Take a deeper look at four other exceptional graduates who forged different paths
and obstacles to reach their goals.
Studying at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) changed Fernando Beltran’s life. 现在他致力于改变别人的生活.
Beltran is graduating this spring from the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences with a bachelor’s degree in Special Education K-12 with a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Education endorsement. 他出生在莱昂，瓜纳华托，墨西哥和 arrived in the United States at 6 with his parents and has lived in Greeley ever since.
After experiencing challenges as an undocumented student, he has now found what makes 他快乐，教有认知和身体残疾的学生.
Since he was young, Beltran had to grow up without the presence of his parents. His mother was deported in 2006 during one of the largest workplace immigration raids in U.S. history. His dad some years later, leaving Beltran (12) alone with his brother Daniel(17岁)和他的妹妹Adriana(15岁).
“It took a lot of self-discipline to get through school because I also started to 在很小的时候就工作来帮助我的妹妹，”Beltran说。. “Some of my teachers demanded me to only speak English to them, and it was difficult for me because I didn’t grow up speaking English. 所以，除了我努力工作和上学， I also had to deal with people who were not aware of culturally diverse education.”
Just after graduating from Northridge High School in Greeley-Evans School District 6 in 2016, Beltran spoke with a UNC admissions counselor about his future and the 攻读大学学位的可能性. 顾问与Beltran谈了不同的问题 resources available to him like the Cumbres program that offers scholarships and support to students who plan to become CLD teachers (teaching students whose first language isn’t English).
“来到博天堂官方完全改变了我的生活，”贝尔特兰说。. “Being a DACA recipient and the first of my family to be a [college] student, I didn’t even know if I could go to college. 但辅导员向我解释说，作为一个无证学生， 我有很多的支持从该机构.”
Related: 博天堂官方获得联邦指定为拉美裔服务机构
Before coming to UNC, Beltran held jobs working in onion fields and cleaning the meat packing plant on night shifts. 他决定，追求大学学位不仅仅是 going to help him find a different kind of job, but one where he could help people with fewer opportunities.
“I always wanted to be a teacher. 我喜欢教别人任何一种东西. 所以我最初报名攻读英语专业，”贝尔特兰说。.
But it was when Beltran talked to a Cumbres counselor who was studying Special Education that he became convinced that teaching students with a broad range of special needs was the right path for him. 他想给它一个尝试，所以贝尔特兰采取了一个特殊的 教育水平和立即爱上了这个项目.
“(There is) a side of me that always wants to help the ones that need the most help,” said Beltran “To be a special education teacher you need a lot of empathy and commitment 因为这个社区需要很多. It takes a lot of energy from you, and 我知道我想帮助他们觉得自己是社区的一部分.”
While he was a student at UNC, Beltran was working 12-hour shifts seven days a week, completing his practicums during the day, taking classes in the evenings, and commuting out of state to work during weekends. 虽然他管理的节奏，生活呈现 yet another challenge when Beltran and his wife welcomed a baby girl in 2020, the summer after his 4th year of college.
“My wife and I would take turns at night to take care of our daughter, but when the semester started and I had to go back to my regular schedule, I just saw how my wife was getting exhausted,” said Beltran “I read a lot about post-partum depression, so 我决定从大学休息一下，帮助她. I also didn’t want to miss important years of my daughter’s life.”
当贝尔特兰离开大学，他知道他想在某个时候回来. Three summers later, when his daughter was a little older, he was contacted by Melissa Valtierra, 科罗拉多机会奖学金倡议协调员. She invited Beltran to explore the Finish What You Started" program, which helps students go back to college to finish their degree. 这使贝尔特兰回到博天堂官方和追求他 dream.
Beltran, who is currently student teaching at Greeley Central High School, is not only teaching students with special needs, he is also going to graduate with the CLD endorsement. He already has a job lined up for the fall as a special education teacher 在他的高中母校，北岭.
“Now that I reflect on how I felt when I was going to school and didn’t have CLD teachers who were actively inclusive, I have realized how important it is that UNC trains teachers to be culturally aware,” said Beltran.
“我记得我的感觉，我不能做我自己当我年轻. I became shy and second-guessed myself all the time. 现在我可以是不同的孩子， come from different countries.”
Beltran believes that the school district is heading in the right direction by becoming more inclusive as the population in Greeley is becoming more culturally diverse.
“I think nowadays schools at all levels are helping culturally diverse students to feel that they are part of the community, that they belong,” said the future teacher.
Beltran said he is deeply thankful to the people from the Cumbres and COSI programs and to Jennifer Lieber, Ed.D., his Special Education advisor.
“The amount of support I received from the Cumbres Program and the COSI Program is something I will forever be grateful for,” said Beltran "And I am extremely excited that I will be helping students with a broad range of special needs and students from 文化多样化的背景，感觉自己是我们社区的一部分.”
Beltran is also deeply thankful for the unconditional support of his family.
“我不可能做到这一点，没有我的家人的支持. My older siblings Adriana 和哥哥丹尼尔是必不可少的，我作为一个人的成长. They provided a roof over 我的头，和我的姐夫塞尔比斯，”贝尔特兰说。.
“The encouragement and unconditional support from my wife have been crucial to helping me finish what I started. 这些人在整个过程中都扮演了非常重要的角色。 different stages of my life, and I am forever thankful to have such an amazing family,” he said.
博天堂官方致力于满足学生的经济需求. In 2022-23, 87% of all UNC undergraduate students 获得某种类型的助学金或奖学金 that does not need to be repaid.
Fernando Beltran received the following donor-funded scholarships and UNC institutional scholarships or other federal, state or grant aid.
- Cumbres Scholarship
- Leo and Gregoria Romero Scholarship
- Walter S. Rosenberry III Cumbres Scholarship
- Student Emergency Support Fund
- Frances D. Gilbert Cumbres Scholarship
- Billie John Hasenkamp Scholarship
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