“The LUL foundation is does something magical,” said Jonathan Jaramillo, a Brown University alumni who received a foundation scholarship in 2017. “I think what’s most important is the support system that you get with it.” He found the support crucial as a first-generation student at an Ivy League.
It’s part of the foundation’s targeted expansion. Thanks to partnerships with corporate sponsors they now also host career workshops, internships, and in some cases jobs for their students. The career-path driven thinking is part of the strategy for growth.
“What we’re trying to do is create a pipeline of success for young Latino students to receive the support they need in college, whether it be financial or career support, and then re-engage them post college to serve as the next generation of mentors,” said Casado.
We asked what he thought what LUL Foundation’s greatest achievement to date. Casado credits the people that support the foundation’s mission. “All of our support comes from individuals. We don’t have corporate backers,” he said. “(For) an organization that doesn’t have that and has been able to do this work for so long that within itself is a success story.”