An Adventure Created Outside the Classroom

With support from faculty, the campus community and scholarships, sophomores Christopher and Christian Hernandez are on track for success at Iowa State.

"I chose to major in industrial engineering because of Dr. Richard Stone," said Christian Hernandez. The same goes for his twin brother, Christopher, who is also a sophomore at Iowa State.

The two spent the summer before their freshman year meeting professors, getting to know their future classmates and becoming acquainted with campus as part of APEX, a summer bridge program for incoming multicultural students. "I met Dr. Stone while touring his lab as part of the program. I instantly fell in love with his research, energy and love for the job," said Christian. "My brother and I then went to talk to him over the summer, and after a lengthy conversation, we both declared our majors as industrial engineering."

Only in their second year, the Hernandez brothers understand that it’s not only the top-notch classes at Iowa State that make it a great place to be.

"What I like best about being a Cyclone is the support group," said Christopher. "The faculty, my friends and Multicultural Student Affairs have all really made me feel at home. I love the endless opportunities Iowa State has to offer, such as research, studying abroad, student organizations and so much more." With more opportunities and programs being added each year, there’s no limit to what students can accomplish.

"Hard work does pay off, and as long as you put forth your full effort and set your mind on something, you can achieve anything you desire," said Christopher.

However, the focus and time needed to dive into everything at Iowa State is easier to come by with the right support.

"Receiving scholarship support has reduced a lot of the stress and worry that comes with paying for a college education," said Christian. "I feel as though I can now truly focus on my academics, research and the committees I am involved in."