HAMMOND - The next adventure for Bishop Noll Institute senior Kimberly Padilla will take her to the East Coast, fulfilling a new dream for herself and her family.
Padilla, a Hammond native, will attend Middlebury College in Vermont – a prestigious institution often referred to as a “mini-Ivy.” In December, she was awarded a full scholarship through the highly competitive QuestBridge National College Match program.
Fewer than 9% of applicants nationwide receive this scholarship, which connects high-achieving, low-income high school seniors to the nation’s leading colleges. Recipients are admitted early with a guaranteed, full four-year scholarship provided by the university, ensuring that a world-class education is financially accessible.
“This blessing will help my family finally have a first-generation student graduate from college,” Padilla said. “It means fulfilling the American Dream on a whole new level.”
With an interest in studying law, Padilla knows one day she will represent her community’s voice on a larger stage. At Noll, she shared her voice and talents in academics, extracurriculars and faith. She credits the Noll community for shaping both her high school years and her future.
“I met teachers who shaped my perspectives on the world – my forensics teacher, speech coach, English teacher, and engineering teacher, among many other amazing staff members,” she said. “I have also met some of the most admirable peers who achieve amazing things despite any burdens they carry. It is a rich community of intellectual growth and a family-like environment.”
Padilla also noted that her college counselor, Mr. Kevin Smith, was instrumental in helping her navigate the financial aspects of higher education. Additionally, she received college coaching from BNI alumnus Eddie Limón ’85.
“I considered schools I had never heard of before meeting him,” she said. “I am unlocking opportunities I never would have found without his help.”
Extracurriculars also defined Kimberly’s BNI experience. She joined Noll’s speech team as a sophomore to find her voice and quickly excelled in U.S. Extemporaneous and Impromptu speaking.
“I learned to face uncomfortable situations head-on and think on the fly,” she said. “Without speech, I genuinely would not be the person I am today.”
When Padilla isn’t competing, she serves as president of the BNI Guitar Club. “The guitar connects people through music and brings them together in the pursuit of a new skill,” she said. She is also active in Campus Ministry, the Biology Club (for which she designed last year’s DNA Day shirt) and Student Ambassadors.
Despite the “rollercoaster” of high school life, Padilla says her faith remained her anchor.
“The most important aspect of Bishop Noll is our Catholic faith. I have felt all the emotions and changes one can think of, yet my constant has been God,” she said. She noted that Mass, retreats and daily prayer had a profound effect on how she handles obstacles.
“The Catholic, family-like environment at Noll supports students to achieve their academic goals and personal goals by creating a home – a network of people to rely on when things may not go as planned. I know that many of the faculty, staff, students and various members around me at Bishop Noll are always supportive in your choices and as a resource or friend. I do not feel judged at Bishop Noll. Big dreams are not laughed at, but rather encouraged. In a world full of superficial relations and hidden intent, Noll is the fish that swims the other way. It encourages big dreams, never laughing at any aspiration.”
For Padilla, this scholarship is more than just an academic achievement – it is her “chance to show the world that even the underdog has a chance at being the change.”
Caption: Bishop Noll Institute senior Kimberly Padilla, of Hammond, received the QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship, a full four-year scholarship to attend Middlebury College.
