ORT WORTH -- Although Eric Oeur works after school to help support his family, the 18-year-old no longer worries about paying for college.
Oeur, a senior at Paschal High School, was recently awarded a four-year scholarship worth more than $160,000 to attend Oberlin College, a prestigious liberal-arts school in Ohio.
Oeur was one of 103 students selected from more than 3,000 applicants in the QuestBridge College Match Program, which recruits talented students who might otherwise not be able to afford college.
"Here's a normal, smart kid, but he also works 30 hours a week to help put food on the table while keeping a great [grade-point average]," said Tim Brady, QuestBridge's CEO. "Those are the kinds of students we look for."
QuestBridge partners with some of the nation's top universities, including Rice, Columbia, Princeton and Stanford.
Oeur's family came to the United States as Cambodian refugees 25 years ago. His father, Phon Oeur, a janitor at Everman High School, has been an inspiration to his son.
"He works so hard," Eric Oeur said. "His mentality gave me the desire to work hard and do the things I want to do."
Eric Oeur, born and raised in Fort Worth, said his family has had a tough time making ends meet since arriving in Texas. His father, who speaks little English, was an elementary school teacher in Cambodia, but his teaching degree is not valid in the U.S.
Eric Oeur began working to help support the family after his mother, Kim Dith Oeur, lost her job.
"I am so proud of him," she said. "He did this all by himself."
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Date: 01/29/2007
Url:
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/new ....
Author: Star-Telegram.com
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