Liberty High School senior Genesis Hernandez has dreamed of becoming an orthodontist since she was 5. Freedom High School senior Shayaan Farhad loves biology and helping others so much he hopes to become a doctor.
The dreams of these two Bethlehem Area School District students got a major financial boost last month when they learned they are the recipients of the 2022 BASD Superintendent’s Scholarship, which covers four years of tuition at Moravian University.
This marks the seventh year that Moravian has awarded scholarships to two district seniors. The Bethlehem university’s 2022-23 tuition is set at $48,569. The students were surprised with the news last month and later recognized in ceremonies at their respective high schools.
“We’re proud that they’ve persevered through the events of the past two years to stay on track and excel academically,” said Moravian President Bryon Grigsby. “As past BASD scholarship winners have shown, this opportunity opens doors to students who otherwise might not have the chance to attend a school like Moravian, and we expect great things from both of them.”
Superintendent Joseph Roy said the scholarship is awarded to high-achieving students who have overcome life challenges. Applicants must be accepted to Moravian University, write an essay about hurdles they’ve faced and demonstrate financial need.
Each year, the top five applicants from the two high schools are selected by their guidance counselors and administrators for Roy and a Moravian official to vet. The pool is then narrowed to two finalists from each school who are interviewed in the final round.
Farhad and Hernandez share more than just career dreams. They’re both driven students who come from immigrant families. Moravian offers strong academics while allowing the students to remain close to home, both said. The scholarship lifts major financial stressors for them.
Farhad, who earned a 4.35 GPA at Liberty, plans to live at home with his mother, younger brother and grandmother, who he helps to care for. His mother emigrated from Afghanistan when she was 12.
“It means a lot knowing I can help my family with the financial side, which is what I really wanted to do,” Farhad said. “I can already start giving back to them without them having to worry about making such a big investment.”
Farhad’s guidance counselor lured him to Liberty’s main office by telling him he was participating in an Advanced Placement class focus group.
“At first I was the only person who came,” Farhad, 18, of Bethlehem, recalled. “I was a bit confused. I saw Principal (Harrison) Bailey there and thought this must be a pretty important focus group. Then, I saw Dr. Roy there.”
Roy was impressed by Farhad’s drive and commitment to his family.
Earlier that day, the captain of the Liberty tennis team had begun to despair he didn’t get the scholarship, so it was a welcome surprise.
“We went through some hard times when I was younger,” Farhad said. “It was my motivation to find a way out of the hard times and reach a greater goal. When I constantly think about the past, it motivates me to continue to chase success so I can be the best and give the best to the people I love.”
Hernandez came to the United States from Nicaragua when she was 13. Her dreams of becoming a dentist were inspired by her stepfather, who is a dentist in her native country.
“I was born and raised in another country,” said Hernandez, 18, of Bethlehem Township. “To come here looking for a better opportunity, a better education and to have the chance to go to a private school?! It is the outcome of the hard work I have been putting in all these years that I have been here.”
Hernandez has earned a 3.92 GPA at Freedom despite some difficulties at home that led her to move into her own apartment. Since her mother is frequently back and forth between Nicaragua, her brother serves as her legal guardian. Things became tough as he went through a divorce about two years ago and her grades began to slip, she recalled. But she worked with her teachers and finished the year with straight As.
“It is very hard,” she admitted. “I get out of school and I go straight to work.”
Hernandez supports herself working at Kirkland Village in Bethlehem, something she plans to continue while studying biology at Moravian. All Hernandez manages to juggle is impressive, Roy said.
Knowing she faces paying for dental school in the future, it means so much to be able to finish her undergraduate degree debt-free, Hernandez said.
“I was shocked,” she said when she learned she won. “I was very happy too because it is something I have been hoping and praying for. It means a lot. I see it as another opportunity to make a change in people’s lives.”
Hernandez planned to attend Moravian no matter what, but without the BASD scholarship she’d have had to pay for about half her tuition with loans. (Moravian had already awarded her the university’s presidential scholarship.) Farhad was weighing whether he should go to Penn State University as it is cheaper, but he wanted to play tennis for Moravian, too.
As captain of Liberty’s tennis team, Farhad has won both an East Penn Conference and District XI title. He’s also a member of the debate team, volunteers with the Muslim Association of Lehigh Valley, and volunteers to teach conversational Persian and Arabic.
Hernandez is a member of the National Honor Society, sings in the Freedom chorus and participates in the district’s school-to-work program.
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Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com.
2 Bethlehem students headed to Moravian University tuition free - lehighvalleylive.com
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