Victoria Flores-Almazan

Flores-Almazan Named a Kaplan Leadership Scholar

Flores-Almazan Named a Kaplan Leadership Scholar

KCC STUDENT VICTORIA Flores-Almazan Named a Kaplan Leadership Scholar

Kingsborough Community College (KCC) chemistry major, Victoria Flores-Almazan, is one of a baker’s dozen of CUNY students awarded the prestigious Kaplan Leadership Scholarship this year.

Founded by the Kaplan Educational Foundation in 2006, the Kaplan Leadership Program helps high-potential, low-income community college students complete their associate degrees and successfully transfer and earn a four-year bachelor’s degree at the nation’s most highly selective schools.

Leadership Program scholars are provided stipends for living expenses, extensive tutoring, academic advisement services, leadership and career training, and other resources and support to help them expand their personal goals and ultimately attain leadership roles in their professions and communities.

“While the challenges created by COVID-19 threw into question whether we could welcome a new cohort this year, given the fact that the diverse and resilient talent that the nation needs to fuel the economy can be found in our community colleges, we felt it was particularly important that we remain committed to our mission and support a new group of students at this time,” noted Nancy Lee Sanchez, executive director of the Kaplan Educational Foundation and KCC alumnus of the class of 1995. “This year’s cohort continues to represent the wide diversity that exists in U.S. community colleges, including non-traditional age students, recent immigrants, first-generation and ESL learners, and others pursuing degrees in education, STEM, computer science, medicine, law and other fields. We’re excited to remove barriers and provide greater access to higher education for our newest cohort of talented, motivated individuals.”

Originally from Mexico, Victoria was inspired by her own initial health challenges from being born prematurely, to pursue a career in medicine. Her goal is to become a pediatrician with a subspecialty in neonatology. Her work as a volunteer interpreter at a local clinic sparked her dream of establishing a low-cost medical clinic for the underserved in which she can continue to provide the same care, attention, and kindness she has received from doctors throughout her life.

Victoria said her brother and parents, who were both doctors in Mexico, have been her biggest cheerleaders from the start. “My father would say ‘La inteligencia no tiene barreras,’ which means ‘Intelligence has no barriers.’ My mother tells me ‘Siguele echando ganas. Tu puedes, Victoria,’ which roughly translates as: ‘Keep going. You’ve got this, Victoria.’”

She credits Kingsborough’s Honors Program for helping her soar. “The program presented me with so many opportunities and I took advantage of all of them. It provided me with the wings, and it was up to me to take those wings and fly.

“To be part of the Honors Program, a semifinalist for Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, and now a Kaplan Scholar has allowed me the opportunity to lead — to give back to my fellow students and community,” said Victoria. “These programs have provided me with the unique perspective to have an impact on students’ lives, and that to me is an honor and a blessing.”

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