
Many of the students need financial help, and there's a lot of help out there for them.
The Opportunity 14 scholarship, for instance, will provide up to $6,000 over a three-year period for needy HCC students who qualify, at a maximum of $1,500 per fall and spring semesters and $1,000 for the summer semester. In most cases, this will cover all the costs of the student's tuition, textbooks and other fees.
Many of the students need financial help, and there's a lot of help out there for them.
The Opportunity 14 scholarships were established by the Houston Community College Foundation, an organization established by the city of Houston to help come up with an educated workforce.
Another organization providing scholarship money for HCC students in the School of Continuing Education is The Gulf Coast Community Services Association (GCCSA). As of April 2012, GCCSA had awarded more than $530,000 to 300 HCC students.
Students who attend HCC are very likely to stay and work in Houston after graduation, according to the HCC Foundation. And if HCC alumni want to continue with higher education, their academic courses are transferable to any public university in Texas.
There's more good news for HCC grads and the city of Houston: Graduates with an associate's degree will earn $500,000 more over their lifetime than those with only a high school diploma, reports the HCC Foundation. They'll also be better prepared to succeed in the workforce, contribute to the city's tax base and support their families.
Albert Cisneros is the first to admit his life was on the wrong track before he enrolled at Houston Community College.
