From a humble fifth grade classroom at Harney Elementary, Alejandra Silva Hernandez embarked on an impressive journey.
It began when her teacher, Katie Dunfield, asked students the age-old question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Alejandra answered: A doctor.
Saying her dream out loud turned it into a goal that she hasn’t wavered from since, even as obstacles mounted.
Using smarts and support to overcome barriers
Throughout her educational journey, Alejandra has overcome many barriers. She started third grade before she could speak any English but learned quickly and excelled in school. This adeptness also helped when she became the first in her family to attend college.
She is an alumna of I Have a Dream of Southwest Washington, a local nonprofit launched in 1995 to support the educational prospects of children in low-income neighborhoods. The program provided mentorship and tutoring through high school, as well as college prep and last-dollar tuition assistance for those continuing to college or career training.
For Alejandra, pursuing college would have been exponentially harder without the added guidance, and the financial assistance covering a sizable portion of her undergraduate costs. Sadly, the nonprofit ended operations in 2017. Alejandra knew the friendships she had created would live on, but never imagined what would come next.
Resourcefulness and scholarships pave the way to greater possibilities
When the I Have A Dream of Southwest Washington program officially closed, its board established the “I Have a Dream” Scholarship in Honor of Mary and Dick Granger with the remaining funds.
This scholarship fund honors the organization’s founders by providing post-secondary financial assistance to students and the children of parents who participated in the program. Alejandra was one of the first recipients. The award was more than financial support; it gave her extra hope and confidence while attending the University of Washington.
When she was later accepted to a master’s program at Columbia University, she knew paying for tuition would be a challenge. Thankfully, the pandemic led the school to offer the course online, which meant she could stay in Vancouver and shave $30,000 off tuition. Still, the estimated cost totaled $70,000. Columbia’s question to her: How will you pay for it?
To overcome that obstacle, she continued working part-time, renewed her I Have A Dream scholarship, applied for other opportunities and launched a GoFundMe campaign. Her determination paid off. Her original scholarship was renewed, and she received an award from the Ovando-Arreola Scholarship Fund, both provided through the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington’s scholarship program.
She used her awards as leverage when she explained to Columbia: “This is my community rooting for me.” Her pitch was successful. By advocating for herself, Alejandra garnered enough financial aid and scholarships to cover nearly 90% of tuition.
“I can’t explain how much it meant to have strangers and my own community—people that I've met through volunteer experiences and at events—donate what they could in the middle of a pandemic, when everyone's needs were so great. Their belief in me has kept me going.”
Continuing her journey
Where barriers once stood, Alejandra now has a long list of accomplishments: associate degree from Clark College, Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from University of Washington, and a master’s degree in Public Health from Columbia University. She recently passed an admissions test and celebrated her white coat ceremony as a medical student at the University of Washington School of Medicine. All are impressive but not surprising to Mrs. Dunfield, who always knew her bright young student would succeed.
Today, Alejandra is a resilient woman, forging ahead on her path to becoming a doctor. She has continued to excel in school and earn additional scholarships through the Community Foundation and elsewhere.
If all goes to plan, a M.D. will soon punctuate her name and she’ll be applying her talents as a vascular surgeon. In this role, she plans to serve her Latine community, which is disproportionately vulnerable to diseases like diabetes due to the social determinants of health.
“Being bilingual and bicultural will help me understand and relate to my patients — to build trust. I want to go beyond treating patients’ physical ailments and address structural racism and disparities impacting their health outcomes.”
The work and volunteerism Alejandra has balanced while attending school show the fruit of her passions. She leads Doctor for a Day, an enrichment program for underrepresented students interested in medicine in Seattle and Vancouver. She also mentors Latine students in navigating enrollment and accessing resources.
This year, Alejandra was selected to join the Phyllis Gutiérrez-Kenney Graduate Student Scholars Fellowship Program, which supports the next generation of professionals who are promoting the health and wellbeing of Washington’s Latine communities. In doing so, the program is also addressing a shortage of bilingual doctors and giving these underrepresented scholars a statewide network of mentors and peers to lean on and learn from.
For someone who has dreamed of serving their community through the medical field this award meant everything. It also reflects her advice for underrepresented students coming up behind her – the same advice she is grateful to have received from her own mentors and friends.
“You can do hard things. Apply to those impossible positions, programs, scholarships and jobs. Ask for a fee waiver and apply. Ask for resources. Ask for help. Recognize that you deserve this as much as anyone else. ”