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Vanessa Melendez
UT El Paso
Vanessa Melendez
El Paso, TX
Junior, Nursing Major, at UT El Paso
Financial Sources
Job: Student assistant, Student Development Center
Financial Aid & Scholarships: Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG (Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant), TPEG (Texas Public Education Grant), Work-study, Stafford Loan
Vanessa's Story
Before she applied for financial aid, Vanessa Melendez was working full time and attending school part time, trudging ever so slowly toward her higher education goals.
She was convinced she would never earn her degree.
“It was taking forever for me to finish school,” the single mother of three said.
When a cousin told Vanessa she was paying for school with a combination of grants and loans, the native El Pasoan decided to apply for financial assistance as well.
She was awarded enough financial state and federal aid to allow her to attend school full time. Now, Vanessa, 30, is just three semesters away from completing her bachelor’s degree in nursing.
In addition to grants and loans, Vanessa works part time as a student assistant for the Student Development Center.
“It’s a lot easier – I used to work all day, pick the kids up and go to school and study all night,” she said. “Now we get to do our homework together and spend time together.”
Learn More:
UT El Paso Admission | UT El Paso Tuition |.UT El Paso Financial Aid