Edwin’s Story: From Student to Mentor

For Edwin, The Oaxaca Learning Center has been more than a place to receive academic support. It has been a place where he has found community, structure, and encouragement as he continues his education.

Originally from Río Grande, Oaxaca, Edwin is studying Computer Systems Engineering. During his time with TOLC, he says he has felt welcomed by the team and comfortable in the program environment.

“I have felt very comfortable with the team,” Edwin shared. “There is very good chemistry among everyone.”

He describes his experience at TOLC as a time of learning and growth. The program can feel demanding at times, he says, but the relationships between students, tutors, and staff make a difference.

Support That Helps Students Keep Going

For students pursuing higher education, the costs of school extend beyond tuition. Transportation, supplies, internet access, food, and other everyday needs can all affect whether a student is able to stay on track.

For Edwin, the scholarship he receives through TOLC has helped provide stability.

“The scholarship I receive has been a very valuable support for me,” he said. “It has allowed me to cover my academic and personal commitments without setbacks.”

Edwin also sees the scholarship as more than financial help. To him, it is a sign that others believe in his education and professional goals.

“Beyond the economic aspect, I consider it an important backing that facilitates my professional training,” he shared.

That kind of steady support is central to TOLC’s work with students across Oaxaca.

Helping Other Students Build Confidence

Edwin’s connection to TOLC now includes another role: tutor.

As a tutor, he provides academic support to younger students. But what he values most is not only helping students understand a subject. It is watching them become more confident in themselves.

“What I enjoy most about giving tutoring sessions is the direct interaction with the students,” Edwin said. “It gives me great satisfaction to see how, in addition to understanding an academic topic, they begin to gain confidence in themselves.”

For Edwin, tutoring is not just about helping a student pass a class. It is about helping students develop skills and confidence they can carry with them.

“It motivates me to feel that I can contribute something to their development as people,” he shared, “and help them develop tools that will serve them in life, not just to pass a class.”

A Responsibility Built on Trust

Edwin takes tutoring seriously because he understands what it means when a student asks for help.

“For me, giving tutoring means assuming a shared responsibility,” he said. “I understand that when a student seeks support, they are placing their trust in me.”

That trust shapes the way he approaches each session. He tries to do more than answer technical questions. He listens, pays attention to what each student needs, and offers encouragement through the learning process.

“More than just resolving technical questions, I seek to listen, accompany, and motivate each student in their learning process,” he shared.

That approach reflects what makes TOLC’s model so personal. Students receive tutoring, mentorship, scholarships, family support, and practical resources such as transportation, school supplies, internet access, and exam preparation. Just as importantly, they become part of a community that helps them keep moving forward.

Why Edwin’s Story Matters

Edwin’s story shows what can happen when students have the support they need at the right time.

With scholarship support, he is continuing his studies in Computer Systems Engineering. Through tutoring, he is helping younger students strengthen their academic skills and believe more fully in their own ability to learn.

That is one of the most meaningful parts of TOLC’s work. Students are not only supported in their own education. Many also become mentors, role models, and sources of encouragement for others.

Friends of the Oaxaca Learning Center is proud to support The Oaxaca Learning Center as it helps students like Edwin continue their education and support others along the way.

Your support helps make stories like Edwin’s possible.