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| The Ohlone College Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit auxiliary organization that strives toward economic equity, diversity, and inclusion by providing scholarships to Ohlone College students to have the financial resources and confidence to meet their educational goals. |
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“I truly found myself at Ohlone College…”
I immigrated to the U.S. in December of 2014 from Iran, when I was almost 15 years old. I did not speak any English upon arrival, which made becoming acquainted with the American culture and education system very challenging as a teenager. I was lucky to have never been bullied in high school; however most of my classmates pretended I didn’t exist, and I felt invisible. I struggled with depression. Thankfully, I had a very supportive family and friends who encouraged me to seek help and go to therapy.
Due to my language barriers, I was not able to be active in high school and couldn’t take advanced classes. Since I only had ESL credits, I could not apply to a UC or a CSU; I had to attend a community college. I decided to stay close to home and go to Ohlone College as a Biology major. I was honored to have been awarded the Ohlone Promise Scholarship. I felt supported and encouraged that donors believed in me and wanted me to be successful. Thanks to the generous support of the donors, I could become the first person in my family to attend college.
At Ohlone College, I expected to be treated the same way as I had during my high school years by my peers; I thought I would continue to be invisible. I am glad to say that was not the case. I decided to join the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) Ohlone Chapter and later became the president of the club. Since I had struggled with mental health issues, I wanted to raise awareness about mental health so that others know not to be ashamed of their mental health issues. I joined the Student Wellness Ambassador Program at Ohlone, ultimately becoming a statewide Student Wellness Ambassador. I truly found myself at Ohlone College and was able to become an advocate for those people who struggle.
After completing my AA degree, I decided to apply to Santa Clara University (SCU). I was fortunate enough to be awarded multiple SCU scholarships, but there was still a gap in my tuition. The Ohlone College Foundation and American Association of University Women supported me by awarding me the AAUW Transfer Student Scholarship (valued at $4,000), which SCU matched. Because of the continued support from the Ohlone College Foundation, I was able to attend a private university — something that I thought could never be possible for a low-income student.
I will forever remain grateful for the support of all the donors who have contributed to my success. I plan to pay the kindness of the donors forward in the future by becoming a donor myself. Until then, I will continue to support those around me in any way I can and continue to raise awareness about mental health issues and the challenges of immigrant and low-income communities.
– Setareh Harsamizadeh Tehrani
Ohlone Promise Scholarship Recipient, AAUW Ohlone Scholarship Recipient, Osher Scholarship Recipient, AAUW Transfer Scholarship Recipient
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