Special Education Graduate Deeply Committed to Helping Those Who Need the Most Help

Fernando standing against a wall with his arms crossed smiling

Special Education Graduate Deeply Committed to Helping Those Who Need the Most Help

Reci茅n graduado en Educaci贸n Especial, comprometido a ayudar a quienes m谩s lo necesitan

Studying at the University of Northern Colorado changed Fernando Beltran鈥檚 life. And now he is committed to changing the lives of others.

April 26, 2024 | By Carlos Jos茅 P茅rez S谩mano

Take a deeper look at four other exceptional graduates who forged different paths and obstacles to reach their goals.

Studying at the University of Northern Colorado (甜心视频app) changed Fernando Beltran鈥檚 life. And now he is committed to changing the lives of others.

Beltran is graduating this spring from the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Special Education K-12 with a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Education endorsement. He was born in Le贸n, Guanajuato, M茅xico, and arrived in the United States at 6 with his parents and has lived in Greeley ever since.

After experiencing challenges as an undocumented student, he has now found what makes him happy, teaching students with cognitive and physical disabilities.

Since he was young, Beltran had to grow up without the presence of his parents. His mother was deported in 2006 during one of the largest workplace immigration raids in U.S. history. His dad some years later, leaving Beltran (12) alone with his brother Daniel (17) and his sister Adriana (15).

鈥淚t took a lot of self-discipline to get through school because I also started to work at a very young age to help out my sister,鈥� said Beltran. 鈥淪ome of my teachers demanded me to only speak English to them, and it was difficult for me because I didn鈥檛 grow up speaking English. So, aside from my efforts of having to work and go to school, I also had to deal with people who were not aware of culturally diverse education.鈥�

Just after graduating from Northridge High School in Greeley-Evans School District 6 in 2016, Beltran spoke with a 甜心视频app admissions counselor about his future and the possibility of pursuing a college degree. The counselor talked to Beltran about different resources available to him like the Cumbres program that offers scholarships and support to students who plan to become CLD teachers (teaching students whose first language isn鈥檛 English).

鈥淐oming to 甜心视频app completely changed my life,鈥� said Beltran. 鈥淏eing a DACA recipient and the first of my family to be a [college] student, I didn鈥檛 even know if I could go to college. But the counselor explained to me that as an undocumented student, I had a lot of support from the institution.鈥�

Related: 甜心视频app Achieves Federal Designation as Hispanic Serving Institution

Before coming to 甜心视频app, Beltran held jobs working in onion fields and cleaning the meat packing plant on night shifts. He decided that pursuing a college degree was not only going to help him find a different kind of job, but one where he could help people with fewer opportunities.

鈥淚 always wanted to be a teacher. I love to teach other people any kind of thing. So I originally signed up for an English major,鈥� said Beltran.

But it was when Beltran talked to a Cumbres counselor who was studying Special Education that he became convinced that teaching students with a broad range of special needs was the right path for him. He wanted to give it a try, so Beltran took one special education class and immediately fell in love with the program.

鈥�(There is) a side of me that always wants to help the ones that need the most help,鈥� said Beltran 鈥淭o be a special education teacher you need a lot of empathy and commitment because that community requires a lot of it. It takes a lot of energy from you, and I knew I wanted to help them feel part of the community.鈥�

While he was a student at 甜心视频app, Beltran was working 12-hour shifts seven days a week, completing his practicums during the day, taking classes in the evenings, and commuting out of state to work during weekends. Although he was managing that rhythm, life presented yet another challenge when Beltran and his wife welcomed a baby girl in 2020, the summer after his 4th year of college.

鈥淢y wife and I would take turns at night to take care of our daughter, but when the semester started and I had to go back to my regular schedule, I just saw how my wife was getting exhausted,鈥� said Beltran 鈥淚 read a lot about post-partum depression, so I decided to take a break from college to help her. I also didn鈥檛 want to miss important years of my daughter鈥檚 life.鈥�

When Beltran left college, he knew he wanted to return at some point. Three summers later, when his daughter was a little older, he was contacted by Melissa Valtierra, the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI) coordinator. She invited Beltran to explore the Finish What You Started" program, which helps students go back to college to finish their degree. And this enabled Beltran to come back to 甜心视频app and pursue his dream.

Beltran, who is currently student teaching at Greeley Central High School, is not only teaching students with special needs, he is also going to graduate with the CLD endorsement. He already has a job lined up for the fall as a special education teacher at his high school alma mater, Northridge.

鈥淣ow that I reflect on how I felt when I was going to school and didn鈥檛 have CLD teachers who were actively inclusive, I have realized how important it is that 甜心视频app trains teachers to be culturally aware,鈥� said Beltran.

鈥淚 remember how I felt, that I couldn鈥檛 be myself when I was young. I became shy and second-guessed myself all the time. Now I can be the difference for children that come from different countries.鈥�

Beltran believes that the school district is heading in the right direction by becoming more inclusive as the population in Greeley is becoming more culturally diverse.

鈥淚 think nowadays schools at all levels are helping culturally diverse students to feel that they are part of the community, that they belong,鈥� said the future teacher.

