Resident Scholarship Ceremony Honors Educational Journeys Across Generations
Opportunity Home recognized 16 resident scholars on Aug. 27 at the 2026 Resident Scholarship Awards Ceremony, celebrating residents pursuing college degrees, technical training or professional certifications.
Each recipient received a $3,000 Opportunity Home Resident Scholarship to assist with tuition, books, school supplies and other education-related expenses. Awarded competitively each year, the scholarships help ease some of the financial costs that can come with staying in school.
“By offering these scholarships, we stand behind residents as they pursue key milestones for their future,” said Susan Ramos-Sossaman, director of Community Development Initiatives at Opportunity Home. “We celebrate their potential and we are excited about the opportunities their education can create for themselves, their families and their communities.”
The scholarship program is part of Opportunity Home’s broader work to connect residents with resources that can strengthen economic mobility and open long-term self-sufficiency.
A Milestone Shared Across Generations
For Gardens at San Juan Square resident Megan Mendez, her upcoming graduation marks the finish line of a six-year journey toward her bachelor’s degree — a milestone she will reach the same year her daughter graduates from high school.
“Having her cheer me on these last six years has been phenomenal,” Mendez said.
At one point, Mendez considered delaying her own graduation so the focus could remain on her daughter.
“[My daughter] said, ‘Mom, no, it’s an honor to graduate the same year as you,” Mendez recalled.
“I know we’re not going to walk the stage together, but we’re going to graduate together,” she said. “That means everything to me.”
Mendez received the Opportunity Home Resident Scholarship as well as the Joshua Longoria “Passion for Life” Memorial Scholarship, an additional $500 award recognizing resilience, compassion and a commitment to serving others.
A Voice That Inspired Change
Stephanie Hernandez, a Housing Choice Voucher participant and Resident Scholarship recipient, served as the ceremony’s keynote speaker and shared how rebuilding confidence in her own voice led her back to college nearly two decades after first enrolling.
Hernandez completed her associate degree in spring 2026 and is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business management at Texas A&M University-San Antonio. She said her experience with AmeriCorps, where she used her voice to encourage people facing challenges similar to her own, helped her begin believing in herself again.
Her younger son also became part of that decision. He had been hesitant about college, and Hernandez wanted him to see that returning to school was still possible.
“I wanted to show him that we both can do it,” Hernandez said. “I did this for my children.”
Her son later enrolled in college himself.
Supporting What Comes Next
Since 1998, the Opportunity Home Resident Scholarship program has supported hundreds of residents pursuing education and training.
Coordinated by the Community Development Initiatives (CDI) department, the annual ceremony recognizes the effort behind each award and the persistence required to keep moving forward.
This year’s ceremony reflected the ripple effect education can have within a household, from one generation encouraging another to families reaching milestones side by side.
Resident scholarship applications open each spring. Visit our Education page for application updates and eligibility information.
Support future educational opportunities for residents through the Opportunity Home Community Fund.