Latino U College Access (LUCA) announced that five LUCA Scholars have been selected as 2025 QuestBridge National College Match recipients. Each student has earned acceptance—and full four-year scholarships totaling over $1.8 million —to some of the nation’s most prestigious universities including: Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, Vassar and Boston University. This places LUCA’s Scholars among the top fraction of one percent of applicants in academic accomplishment, leadership, and personal resilience.
Each of these Scholars will be the first in their family to attend college and have demonstrated incredible talent, academic excellence and perseverance in the face of adversity. This year’s results mark another extraordinary milestone for LUCA Scholars and its mission to equip talented students with the guidance, resources, and mentorship to reach their potential and access higher education. ls. Dedicating numerous hours, they have been working closely with LUCA volunteer college coaches since July to complete the highly competitive, complex QuestBridge application and the financial aid forms required for it.
Raul Socuayala from Sleepy Hollow and Sleepy Hollow High School received a four-year scholarship to Vassar College. Raul’s college coaches were John Finger and Elena Herrera.
Other scholars and their college coaches include:
- Mariangel Osorio, Port Chester High School — Matched to Cornell University
College Coach: Clara Roman - Josh Molina, Peekskill High School — Matched to Boston University
College Coach: Josue Zamora - Carlos del Aguila, New Rochelle High School— Matched to Harvard University
CollegeCoach: Silchen Lee - Sophia Fuentes, New Rochelle High School — Matched to the University of Pennsylvania
College Coach: Debra Hand
“LUCA Scholars represent the very best of what is possible when dedication, talent, and opportunity come together,” said Shirley Acevedo Buontempo, LUCA’s Founder & Executive Director. “We are incredibly proud of each Scholar, the hard work and dedication to learning they exhibited throughout high school. We are grateful for the opportunity to support them in achieving their dreams of being first in their families to go to college.
The scholar–college coach relationship is a vital factor in students’ success and their ability to reach their full potential. The impact of this partnership is both heartwarming and immeasurable.
QuestBridge Scholar Raul Socuayala reflects on his journey with deep gratitude: “College has been a future I’ve dreamed of as a first-generation student, but my parents struggled to find comfort in such an expensive path, constantly worrying about how we could afford it. Thanks to LUCA’s support, I was able to give my parents peace of mind by thriving as a student and showing my potential to QuestBridge, helping me earn a full ride to Vassar College. The once-frightening college journey became much easier to manage thanks to my coaches, John and Elena. Their support was immeasurable; they kept me on track and pushed me to craft work that reflected my potential.”
Raul’s College Coach team, Elena and John Finger, shared their pride: “Not only is Raul an exceptional student—as are all LUCA students—but he is also a deep thinker and a gifted writer. He is humble, kind, funny, and personable. Throughout our time working together, he demonstrated his motivation to achieve, always going the extra mile to find and use the resources available to him. We know that his work ethic will serve him well in college and beyond. We couldn’t be prouder of Raul and his accomplishment as a QuestBridge Scholarship recipient.”
QuestBridge’s National College Match is widely recognized as one of the most selective pathways to elite higher education for high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds. With over 25,000 applications from top scholars nationwide, only 7,026 students advanced to finalist status, and just 2,550 were ultimately matched.
