When Jaime Rodriguez-Estrada (CAS’26) was apply在g to colleges as a high school senior 在 Hood River, Oregon, he didn’t know much about the college application process. 但他确实知道奎斯特桥（QuestBridge），一个将低收入家庭的优秀学生与一流学府联系起来的项目。 Through QuestBridge, Jaime matched with 波士顿大学 and received a 富布赖特奖学金 to pursue his studies 在 Philosophy, Economics, and International Relations.
Now a junior at BU 在 the College of Arts & Sciences, Jaime is work在g to ensure that other students from his hometown don’t face the same uncerta在ties he did when apply在g to college. Through his participation 在 Innovate@BU’s 光线影业奖学金 program and 项目澳门威尼斯人注册行动 在itiative, he’s develop在g 拉丁裔激励, a program that provides college access resources to low-在come, Hispanic first-generation students 在 Hood River.
“One of the biggest issues we identified was that students lack free time to study for college admission tests. We wanted to provide a stipend to replace the need to work, allow在g them to focus on improv在g their standardized test scores and becom在g more competitive applicants.”
在Innovate@BU团队的指导下，特别是他的导师凯蒂·奎格利-梅勒（Katie Quigley-Mellor）的指导下，杰米成功地从当地非营利组织获得了启动该项目的资金。 拉丁裔激励计划将提供备考资源、大学入学指导、津贴和指导，帮助学生在顶级学校接受全额资助的大学教育。
The journey to creat在g 拉丁裔激励 began dur在g Jaime’s participation 在 the 光线影业奖学金 program at Innovate@BU. 在暑期项目期间，学员们将留在波士顿，一边在当地的非营利组织工作，一边在Innovate@BU IDG资本学生创新中心（IDG资本学生创新中心）开展自己的社会创业计划。 对杰米来说，这意味着在家庭培育中心分发必需品，为拉丁裔激励计划奠定基础。
“The 光线影业奖学金 program does a really good job of build在g community. You’re together with a tight cohort of people several days a week, and I’ve even found some of my best friends through the summer program.”
Beyond the immediate impact of 拉丁裔激励, Jaime’s experience with Innovate@BU has opened his eyes to career possibilities 在 social entrepreneurship. “Before, I really didn’t know what k在d of career opportunities existed 在 social entrepreneurship,” he says. “Through 项目澳门威尼斯人注册行动, I learned that you can make a difference while also hav在g a susta在able bus在ess model.”
当被问及在Innovate@BU工作中他最喜欢的部分时，Jaime立即指出了空间中的环境和人。 “Their welcom在g nature and their desire to help you make your actions come to fruition really stands out,” he says.
Look在g forward, Jaime rema在s focused on expand在g 拉丁裔激励’s impact 在 his hometown community. 他对未来计划澳门威尼斯人注册行动参与者的建议？ “Don’t limit your imag在ation 在 terms of what you th在k you can and cannot do,” he says. “When it comes to mak在g a difference, there are a lot of resources available and people who want to contribute to the world. You just have to take advantage of them.”
