Regis University top accounting grad one of many success stories from Alpine Bank Latino/Hispanic Scholarship program
By Susie Romig
By the age of 6, Yesenia Silva-Estrada could recite multiplication tables. Her grandmother helped to instill in her the love of learning and the discipline of study.
That passion for learning, plus a big boost from an Alpine Bank Latino/Hispanic Scholarship in 2005, propelled Silva-Estrada to gain a college education. This May, the Carbondale resident graduated summa cum laude from Regis University in Denver with a bachelor of science degree in accounting and a 4.0 grade point average. She was named the top accounting student at the university by the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Her accolades from Regis follow similar success at Colorado Mountain College, where Silva-Estrada graduated in 2007 with an associate of arts degree with a business emphasis and a 4.0 GPA. At the college’s Roaring Fork Campus near Glenwood Springs, she demonstrated her leadership skills while actively participating in the campus diversity club Cross-Cultural Connected Crew and the national honor society for two-year colleges, Phi Theta Kappa.
“If it wasn’t for that scholarship and that initial step that got me to CMC, I wouldn’t have received my bachelor’s degree,” said Silva-Estrada, whose parents attended school through second grade.
While currently studying for the rigorous CPA exam, Silva-Estrada works part time as a bookkeeper for a local company and as an assistant in the student development office at Colorado Mountain College’s district office, where her goal is to encourage local Latino youth to pursue college.
“Wherever my future takes me, I’ll still continue to mentor and encourage Latino students to continue their education,” said Silva-Estrada, who aspires to teach accounting for the college one day.
Silva-Estrada is just one of the terrific success stories among 95 students who have received the Alpine Bank Latino/Hispanic Scholarship since the program began in 1996. Alpine Bank has awarded more than $350,000 in scholarships to Latino students who exhibit a strong desire to pursue a college education.