Brothers and sisters who have made a Promise to themselves, their families, and each other - to keep Reaching Higher towards a college degree!
THE ERLICH FAMILY
Meet Noah and Eitan Erlich.
Noah is a 4th year Mechanical Engineering major at Stevens Institute of Technology. He heard about Hartford Promise from his college advisor at University High School and was amazed at the opportunity.
“Hartford Promise allows me to pursue education without financial worry as a looming cloud,” said Noah when reflecting on his experience. “Because of the flexibility, I was able to find the school that was the best fit, which served as extra motivation because I was able to take advantage of programs I was really interested in.”
Noah has done just that during his time at Stevens. He recently completed an internship with Remains Lighting in Brooklyn and now works there part-time, took part in the Google Student Developers Club creating a more accessible interactive web portal for the city government of Hoboken, and in his free time, is a member of the school fencing team! Best of all, he is a mentor and role model for his younger brother Eitan, who is thriving as a first-year student at Emerson in Boston.
When Eitan realized he was also on-track to become a HartfordPromise Scholar, he focused on his high school attendance and being a well-rounded student for college applications.
“In Noah, I had someone to look up to and someone who made sure I did the right thing and explored all options for college,” says Eitan, now following his passion for film as a Media Arts Production Major. He’s taking advantage of all Emerson has to offer and has been accepted into 3 different roles within the Emerson Independent Video Productions, the largest student-run production organization in the country!
But wait, there’s another Ehrlich in our midst! About their younger sister Lilian, now a junior at University High School, the boys both said, “She’s Wicked Smart!”
Aaron (’21) graduated from UCONN in the Spring with a degree in Political Science and is now pursuing his MA in Student Affairs at University of Maryland. While studying at UCONN, Aaron also served as a Promise Scholar representative on our Board of Directors providing crucial perspective and insight as we navigated Covid and campus reentry for our Scholars. As the older brother, Aaron took a lot of pride in guiding his younger sister Anijah through the college application process and that she was on track to receive a Hartford Promise Scholarship.
“For me, I was dedicated to preparing my sister for college, while also ensuring attendance and grades were up to par so she could receive the scholarship as I have,” says Aaron.
In the first few weeks of Anijah’s college experience at UCONN, the sibling support has already paid off. Anijah said, ”It’s definitely a change, but a change I was ready and excited for.” Her preparation and diligence have her starting her college career with great momentum as she pursues a major in Social Work and a minor in Psychology.
We can’t wait to see what the future has in store for Aaron and Anijah!
Vindy and her younger sister Angile share A LOT. The same elementary school, high school, college, BIRTHDAY(!), and status as Hartford Promise Scholars.
This dynamic duo perseveres through challenging times together. The sisters always told each other,"High School matters, these courses, these grades, and this GPA determines your next stage in life no matter if you decided to go to college or the workforce."
Now Vindy’s on track to graduate this year from UConn Storrs with a major in biological sciences and minors in both psychology & human development and family studies. She plans to pursue a master's degree in public health and a certificate in clinical genetics & genomics with the ultimate goal of becoming a physician's assistant working in women's health or a clinical researcher focused on cancer research.
Angile, in her 3rd year at UConn Hartford, is majoring in human development and family studies: “I have always felt a sense of security as we both shared something that quickly became important to us academically. Hartford Promise has given us many opportunities and being able to share it with Vindy has motivated us to both do well and use our resources efficiently. That sense of security of having a sibling who has already had an experience alongside Hartford Promise has reassured me and eased feelings of uncertainty throughout my time at UConn. We have supported each other from high school to college and we continue to strengthen that support system by acknowledging how much being a Promise Scholar has influenced us. I was able to feel safe as my support system strengthened.”
These incredible young women aren’t just committed to supporting each other. They are committed to supporting their community and improving the lives of others as they both pursue careers in healthcare.
These three Hartford Promise Scholars come from a big, supportive family always motivating each other with a bit of competitiveness.
Rode, oldest sister and recent UCONN graduate, became aware of Hartford Promise through a guidance counselor at Kinsella Magnet School. “With Hartford Promise, I was motivated to stay in Connecticut for college. The support opened doors that may not have been open and I fell in love with UCONN. I now work in the visitor’s office!”
But Rode isn’t just a dedicated Husky, she’s also a trailblazing, first-generation college student who takes great pride in her siblings; “I wouldn’t be the person I am if I didn’t feel a sense of motivation to inspire my siblings. I’m only a leader because I have younger sisters and brothers to lead.”
That sibling support extends both directions. Rode's younger sister Rachelle motivated her to focus on social work, which she is now pursuing at UCONN graduate school. Middle sister Rachelle, now a 3rd year Promise Scholar at UCONN – Hartford, was inspired by Rode's Hartford Promise scholarship and dedicated herself to achieving the same opportunity.
“I learned from Rode, and now I take pride in passing along that same work ethic to my brothers and sisters. Hartford Promise gave me the opportunity and with the UCONN scholarship match, I had no option but to go to college and pursue my major,” said Rachelle.
Youngest brother Medro, a first-year student at UCONN Hartford, business major, credits his older sisters for encouraging him to stay on track during his senior year at Kinsella. “I’ve tried to replicate what Rode has done, and everything she's done has encouraged me to do better in school,” said Medro. “Having such smart sisters motivates me and pushes me to do better.”
We’re so inspired by the achievements of the Bataille trio. Keep reaching higher, great things are ahead!
