好色先生 student Valentina Villadiego Contreras earned a scholarship for earning first place in the literary category of the LewerMark Student Insurance Make Your Mark Scholarship Contest.
Contreras is from Cartagena, Colombia, but spent most of her life in Bogot谩. She started at Moraine Valley in summer 2023 and lives with her mother in Orland Park. Contreras learned of the scholarship opportunity through Moraine Valley鈥檚 International Student Services Office. The contest is for international students to submit pieces in video, visual art, literary or music categories. Because Contreras wrote poetry in high school and enjoyed it, she figured she should write a poem about why someone should visit her home country.
鈥淭he poem is an invitation. Colombia is so diverse with beaches, mountains; it鈥檚 warm and cold. It鈥檚 so welcoming to foreign people,鈥� she said.
Contreras learned she won first place in the literary category last month and was excited to receive $2,000 toward her education.
鈥淚 was surprised to win, to be honest, because I don鈥檛 remember the last time I won something,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t reinforces that I鈥檓 in the right place doing the right thing and putting in the effort. I鈥檓 happy I鈥檓 on the right track.鈥�
Contreras is in her last semester at Moraine Valley, earning an Associate in Science, with plans to transfer to a four-year university. She wants to major in neuroscience.
鈥淚n general, opportunities to get a scholarship are not common for international students at a community college level, so winning this is not just an acknowledgment and reward for Valentina鈥檚 academic achievements but also motivation for all international students at Moraine Valley. We are delighted she was chosen,鈥� said Cecilia Galvan, Moraine Valley International Student Services and SEVIS coordinator.
To read Contreras鈥� piece, visit .
For news media inquiries, contact Maura Vizza, Moraine Valley communications specialist and sports information coordinator, at (708) 974-5742 or Vizzam@morainevalley.edu.