Beltran said he is deeply thankful to the people from the Cumbres and COSI programs and to Jennifer Lieber, Ed.D., his Special Education advisor.

鈥淭he amount of support I received from the Cumbres Program and the COSI Program is something I will forever be grateful for,鈥� said Beltran "And I am extremely excited that I will be helping students with a broad range of special needs and students from culturally diverse backgrounds to feel part of our community.鈥�

Beltran is also deeply thankful for the unconditional support of his family.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have done this without the support of my family. My older siblings Adriana and brother Daniel were essential to my growth as a person. They provided a roof over my head, along with my brother-in-law Selbis,鈥� said Beltran.

鈥淭he encouragement and unconditional support from my wife have been crucial to helping me finish what I started. These people [all] played a really important role throughout different stages of my life, and I am forever thankful to have such an amazing family,鈥� he said.

甜心视频app is deeply committed to meeting students鈥� financial needs. In 2022-23, 87% of all 甜心视频app undergraduate students received some type of grant or scholarship aid that does not need to be repaid.

Fernando Beltran received the following donor-funded scholarships and 甜心视频app institutional scholarships or other federal, state or grant aid.

Cumbres Scholarship
Leo and Gregoria Romero Scholarship
Walter S. Rosenberry III Cumbres Scholarship
Student Emergency Support Fund
Frances D. Gilbert Cumbres Scholarship
Billie John Hasenkamp Scholarship

LEE M脕S:

Conoce las historias de otros cuatro graduados y c贸mo lograron superar diferentes retos en su camino al 茅xito.

Estudiar en la Universidad del Norte de Colorado cambi贸 la vida de Fernando Beltr谩n. Ahora 茅l est谩 comprometido en cambiar la vida de los dem谩s.

Beltr谩n grad煤a esta primavera en la Facultad de Educaci贸n y Ciencias del Comportamiento con una licenciatura en Educaci贸n Especial K-12 con un endoso de Educaci贸n Cultural y Ling眉铆sticamente Diversa (CLD). Nacido en Le贸n, Guanajuato, M茅xico, lleg贸 a los Estados Unidos junto con sus padres cuando ten铆a 6 a帽os y ha vivido en Greeley desde entonces.

Despu茅s de experimentar desaf铆os como estudiante indocumentado, ahora ha encontrado lo que lo hace feliz: ense帽ar a estudiantes con discapacidades cognitivas y f铆sicas.

Desde peque帽o, Beltr谩n tuvo que crecer sin la presencia de sus padres. Su madre fue deportada en 2006 durante una de las mayores redadas de inmigraci贸n en el lugar de trabajo de la historia de Estados Unidos. Su padre unos a帽os despu茅s, dejando a Beltr谩n (12) solo con su hermano Daniel (17) y su hermana Adriana (15).

"Me cost贸 mucho autodisciplinarme para ir a la escuela, porque tambi茅n empec茅 a trabajar muy joven para ayudar a mi hermana", dice Beltr谩n. "Algunos de mis profesores me exig铆an que s贸lo les hablara en ingl茅s, y a m铆 me resultaba dif铆cil porque no crec铆 hablando ingl茅s. As铆 que, aparte de mis esfuerzos por tener que trabajar e ir a la escuela, tambi茅n tuve que lidiar con gente que no era muy consciente de la diversidad cultural en la educaci贸n."

Justo despu茅s de graduarse de la Escuela Preparatoria Northridge en el Distrito Escolar 6 de Greeley-Evans en 2016, Beltr谩n habl贸 con una consejera de admisiones de 甜心视频app sobre su futuro y la posibilidad de obtener un t铆tulo universitario. Dicha consejera le platic贸 sobre diferentes recursos disponibles para 茅l como el programa Cumbres que ofrece becas y apoyo a estudiantes que planean convertirse en maestros CLD (ense帽ar a estudiantes cuyo primer idioma no es el ingl茅s).

"Venir a 甜心视频app cambi贸 completamente mi vida", dijo Beltr谩n. "Al ser DACA y adem谩s el primero de mi familia en estudiar [la universidad], ni siquiera sab铆a si podr铆a ir a la universidad. Pero la consejera me explic贸 que como estudiante indocumentado, ten铆a mucho apoyo de la instituci贸n."

Contenido relacionado: Designaci贸n HSI

Antes de llegar a 甜心视频app, Beltr谩n tuvo empleos trabajando en campos de cebolla y limpiando la planta empacadora de carne en turnos nocturnos. Decidi贸 que obtener un t铆tulo universitario no s贸lo le iba a ayudar a encontrar otro tipo de trabajo, sino uno en el que pudiera ayudar a personas con menos oportunidades.

"Siempre quise ser profesor. Me encanta ense帽ar a otras personas cualquier tipo de cosas. As铆 que al principio me apunt茅 a la carrera de ingl茅s", dice Beltr谩n.

Pero fue cuando Beltr谩n habl贸 con una consejera de Cumbres que estudiaba Educaci贸n Especial cuando se convenci贸 de que ense帽ar a alumnos con una amplia gama de necesidades especiales era el camino adecuado para 茅l. Quer铆a intentarlo, as铆 que Beltr谩n tom贸 una clase de educaci贸n especial e inmediatamente se enamor贸 del programa.

