Bermúdez Scholar Foundation

{{Infobox organization
|name = Bermudez Scholar Foundation
|bgcolor = <!-- header background color -->
|fgcolor = <!-- header text color -->
|image = Bermudez_Scholar_Foundation.png
|image_border =
|size = <!-- default 200px -->
|alt = <!-- alt text; see [[WP:ALT]] -->
|caption = [[Logo]] of the Bermudez Scholar Foundation.
|map = <!-- optional -->
|msize = <!-- map size, optional, default 200px -->
|malt = <!-- map alt text -->
|mcaption = <!-- optional -->
|abbreviation = BSF
|motto =
|formation = August 20, 2010
|type = <!-- GO, NGO, IGO, INGO, etc -->
|status = Foundation
|purpose = [[Non-profit]]
|headquarters = [[Berkeley, CA]]
|location = Northern and Southern California Offices
|region_served = [[world|Worldwide]]
|membership = 5 major companies and 40 professionals
|language = [[English language|English]] and [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
|leader_title = Founders
|leader_name = {{Unbulleted list| Rolando J. Bermúdez | Raymond Huynh}}
|main_organ = Board of Directors
|parent_organization = Bermúdez Enterprise
|affiliations = <!--(if any)-->
|num_staff =
|num_volunteers = 52
|budget =
|Official website = {{URL|http://www.bermudezscholar.org/}}
|remarks =
}}

'''Bermudez Scholar Foundation'''('''BSF''') is an organization dedicated in helping high school students achieve success in their future careers. The organization is committed to help students find the necessary resources to achieve success in college careers. The foundation awards money every month to high school students who show leadership in academics and in the community. In addition, it also provides help to those students who seek advice for high school, college, and life success.<ref>Official Website Home Page [http://www.bermudezscholar.org "Organization Description"], ''Official website'', June 13, 2010, accessed April 28, 2011.</ref>

==History==
The Bermúdez Scholar Foundation was officially first organized in [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]]. Rolando J. Bermúdez formed the organization in the summer of 2010 while he completed research at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (M.I.T.) The organization was officially registered with the [[IRS]] on August, 2010. Between the months of June and August, Rolando fundraised more than $10,000 from companies around the east coast. Within four months, the organization received an extra $5,000 from other private donors. The organization gained popularity when Rolando came back to [[Berkeley, CA]] to continue his studies at the [[University of California, Berkeley]]. On the month of September and October, more than 50 members joined the organization (professionals and volunteers).

===Background===
One of the cofounders of the organization, Rolando J. Bermúdez, thought of making the organization when he was a freshman at [[UC, Berkeley]]. The idea came from his nontraditional experience of growing in the [[United States]] as an immigrant. The business plan for the organization was initially written during the year of 2009 but was finalized on May, 2010 with the help of a new partner, Raymond Huynh. Later that year, the organization was registered as a non-profit organization under section [[501(c)]](3).

===Umbrella Company===
The parent umbrella company of the organization falls under Bermúdez Enterprise. The company was started in 2001 by the Bermúdez organization. The company currently holds three different divisions. The first established division is a [[general contractor]] specialized in residential and small commercial construction. The second division is a landscaping company with services across southern [[California]]. The last division is a non-profit organization, Bermúdez Scholar Foundation, with education services worldwide. However, the non-profit currently provides services mostly in northern California.<ref>Bermúdez Enterprise Official Website [http://www.bermudezenterprise.com "Home page"], ''website link'', accessed April 28, 2011.</ref>

==Future Plans==
The organization is currently undergoing major re-structure in its Programs' division. When it was founded in 2010, the organization only focus on [[scholarships]]. However, on recent months, more resources and activity planning have been placed on programs for high school students. The organization has scheduled to open its programs to students on May, 2011.

==Awards and Major Donations==
{| class="wikitable"|width=100%
|- style="background:grey;"
!align="left"|Date
!align="left"|Award Amount
!align="left"|Category
!align="left"|Company
|-
|April, 2011
|$1,500
|Big Ideas @ Berkeley Award<ref>Blum Center for Developing Economies [http://bigideas.berkeley.edu/contest "Award Description"], ''website link'', accessed April 28, 2011.</ref>
|[[UC Berkeley]]
|- style="background:silver;"
|December, 2010
|$3,000
|Donation
|Perquo Inc
|-
|October, 2010
|$3,000
|Donation
|[[Nike]]
|- style="background:silver;"
|August, 2010
|$2,000
|Donation
|Jacobson Inc.
|-
|}

==Board of Directors==
The non-profit organizational chart consists of a [[board of directors]], a [[president]], and its [[members]]. There are three members of the board of directors, one president (chair of the board of directors) and currently more than 50 members.

