As she applied for colleges in 2020, Annabelle Manzo, B.A. ’24, had every reason to feel optimistic. She had great grades, strong test scores and a track record of leadership inside and outside the classroom.
Instead, Manzo remembers that period as “a very uncertain and scary time, not knowing what the future held.”
Due to financial hardships, she was worried not only about getting into college—but also about being able to afford it.
But good news was on the way: Manzo was accepted into George Washington University—her top choice. And she was offered a scholarship from the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute at the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences (CCAS)—an award that would turn her dreams of studying in the nation’s capital into a reality.
Founded through the philanthropy of California Congressman Gilbert Cisneros, B.A. ’94, and his wife, Jacki Cisneros, in 2015, the institute aims to provide talented students like Manzo the financial, academic and social support needed to thrive in college and beyond.
As a Cisneros Scholar, Manzo, who describes herself as “steadfast in my dedication to social justice, equality and community organizing,” would not only see her financial burdens eased. She also would have a pathway to nurture her passion for advocacy and research.
Manzo fully embraced her opportunities. When she graduated in 2024 with a degree in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies and political science, she’d won a slew of accolades—including the 2023 Overall Student Employee of the Year Award and the 2024 CCAS Undergraduate Studies Award. She was even the CCAS flagbearer for the 2024 Commencement on the National Mall.
Along the way she served as a research assistant and later the project coordinator for Cisneros Institute-led studies funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). And this May, she received her M.A. in public policy from GW and will continue working with the institute as full-time program associate.
“It’s hard to find a way that the Cisneros Institute hasn’t touched my life and impacted me positively. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the institute,” she said.
Manzo is a Cisneros Institute success story—and she’s not the only one. Over the past 10 years, while advancing its mission to cultivate citizen scholars and innovative research, the institute has changed the lives of scores of young people and their families, while supporting the next generation of leaders and scholars. Roughly 1,000 students have been part of its varied leadership programs—including more than 100 Cisneros Scholars.
“The Cisneros Institute was created to be a home away from home where students can find the resources, support and community needed to thrive at GW and to develop as citizen scholars,” said Elizabeth Vaquera, the institute’s executive director and a CCAS associate professor of sociology and public policy and public administration. “As we move into the next decade, I see a real opportunity to expand our footprint on- and off-campus.”
Among its core initiatives, the institute hosts Caminos al Futuro, a residential summer program that brings high school seniors to Foggy Bottom for a first-hand view of the college experience and public leadership in the nation’s capital. Meanwhile, it continues to spearhead interdisciplinary research projects, partnering with affiliate faculty on GW’s campus and across the country to study the well-being of Latinos within the United States, while also creating hands-on opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.
“It’s both a big commitment and a real privilege to be able to touch so many aspects through this work—from working directly with students to collaborating across virtually all levels and units at GW to engaging with national leaders,” Vaquera said. “This is a role I never imagined when I started my career as an academic!”
Making a difference
Like many of the young people who benefit from the institute, Cisneros himself was a first-generation college student. A political science major, he studied at GW on an ROTC scholarship. When he and his wife founded the institute through a multi-million-dollar gift to his alma mater, Cisneros envisioned “a program where we could not only provide scholarships but also provide a support infrastructure for students to ensure they would be successful,” he said.
Watching the first cohort of Cisneros Scholars graduate “was probably one of the most exciting moments for me,” Cisneros recalled. “I like to think we are making a difference in the students’ lives.”
Vaquera joined the institute as its inaugural director in 2016. A scholar of immigrant and Latino youth, she initially saw the position as a way to translate her decades-long research on student engagement into actual programs. “Looking back now, it really was an only-at-GW opportunity to build something innovative with the strong support of a passionate donor and academic leadership,” she said. “I still very much feel that way today!”
Also a first-generation student, Vaquera was inspired by the mentors who saw her potential as a young scholar and wanted to offer the same kind of support for GW students. “It is always so heartwarming to see students cross the finish line at graduation and to share those moments with their families,” she said. “In a way, I feel like I’m paying it forward.”
Indeed, Vaquera said that, according to internal assessments, many of the Cisneros students consider dropping out or transferring schools at some point but attribute their decision to stay at GW to their experience with the institute. More than two-thirds of Cisneros Scholars graduate with honor distinctions—along with a 100% placement rate in jobs or graduate schools within six months.
A decade of success stories
In 10 years, the institute has produced two Fulbright finalists and plentiful success stories, including Cristiana Barno, B.A. ’25, who was part of a team that presented a 2023 case at the U.S. Supreme Court. “The guidance and mentorship my supervisors and role models provided me has taught me invaluable lessons that I couldn’t have learned solely in the classroom,” she said.
Nicolas Rios, B.A, ’22, participated in Caminos al Futuro as a high school student in 2017. Later he was part of Comunicadores for the Future, an internship program that teamed students with PR and social marketing firm Vanguard Communications, founded by alumna Maria Rodriguez, B.B.A. ’82. That opportunity led to an internship as a communications fellow at the League of Women Voters and then to his current role as a consultant at the international law firm, Crowell & Moring LLP.
“The Cisneros Institute was the backbone of my undergraduate experience, Rios said, noting that he stays in touch with his Cisneros classmates through his professional network. “It was refreshing to be in a community where everyone was always trying their hardest to succeed.”
Jennifer Garcia, B.A. ’22, was originally turned down for a different scholarship when a GW admissions officer told her about the institute. During her years at GW, she lived in Casa Cisneros, an institute-founded on-campus living and learning community. She participated in Comunicadores for the Future and helped create the Cisneros Alumni Network to engage program alumni.
“All of these opportunities gave me the chance to learn from others, grow core skills necessary for the workforce and, overall, just enjoy an experience with some of my best friends while I was so far away from home,” she said. Today, Garcia is studying for the LSAT through the SEO Catalyst program, a pipeline initiative for underrepresented communities in the legal sector.
“Our scholars come to us as already incredibly smart young people. The crucial aspect of this work is then to confront the barriers to their success that often exist outside of the classroom and to help them build the critical skills and tools to lead in whatever they choose to do,” Deputy Director Trey Johnston said. “The favorite part of my job is getting to see them achieve something they are passionate about, they are proud of and that lets them practice their skills.”
In recent years, the institute has added to its long list of achievements. It’s hosted special opportunities like the Immigration Film Fest, the Puerto Rican Diaspora Summit and the Im/migrant Well-Being Conference. It’s partnered with major nonprofits like the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute and the National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders to create specialized leadership programming for participants from the early career to executive level.
Meanwhile, it’s given students once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to engage with policymakers and influencers, from actress and producer Eva Longoria to Supreme Justice Sonia Sotomayor to First Lady Michelle Obama.
Into the next decade, Vaquera said the institute remains committed to developing student scholars while increasing its impact at GW and beyond.
“We are really excited to remain engaged with our growing alumni and to continually adapt our evidence-based workforce development, research and leadership programming,” she said, “to meet the needs of now and tomorrow.”