Ringling sophomore is realizing her dreams because of Pemberton Scholarship

Carolina Ruiz-Rico came to the United States from Mexico when she was 8 years old, but from day one she had a dream: to take advantage of the educational opportunities of her new home. 

“Throughout high school, I strove to pursue my education. I knew how many more opportunities were available here, and I just wanted to take advantage of them. I wanted to grasp them and make a better life for myself and my family,” she said.

A valedictorian of Ringling High School, Carolina carried a perfect 4.0 grade-point average all through junior high and most of high school.  She made her dream a reality and pushed herself to the top of her class.

Yet despite the good grades, she didn’t know if she would be able to afford the costs of attending a four-year university.  That all changed when Ringling native Peck Pemberton and his wife, Kathryn, established an endowed scholarship fund at OU in 2008 designated for graduating seniors at Ringling High School. Carolina, who has received the Peck and Kathryn Pemberton Scholarship since her freshman year, is now a pre-dental hygiene sophomore at OU and eligible to receive the scholarship for up to four years.

“They opened the door for me,” Carolina said of the Pembertons. “My family has gone through hard times; we’ve struggled a lot. My parents are really proud of me, and I want to do everything I can to show them that it’s possible to accomplish your dreams.  Achieving my ‘American Dream’ would not be possible without a college education, because I believe an education is necessary to succeed in the U.S. … This scholarship is very important to me; it has made my dreams possible, and it has really changed my life in so many ways.  For one, I’m more confident now.  It has definitely marked the beginning of many opportunities to come."

Carolina is one of six children and the first in her family to attend college.  She said her experiences at OU have generated some excitement about higher education among her younger siblings.  She also said the scholarship, which covers more than half of her expenses, has allowed her to experience university life to its fullest, taking advantage of fellowship with peers, involvement in campus groups and being able to focus on her studies.

Along with taking a full load of classes, she is an intern with OU’s Diversity Enrichment Programs; active in the Hispanic American Student Association, National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Alpha Lambda Delta; and works part time at the OU Communication Center.

“College really helps you grow and find out who you really are. Coming here to college opened my eyes to how big the world is,” she said. “I hope, through my example, people realize how they can really make a difference in someone’s life, because the Pembertons have made a huge difference in my life. There are millions of students out there who think that college is not possible, but because of people like the Pembertons, it is possible.”