Ever since he was a child, Alijandro Ian Mendoza of Worcester has enjoyed studying and researching anything he finds interesting — including helping his father find a practical solution to move heavy boxes and breaking apart a Nerf gun to see what was inside.
“My dad and I would have these little excursions where we had to move this heavy box so we had to make a contraption to do so,” Mendoza said. “This is like using my brain. This is fun.”
This passion for problem-solving led to Mendoza, now 19, receiving the honor of U.S. Presidential Scholar from the Department of Education during his senior year at Worcester Technical High School in 2023. According to the department’s website, this honor is awarded to graduating high school seniors who have demonstrated outstanding efforts in academics, leadership, visual, creative or performing arts or accomplishments within the technical and career fields.
While some graduates of Worcester’s high schools have been nominated for the honor, Mendoza is the first alumnus from the city to receive the award, according to the U.S. Presidential Scholar’s Alumni Foundation & Association’s database.
In commemoration of this milestone for both Mendoza and Worcester, a celebration hosted by city officials and Mendoza’s teachers was held at Worcester Tech on May 15.
Dichawn Belcher, Mendoza’s teacher for junior and senior year, told MassLive the ceremony recognized Mendoza’s research and studies in Worcester Tech’s biotech program as well as his accomplishment for receiving a 4.7 grade point average upon graduating in 2023 — 4.0 is an A average, but that can be exceeded with grades of A+ and weighted courses such as Advance Placement and dual enrollment classes.
During the ceremony, Mendoza was honored for his dedication and work and received a key to the city from Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty.
Sarah May Mendoza, Alijandro’s twin sister, told MassLive that she and her parents are immensely proud of her brother’s achievement. As the children of parents who immigrated to Worcester from the Philippines, Mendoza said her brother’s passion for studying proves that anyone, regardless of their background, can achieve academic excellence.
“Growing up, I always knew he was really smart,” Mendoza said about her brother. “I thought he was just another smart kid but to do what he does was so unexpected.”
For Alijandro Mendoza, who is now attending Columbia University on a full-ride scholarship, the award is not about him but rather the time and work he has put into his studies and research.
“I enjoyed what I did, I was passionate in what I did,” he said. “I didn’t expect to win anything. They gave me a medal, they sent me this really cool letter. It wasn’t just a win for me — it was a win for my teachers, my school and all the schools in Worcester.”
A drive to keep going
Mendoza said his passion for learning and studying came from his parents, who inspired him to go above and beyond regarding schoolwork.
Mendoza’s parents immigrated to Worcester from the Philippines in the 1990s, seeking better opportunities in the United States. As a child, Mendoza said he and his family faced challenges — such as learning English as a second language.
“I was in ESL for a long time,” Mendoza said. “I think I turned out well though.”
In addition to learning English, Mendoza said that, on occasion, he dealt with bullies in middle school. Even though he faced some struggles, Mendoza said his parents were there to inspire him to work hard and pursue his passions to learn more about the world around him.
He told MassLive how he was inspired by his mother, who learned how to do her taxes without help and how his father would teach him problem-solving skills whenever a challenge was presented.
Belcher, who also served as Mendoza’s advisor, said his parents offered constant support in his life, such as buying books he was interested in reading about or helping him with extracurricular activities such as chess club.
“He would line up his books in categories,” Belcher said about Mendoza. “They were his coveted prizes.”
Belcher said Mendoza’s desire to work hard and study was always constant in the classroom. Belcher said Mendoza was always focused on projects and subjects related to class. She said Mendoza was able to meet challenges and tasks handed to him with no problem and would not give up on the task — regardless of its difficulty.
“He was very proud of what his parents sacrificed to give him and his sister the opportunities that they have,” Belcher said.
Sophia Zoghbi, a close friend of Mendoza, told MassLive that this passion for problem-solving extended beyond the classroom as he dedicated his studies to his chess club and math competitions. Zoghbi said Mendoza’s attitude exemplifies what it means to be a U.S. Presidential Scholar and praised him for all his hard work in and out of school.
“This thirst for knowledge and self improvement is what makes him so deserving of the Presidential Scholar Award,” Zoghbi said. “He embodies a pursuit of excellence in everything he does.”
From Worcester to Columbia and beyond
Though he loved to study biotech and took part in internships at MIT and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Mendoza told MassLive he decided to study astrophysics at Columbia University.
Mendoza said he always had an interest in math and the universe, deciding he wanted to pursue these passions. He acknowledged that he would likely make more money in the biotech field but Mendoza said he wanted to keep studying.
“I want to be in academia,” Mendoza said. “Even though money is always there, I want to teach undergrad. I want to have a research group that is interested in research — not money.”
Even though he is currently in New York City, Mendoza told MassLive he plans to return to Worcester someday.
As for his family, his twin sister says she knows her brother will go farther than he will imagine.
“If he’s doing this at this age, who knows what he will do beyond,” she said.
