Students Who Make a Difference By: Briana Holland How could everything I worked so hard for be taken away

from me? These were the thoughts of 21 year-old Isabel Varges during her 2009 graduation. Varges is from the Dominican Republic and is an undocumented student at Salem State University. Undocumented students are students who were not born in America and do not have proper citizenship papers. Varges always excelled in school, making sure she got the best grades. Varges said my father told me that an education would open a lot of doors for me. When Varges found out that an education after high school might not be possible she was crushed and determined to not let that happen. In 2009, at the age of 16, Varges was working on the Obama campaign when someone told her about an organization called The Student Immigration Movement. Varges began volunteering her time immediately. Student Immigration Movement also known as SIM is a statewide immigrant youth-led organization based in Massachusetts. They identify, recruit and develop leaders in local cities and towns who are invested in improving their communities. SIMs vision is that all immigrant students have equal access to higher education and are not discriminated against based on their immigration status. Varges has always had a go getter attitude ever since she came to America at the age of eight, says friend Mario Rodas. Varges recalled feeling very fortunate to come to a country with so many opportunities. Varges vaguely remembered the poverty stricken town she once lived in and compared it to the middle-class living where she grew up in Lawrence.

Varges had to keep her undocumented status a secret while in school. Varges lived in a predominantly Caucasian neighborhood, and she believed she would be looked at differently. That is why I learned English so quickly, so that she could fit in, she says. Once Varges began working with SIM, she became confident about speaking about her undocumented status, says Rodas. In June 2009 she went to a conference in Washington D.C. where she met 500 other undocumented immigrants and heard horror stories from some. Varges and others lobbied the state houses and petitioned for equal tuition for undocumented students since they pay three times the rate American students do. Varges said that time was eye-opening and inspirational. Today Varges is the community organizer of SIM, and she represents her organizations chapter on a national level. This has her traveling all over America meeting important people getting the word out for student immigrant rights. Varges says that the job can be very overwhelming for a 21-year-old who is also a fulltime student. Varges says that she has the job of someone who is in their late twenties and is a college graduate. Rodas says Varges is an amazing role model to her three younger sisters who were all born in America. As a student at Salem State, Varges is maintaining classes on an academic scholarship. With a major in political science, she aspires to be an immigration lawyer. Along with working a 30- hour week she is actively involved with Student Government Association and Resident Hall Association. While also having time to hang with friends, visit family and spend time as a normal college student. ###