Castillo awarded Romero Scholarship

Amid a colorful fiesta of Peruvian music, dance, and food, members of the Boston College community and their families gathered to honor the life of a beloved archbishop and the achievements of three BC juniors. The evening paid tribute to the accomplishments of all finalists for the Oscar A. Romero Scholarship: Jennifer Castillo, A&S '09; Ricardo Salinas, CSOM '09; and Stephanie Sanabria, LSOE '09.

With anticipation building throughout the event, Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Sheilah Horton presented a shocked and gracious Castillo with the award. "I had been thinking about it the whole week," Castillo said. "I was sure it would be Stephanie or Ricky winning it and was fully prepared to honor them and congratulate them. I was shocked and happy beyond belief."

In a heartfelt acceptance speech, Castillo thanked her mother for being her role model and guiding force throughout her life. "She been my inspiration and my foundation," she said.

The award, which has been given annually since 1993, is presented to a student leader in his or her junior year who has shown academic excellence and commitment to service within the Latino community. The scholarship recognizes students whose lives and achievements reflect the work undertaken by Romero, a Salvadoran archbishop who dedicated his life to improving the conditions within his country. Romero is remembered as an individual who strived to bring empowerment and justice to all individuals and to give a voice to the poor and oppressed.

Students are selected for the award based on an application, essay, and interview. Finalists receive $1,000 for use at the BC Bookstore, and the winner receives 75 percent funding for his or her senior year tuition.

Castillo, an international studies major, said that her respect for Romero was heightened by his humility and sense of humanity. "I haven't always spoken out about injustices that I've seen; it's something I've grown into, just like Oscar Romero," she said. "When I learned this about him, it made him more human in my eyes. He has always seemed like a mystical figure, but this makes him even more inspirational and easier to relate to."

Coming from the Dominican Republic to the United States with her mother at age 3, Castillo has a background that enables her to understand the plight of immigrants today and gives her the drive to change things in society. Despite starting off on welfare and food stamps, she said her mother never stopped working hard to provide for the family. "My mom recently got her Masters degree and has a successful job as a teacher," Castillo said. "She never gave up, despite the situation and obstacles we faced along the way."

Faith gave Romero his foundation, and Castillo's mother give her hers. "My mother gave me my faith," she said.

Growing up in Lawrence, Mass. also influenced the direction Castillo aspires to take after graduation. "It was a tough community when I was young," she said. Many girls her age at 15 and 16 became pregnant and dropped out of school. There was little interest in political activism or voting. "It was very bleak - students didn't have high expectations for themselves because their teachers didn't have high expectations of them," Castillo said.

To help change the situation of struggling communities, Castillo plans to attend law school and establish a support center for battered immigrant women. "My interest in law is very much tied to my background," she said. "I've witnessed the obstacles that many immigrants and refugees face when they arrive here, after they have already overcome so many obstacles to get here and start a new life."

At BC, Castillo has been a member of the Shaw Leadership Program, the Organization of Latin American Affairs (OLAA), the AHANA Leadership Council (ALC), and PULSE, among other things. She also studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, and went on a service trip to Turkey Creek, Miss.

While she said all her activities have been formative, she has been most inspired by her work with refugee women at Catholic charities. "These women have no voice or say in the society they came from, and being able to convince them that in this society, they do have rights and a voice is very inspiring," she said.

Dennis Sardella, a professor in the chemistry department and a member of the scholarship selection committee, said Castillo impressed him from the moment he met her. "In selecting a winner, we look for a real connection with Archbishop Romero, and everything she does epitomizes that connection," he said. "Her commitment to service is a perfect example of who she is as a person."

Castillo expressed the importance for having this scholarship at BC, in that it both honors the life of an extraordinary individual and provides opportunities for students of Latin American descent. "Oscar Romero's mission really goes with BC's 'men and women for others' ideal," she said. "It is important to honor him and his legacy, and it's a reminder for us to do our part."

There are still many avenues where work like that undertaken by Romero is needed - in Darfur, with immigrants in the United States, and with other displaced people all over the world, Castillo said. "We need to remember that his work is not done yet."

The award also offers financial means for education, something Castillo said was instrumental in combating the institutionalized racism embedded in society. "Discrepancies in educational systems still exist," she said. "This award is important in the aid that it offers and in the way that it supports BC's overall mission."

Castillo does her part to help create educational opportunities and motivation within the Latino community, specifically through mentorship, and she said that being a mentor is one of the most rewarding experiences she has had. "Being a mentor to high school students is one way of helping Latinos get into college, so that they can come back to their own communities and inspire others," she said. "Mentorship becomes part of a cycle."