MENDOTA – Mendota High School Principal, Joe Masini, is pleased to announce Natalia Salinas, daughter of Santos and Mayoli Salinas of Mendota, has been awarded a QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship. She will be attending College of the Holy Cross, a four-year private liberal arts college in Worcester, Mass., on a full-ride scholarship valued at approximately $350,000. Her accomplishments are impressive, especially given the context of this year’s application cycle. Out of over 20,800 applicants, Salinas is one of 2,242 students nationwide to be selected as a Match Scholarship Recipient.

Mendota High School counselor, Rachel Tarr, shared, “Natalia is a most deserving student. She is intrinsically motivated to learn, open to new ideas and experiences, and holds herself personally accountable for reaching her goals. The process of applying for a QuestBridge scholarship is time-consuming and rigorous. It is great to see Natalia's many years of dedication to her studies and the countless hours she put into completing the scholarship application so richly rewarded.”

Match Scholarship Recipients are admitted early to QuestBridge college partners with full four-year scholarships provided by the colleges and universities, ensuring for these students and their families that an education at a top college is affordable. The Match Scholarship is made up of a generous financial aid package provided by the college that covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition, housing and food, books and supplies, and travel expenses. There is no cost to the student or parent.

“We are thrilled to welcome this historic community of QuestBridge Scholars,” said Ana Rowena Mallari, Co-Founder and CEO of QuestBridge. “Their achievements speak to their depth of intellect and character, and we know they will continue to dream big on their college campuses and beyond.”

QuestBridge is a national nonprofit that connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with leading institutions of higher education and further life opportunities. By recruiting, developing, and motivating these students - beginning in high school through college to their early career - QuestBridge aims to help talented students attend the nation’s best colleges and to support them to achieve success in their respective careers and communities.