Arnold Hernandez

Born in South Texas to a migrant farm family, Arnold Hernandez knows firsthand the meaning of hard work and perseverance. Like many migrant workers, Arnold and his family encountered challenges daily, from low wages and harsh working conditions, to lack of health care and education.

He lived what the U.S. Department of Labor's research has documented: The average agricultural worker earns less than $13,000 per year and reaches sixth grade in school. Only 5% of migrants complete some education beyond high school.

Despite these odds, education would play a central role in Arnold's life. "When my parents immigrated to this country in the 1950s, their 'American Dream' centered on working hard, breaking a sweat. I wanted more — something different than harvesting cabbage, onions, and sugar beets. And I knew that education was the way to get it," Arnold says.

Upon graduating from high school, Arnold received a scholarship through the College Assistance Migrant Program to attend St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. At St. Edward's his interest in mentoring was piqued. In addition to serving as a Student Ambassador through the Office of Undergraduate Admission, Arnold was a Student Orientation Leader, a Coordinator with the Dean of Students, and a participant in the AmeriCorps community mentor program, an effort that places college students in mentorship roles at Austin-area elementary schools.

As part of a college assignment, Arnold wrote, directed, and produced a documentary titled "Harvesting a Dream," which detailed his personal struggles to attend school. The documentary later won the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Reel Life Video Contest and was screened at the CineSol Film Festival in South Padre Island, Texas. 

In addition to filmmaking, Arnold held several internships in college, including at Galan Incorporated and in news production at Univision, the latter one led to a full-time position as a photojournalist and reporter. Most recently, Arnold worked at News 8 Austin, a 24-hour news channel for Time Warner Cable. 

Today, Arnold serves as The Sallie Mae Fund's national spokesperson for its Paying for College Bus Tour. The Tour, now in its fourth year, delivers information, workshops, and other resources on planning and paying for college to communities throughout the country. His message for students and families — particularly those who are underserved, minority, or considered at risk — is that higher education is indeed the pathway to success.

 "In high school, I was told college was not for me," he says. "No one should be allowed to stop your dreams. To students, and particularly to parents, I want to tell them that college can make things happen — that is no longer an option but rather an expectation, a prerequisite to reach your own American Dream."