“I know that my parents' main reason for coming here was so my sister and I could get better educational opportunities,” said Mahlet Ayele, a senior at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. Ayele and her family moved to the U.S. from Ethiopia when she was a child.

Ayele is one of 13 seniors from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to earn a full-tuition scholarship from QuestBridge, a national nonprofit organization that connects high-achieving high school seniors from low-income backgrounds with more than 50 colleges and universities. 

“The QuestBridge scholarship means a lot to me because I'm a first-generation immigrant,” said Ayele. “When I got the scholarship, it felt like I was making my parents proud but also making good on their purpose when coming here. This scholarship allows me to continue my education journey at a good, quality university. I am grateful for the opportunity.” Ayele will attend Northwestern University this fall. 

“This scholarship provides me the opportunity of attending a prestigious university without having to worry about my financial situation,” said Camila Rivera Gonzalez, a senior at Wheaton High School, who will attend Boston College this fall. “It is truly a blessing and I am extremely grateful for this award and opportunity that QuestBridge has provided me.”

Nationally, more than 25,500 students applied, but only 2,627 students matched with QuestBridge’s college partners. These outstanding high school seniors have an average unweighted GPA of 3.94, and 92 percent are in the top 10 percent of their graduating class. More than 80 percent are the first generation in their families to attend a four-year college in the U.S. 

The 13 MCPS students, their high schools and the college scholarships they received are:

• Mahlet Ayele, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, Northwestern University
• Nathan D’Cruze, Richard Montgomery High School, University of Chicago
• Naol Demisse, Springbrook High School, Boston University
• Eugene Im, Poolesville High School, Johns Hopkins University
• Jiaxin Jiang, Poolesville High School, University of Chicago
• Julian Kang, Poolesville High School, Boston College
• Amy Li, Northwest High School, Rice University
• Leah Negash, Montgomery Blair High School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Nicole Osano, Seneca Valley High School, Dartmouth College
• Camila Rivera Gonzalez, Wheaton High School, Boston College
• Efrata Tibebu, Springbrook High School, Denison University
• Maria Yu, Richard Montgomery High School, Duke University
• Alexi Zavala, Richard Montgomery High School, University of Notre Dame

Applying to college for competitive scholarships can be stressful, but the process proved worthwhile for Eugene Im and Jiaxin Jiang of Poolesville High School. 

“The Questbridge experience was undeniably stressful in addition to the regular college application process,” said Im, who will attend Johns Hopkins University this fall. “However, the time and effort spent was some of the most fulfilling in my life, as I now get to look towards the future with excitement.”

Jiang, who will attend the University of Chicago, agreed: “Applying to QuestBridge and the Common App at the same time was one of the toughest periods of my life. My dad told me it would be the biggest gamble I’d ever take. Looking back, I have no regrets about placing that bet; it truly changed my life."

To request interviews please contact Liliana_L_Lopez@mcpsmd.org.