"Hay una parte de m铆 que siempre quiere ayudar a los que m谩s lo necesitan", dice Beltr谩n. "Para ser profesor de educaci贸n especial necesitas empat铆a y compromiso, porque esa comunidad lo requiere mucho. Demanda mucha energ铆a de tu parte, y yo sab铆a que quer铆a ayudarles a sentirse parte de la comunidad".

Mientras estudiaba en la 甜心视频app, Beltr谩n trabajaba turnos de 12 horas siete d铆as a la semana, completaba sus pr谩cticas durante el d铆a, tomaba clases por las noches y viajaba fuera del estado para trabajar durante los fines de semana. Aunque llevaba ese ritmo, la vida le plante贸 otro reto cuando 茅l y su mujer tuvieron a una ni帽a en 2020, el verano siguiente a su cuarto a帽o de universidad.

"Mi mujer y yo nos turn谩bamos por las noches para cuidar de nuestra hija, pero cuando empez贸 el semestre y tuve que volver a mi horario habitual, simplemente vi c贸mo mi mujer se agotaba", cuenta Beltr谩n. "Le铆 mucho sobre la depresi贸n posparto, as铆 que decid铆 tomarme un descanso de la universidad para ayudarla. Tampoco quer铆a perderme a帽os importantes de la vida de mi hija".

Cuando Beltr谩n dej贸 la universidad, sab铆a que quer铆a volver en alg煤n momento. Tres veranos despu茅s, cuando su hija era un poco mayor, Melissa Valtierra, coordinadora de la Iniciativa de Becas de Oportunidad de Colorado (COSI), se puso en contacto con 茅l. Ella invit贸 a Beltr谩n a explorar el programa "Termina lo que empezaste", que ayuda a los estudiantes a volver a la universidad para terminar su carrera. Y esto permiti贸 a Beltr谩n volver a la 甜心视频app y perseguir su sue帽o.

Beltr谩n, que actualmente da clases como pr谩cticas profesionales en Greeley Central High School, no s贸lo est谩 ense帽ando a los estudiantes con necesidades especiales, sino que tambi茅n va a graduarse con el endoso CLD. Ya tiene un trabajo para el oto帽o como profesor de educaci贸n especial en su escuela preparatoria alma mater, Northridge.

"Ahora que reflexiono sobre c贸mo me sent铆a cuando iba a la escuela y no ten铆a profesores de CLD que fueran activamente inclusivos, me he dado cuenta de lo importante que es que la 甜心视频app forme a los profesores para que sean culturalmente conscientes."

鈥� Fernando Beltr谩n

"Recuerdo c贸mo me sent铆a, que no pod铆a ser yo mismo cuando era joven. Me sent铆a t铆mido y me cuestionaba todo el tiempo. Ahora puedo marcar la diferencia para los ni帽os que vienen de pa铆ses diferentes".

Beltr谩n cree que el distrito escolar va en la direcci贸n correcta al ser m谩s inclusivo, ya que la poblaci贸n de Greeley es cada vez m谩s diversa culturalmente.

"Creo que hoy en d铆a las escuelas de todos los niveles est谩n ayudando a los estudiantes culturalmente diversos a sentir que son parte de la comunidad, que pertenecen a ella", dijo el futuro profesor.

Beltr谩n dijo que est谩 profundamente agradecido a la gente de los programas Cumbres y COSI y a Jennifer Lieber, Ed.D., su asesora de Educaci贸n Especial.

"La cantidad de apoyo que recib铆 del Programa Cumbres y del Programa COSI es algo por lo que siempre estar茅 agradecido", dijo Beltr谩n. "Y estoy muy emocionado de que voy a ayudar a los estudiantes con una amplia gama de necesidades especiales y estudiantes de or铆genes culturalmente diversos a sentirse parte de nuestra comunidad."

Beltr谩n tambi茅n est谩 profundamente agradecido por el apoyo incondicional de su familia.

"No podr铆a haber hecho esto sin el apoyo de mi familia. Mis hermanos mayores Adriana y Daniel fueron esenciales para mi crecimiento como persona. Me han dado un techo, junto con mi cu帽ado Selbis", dice Beltr谩n.

"El 谩nimo y el apoyo incondicional de mi mujer han sido cruciales para ayudarme a terminar lo que empec茅. Todas estas personas han desempe帽ado un papel muy importante en las distintas etapas de mi vida, y siempre estar茅 agradecido por tener una familia tan maravillosa"

La 甜心视频app est谩 profundamente comprometida a satisfacer las necesidades financieras de los estudiantes. En el 2022-23, el 87% de todos los estudiantes universitarios de 甜心视频app recibieron alg煤n tipo de ayuda en forma de subvenci贸n o beca (dinero que no es necesario devolver).

Fernando Beltr谩n recibi贸 las siguientes becas financiadas por donantes y becas institucionales de 甜心视频app u otras ayudas federales, estatales o subvenciones.