Alonzo, now a freshman at Monroe College, aspires to study Criminal Justice in hopes of one day joining the police force. “The community needs cops like me,” he says. Although his childhood was not an easy one: moving in and out of different foster and group homes, Alonzo overcame the many obstacles in his life. And, as he grew, he began to see the tremendous value of education. At one point, Alonzo was commuting two hours to attend a charter school, and after graduation, he was even willing to join the military to finance his college education.

But, Alonzo did not have to enlist to get a college degree.

His extraordinary perseverance and dedication to learning made him an ideal candidate for HeartShare St. Vincent’s American Dream Program, a college tuition scholarship and support. We are proud to have a scholar with his grit and resilience. With his high school diploma and the HSVS team behind him, Alonzo is a proud college student. “This is a dream come true.”