===Cofounder and President===
'''(Rolando J. Bermúdez)'''

Rolando J. Bermúdez envisioned this organization more than two years ago and after months of organization, he founded in 2010 what is now known as the Bermúdez Scholar Foundation. He was born and raised in a low-income family in [[Michoacan]], [[Mexico]]. He grew up in a very supportive and loving family. However, access to education was always a challenge at a young age. Then, he immigrated to the United States at the age of twelve and with the help of friends and family he was able to get accepted at the [[University of California, Berkeley]] as an engineer.<ref>Cofounder and President profile [http://www.bermudezscholar.org/Cofounder%20and%20President "Administration profiles"], ''Official website'', June 06, 2010, accessed April 28, 2011.</ref>

In spite of the fact that his career in college does not relate to promoting education, non-profits, or humanitarianism, he tries to get involved as much as possible in programs that allow him contribute to the community. As many other students of his age and/or background, he didn't have the resources to have a comfortable or stable high school experience. Even though he is still a student in college, he wants to help younger students that were once in his position. He understand that many students have the potential to succeed but unfair unforeseen conditions might not allow them to succeed in their lives.

His organization offers more than just counseling or [[scholarships]], it offers a new windows of opportunities through the network of supporters, volunteers, and professional committed to the same goal. His main core beliefs for the future of students are embedded to the organization's core values. Rolando as well as team members will always be enforce those values throughout the life of this organization.

===Cofounder and Chief Program Director===
'''(Raymond Huynh)'''

Growing up in a [[low-income]] community where the majority of the citizens are minorities, Raymond understood the value of education. He worked hard through four years at [[El Monte High School]], earning his place at the University of California, Berkeley, where he is completing his final year for a degree in [[engineering]]. However, he realized that he could not have made it as far as he has on his own; he has received a lot of help from special friends he met throughout high school as well as a college preparatory program called Upward Bound, that pushed him to pursue higher education. These experiences help Raymond understand the value of help when one is in need and decided to join the Bermúdez Scholar Foundation to help provide opportunities for those in a position he once was in. He hopes that these opportunities will help students see that with help from the right people, they will succeed and make their vision of the world a reality.<ref>Cofounder and Chief Program Director profile [http://www.bermudezscholar.org/Cofounder%20and%20Chief%20Program%20Director "Administration profiles"], ''Official website'', June 13, 2010, accessed April 28, 2011.</ref>

===Scholarship Director===
'''(Yescenia Bermúdez)'''

Yescenia Bermúdez, the scholarship director, was a first generation college graduate from [[California State University, Northridge]] in 2004. Her parents migrated to the U.S. from [[Mexico]] in the 1970s seeking a better future for themselves and the family they planned to have. She grew up thinking that college was out of range due to her parents financial situation, but as she attended high school; her counselor and some teachers proved her wrong. After knowing that a college education wasn’t out of her range, she wanted to prove to herself and her family that she could do it and have a better future for herself and for her future family.

Due to her personal experiences, she knows how hard it is for a high school student to find college information and most importantly figure out how to pay for it. In order to succeed, not only professionally but also internally, she believes that honesty, persistence, and respect are very important qualities in a person. With these qualities in mind, her goal is to provide useful college information and offer a scholarship that will in some way contribute to the success of future college students. Together with Rolando Bermúdez, she hopes that her contribution to this organization will make a big difference in many future college students lives.<ref>Scholarship Director profile [http://www.bermudezscholar.org/Scholarship%20Director "Administration profiles"], ''Official website'', June 13, 2010, accessed April 28, 2011.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.bermudezscholar.org Official website]
* [http://www.bermudezenterprise.com Bermúdez Enterprise]
* [https://www.facebook.com/BermudezScholarFoundation Facebook Page]

[[Category:Student organizations]]