Featured Stories About Equal Chance for Education
Seeking American Dreams: Tennessee nonprofit helps undocumented students pursue college
Story by Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean
AUGUST 29, 2024, Nashville, Tenn. – Many undocumented immigrant students like Jonathan Ochoa grow up with a dream of attending college. But unlike Ochoa, American citizens can apply for scholarships or loans to pay for school. Without Equal Chance for Education… READ MORE >
More than $2 million in pledges pour into college fund for undocumented students in a month
Most of those pledges came into the Equal Chance for Education nonprofit after a Tennessean story on the agency’s founder, Dr. Michael Spalding, and its first recipient, Melissa Patino Gonzalez
Story by Brad Schmitt, Nashville Tennessean
MARCH 15, 2022, Nashville, Tenn. – About $2.1 million in pledges have poured into a fund that helps undocumented students in Tennessee go to college, an amount that has thrilled and surprised the fund’s leaders, an agency publicist said… READ MORE >
Passing on a Prized Gift
Retired doctor once received help to go to college, now he’s doing the same for the Tennessee students
Story by Brad Schmitt, Nashville Tennessean
MARCH 10, 2022, Nashville, Tenn. – When he was a teen, Mike Spalding loved to play golf. And he was damn good, too, even finishing second once in a statewide high school tourney… READ MORE >
Advocates raise $136,850 to send immigrant students to college
Story by Molly Davis, Nashville Tennessean
FEB. 26, 2022, Nashville, Tenn. – Anette Guzman did not know any English when she started kindergarten. Her parents moved their family to Memphis from Mexico City when she was a child, and she was entered into ESL classes when she started school… READ MORE >
Testimonials
Scherly Gomez
BS biology, Lipscomb 2017 Meharry Medical College, Class of 2021 matched to Write State University, OH in family Medicine
“ECE gave me an opportunity and opened a door I thought was forever sealed shut. This past year, I completed medical school as one of 70 DACA recipients in the US and started my career in Family Medicine, a dream
come true.”
Johnathon Mejia
BS Health Studies, University of Memphis, Class of 2021, Belmont University School of Physical Therapy Class of 2023
“If I could summarize the one in a million opportunity provided to me by ECE, it would be hope. ECE gave me hope and provided me with the tools to be able to follow my dreams. Now, I have finally graduated college and I am pursuing my dream of becoming a physical therapist at Belmont University”
Luis Vargas
BS Engineering, Lipscomb 2018; Masters in Engineering, Vanderbilt 2020
“I have an unbelievable opportunity before me that I refuse to waste. I have already become the first in my family to graduate high school, in 2018 I became the first in my family to graduate from college. After receiving my masters degree in Engineering, I have started my career as a structural design engineer
in Nashville.”
Tabitha Sookdeo
BA Social Justice, Trevecca Nazarene University, 2017; Yale Law School, Class of 2024
“The biggest thing I’ve learned is that I am just as good as everyone else. Although imposter syndrome continues to set in, I know that my worth is not defined by my status.”
