Priority Newsletter

The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation Scholarship

Fall 2013

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Angie Quintero is just one of a number of students who are attending OU with the help of a Zarrow Foundation Scholarship. Quintero hopes to work as an advocate for and protector of international human rights.

As a teenager, Angie Quintero moved by herself from Ogden, Utah, to Norman to create a better life. As a high school student, Quintero became involved with the Independent Living Services for Youth (now Bridges) program, an organization that assists students who live alone due to a family crisis.

Through ILSY, Quintero had the opportunity to meet several OU employees, who helped her prepare for college entry. “When I came here, I already had a sense of family. When I think of OU, I think of family,” said Quintero, citing the strong relationships she has developed with various faculty and staff.

“Professor Misha Klein [associate professor of anthropology] is like a mother to me,” she said. Quintero also cites Giovanna Gismondi, lecturer of international relations and adjunct professor of law, as a treasured mentor. The guidance and care shown by these professors have been a great encouragement to Quintero.

Although she made a 4.0 her first semester, Quintero didn’t know how she was going to stay in school. “I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make enough to pay for school,” she said. The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation Scholarship made the difference.

Education had not been important or encouraged in Quintero’s childhood home, but she was motivated to study and to further her education. Her successful coursework in Latin American studies, Spanish and anthropology not only deepened her knowledge of the world, but also provided her with a sense of identity and understanding of her heritage.

Quintero will be participating in the Journey to Latin America study abroad program this summer through the OU College of International Studies. While in Brazil, Quintero will take two academic courses and be immersed in the local culture, including partaking in native dance classes and cooking classes. She also will spend the 2014 spring semester in Brazil to further her studies in anthropology before graduating in May.

Her participation in these programs would not have been possible without the Zarrow Foundation Scholarship. “My lifestyle changed when I started receiving scholarships. I was able to be more involved with school, and I had more time to study. Scholarships also improved my health; receiving assistance allowed me to work a little bit less, which allowed me to get more sleep and decrease my stress level.”

Quintero has been actively involved with Latinas Without Borders and the Hispanic American Student Association during her time at OU. She is currently researching graduate programs that focus on Latin America and leadership. Quintero hopes to work as an advocate for and protector of international human rights.