Jose Martinez is graduating!

By Jennifer Nicholas

​For fifteen years, Children Beyond Our Borders, Inc. has worked to bring hope and change to the lives of internally displaced children in Latin America. CBOB believes that every child deserves a proper education, regardless of social status, race, or gender. This is why CBOB created the IAMCBOB Scholarship Program. IAMCBOB provides an all-expenses-paid college education to motivated students who have a strong desire to acquire a higher level of education after graduating high school. The program empowers young leaders to be equipped for success and gives them the opportunity to have a proper college education. IAMCBOB students put forth their best effort in their school work, while also giving back to their communities by participating in civic engagement activities. IAMCBOB students act as both role models and service leaders to their communities.

​On Wednesday, March 14th, Children Beyond Our Borders’ second IAMCBOB Scholar, Jose Martinez, will be graduating from college! Jose is one of CBOB’s internally displaced children who has been with the organization for over eight years. His CBOB family is so proud of all that he has already accomplished, and we are so excited to see what else his future has in store for him.

​We interviewed Jose to find out about his time at college and what his plans are.

Q: “What area of study did you choose?”
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Jose: “My specialty, or the area I’m most interested in, is electrical energy transport. Electrical energy transport caught my attention because, through this, I can make an impact on thousands of people in a positive way, generally those who cannot enjoy an electrical system with dignity and confidence.”

Q: “What was your favorite part about college?”

Jose: “My favorite part of university is the ability to discover new thoughts and ideas. I like being able to debate with my classmates and friends. On the other hand, I really liked the social networking and the amount of people I was able to meet throughout my years at university. One of my favorite memories is the satisfaction I feel finishing this semester. My days and nights of hard work were worth it. On the other hand, I remember the good times I shared with my friends and classmates, they were happy moments and have left me with many life lessons.”

Q: "What was the most important lesson you learned during your years in university?"

Jose: “The most important lesson I have learned (in university) was how to tolerate different opinions and respect ideas that I do not agree with. Overall, I learned to value every person and recognize that we are all part of a society and are all equally important.”

Q: "What are your plans for after graduation?"

Jose: “After graduation, I want to start developing a productive project, while at the same time I plan to learn English and learn different alternatives to study abroad in the near future. I would like to see new cultures and different ways of thinking.”
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Children Beyond Our Borders is anxiously awaiting Jose’s graduation. He is an inspiration to all of us here at CBOB and we are so happy for him! Jose has a bright future ahead of him and we are so grateful for the opportunity to see him grow into the admirable young man he is today. Please consider making a one-time donation to www.chbob.org/iamcbob-scholarship, and we will give 100% of the proceeds towards Jose’s graduation present. For more information about our IAMCBOB Scholarship Program, visit www.chbob.org/iamcbob-scholarship.