AlamoPROMISE Student of the Month February 2024 Melina Arambula, Palo Alto College

Born and raised in San Antonio, TX, Melina Arambula is no stranger to the Alamo Colleges District (ACD). Her mother attended Palo Alto College and is a long-time employee of ACD.

As a graduate of Northside School of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship, Melina qualified for the AlamoPROMISE program, a last-dollar scholarship that covers 100 percent of tuition and fees for graduating seniors from partner high schools. Excited about the opportunity to “pursue higher education without the stress of worrying how I would pay for school from day one,” Melina decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps and is now in her second semester at Palo Alto College (PAC) where she is working toward an Associate of Arts.

Recognized as the Feb. 2024 AlamoPROMISE student of the month, Melina is known on campus as an outstanding student who exudes commitment and hard work, resulting in a 3.57 GPA. Melina credits AlamoPROMISE to her academic success, saying, “it has allowed me to get used to college without having to worry about getting a job or taking out a loan.”

Along with the PROMISE program, she is thankful for the other resources available to students to help make higher education affordable and accessible, including AlamoBOOKS+ which covers the cost of textbook rentals – a benefit that Melina said, “has helped me tremendously.”

Outside of her studies, Melina has been a talented volleyball player for 10 years and is a PAC women’s volleyball team member.

“I’m happy that I have found a place with the PAC athletic center. It has been an honor to represent my college at games throughout San Antonio and the surrounding communities,” said Melina.

After graduating from PAC, Melina plans to transfer to the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) as part of the AlamoPROMISE to UTSA Bold Promise, where qualifying students can have their tuition and fees covered for four fall and spring semesters within a two-year period. As a student at UTSA, Melina will pursue a degree in Criminology with the ultimate goal of becoming a Crime Scene Investigator.

“While in high school, I remember wondering if I could ever really undergo the rigors of college life and if I was academically prepared to take on those challenges. Now, with the support of the faculty and staff, I find that I am able to do so, which has given me great confidence in myself and my future goals,” said Melina at the Board of Trustees’ February 2024 meeting. “None of this would have been possible if not for AlamoPROMISE … I have a wonderful future ahead of me, and I have all of you to thank for it.”