USC full ride scholarship for HMA senior

A Harmony Magnet Academy student has been selected for admission to the University of Southern California with a Quest Bridge College Match scholarship.

Diana Ramos, a senior at HMA, was one of 321 finalists and one of only eight students admitted as a Quest Scholar at the University of Southern California.

The scholarship has the potential to be a full-ride scholarship — an annual $57,876. — automatically renewed for four years.

Ramos was notified by Kirk Brennan, director of admissions at USC. Her formal admission packet will be mailed to Ramos in February.

“She’s so amazing and has come such a long way,” said school guidance technician Juana Gray. “When she was in fifth grade, she did not speak a word of English.”

Ramos is now No. 1 in her graduating class of 107 seniors.

“She’s had a very hard hardship all through life. Her family has been homeless several times,” Gray said. “Her father is deceased and her mother is the main bread winner.”

Ramos is the daughter of Luz Maria Ramos and sister of Nancy Ramos of HMA. She also has an older sister.

Ramos, who attends the HMA Engineering Pathway academy, said she’s concentrating on academics and plans on pursuing her dream job of becoming a biomedical engineer.

“She is very down to earth, trying to get ahead and make something of herself and do something in a positive way for the world,” Gray said. “Her heart is full of giving and wanting to give back. Quite amazing considering most people would just give up.”