West High senior receives full ride to Dartmouth with QuestBridge scholarship

IOWA CITY — Iowa City West High School senior Siomara Luna-Garcia has been admitted to Dartmouth College and has been awarded a full, four-year scholarship from QuestBridge National College Match.

QuestBridge is a national nonprofit that connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with leading institutions of higher education and further life opportunities.

By recruiting, developing, and motivating these students — beginning in high school through college to their early career — QuestBridge aims to help talented students attend the nation’s best colleges and to support them to achieve success in their respective careers and communities.

“I can’t believe I got into Dartmouth, I am so very excited to be able to attend college at such a well-respected institution,” Luna-Garcia said in a news release from the Iowa City Community School District.

Luna-Garcia plans to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering to eventually conduct research on cells and diseases, which will lead to designing solutions and treatments for patients.

Out of over 20,800 applicants, QuestBridge selected 6,683 finalists to be considered for the QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship. This year, QuestBridge’s 50 college partners matched with 2,242 finalists, who are recognized as Match Scholarship Recipients. This is the highest number of Match Scholarship Recipients to date for QuestBridge.

“We are thrilled to welcome this historic community of QuestBridge Scholars,” said Ana Rowena Mallari, co-founder and CEO of QuestBridge. “Their achievements speak to their depth of intellect and character, and we know they will continue to dream big on their college campuses and beyond.”

Comments: (319) 398-8411; grace.king@thegazette.com