RECIPIENT TESTIMONIALS

Maximilian R. Padilla MD

From the time i first learned what college was my Mom and Dad instilled a vision for myself that I would one day go to college and become the first of the Padilla's in our family to graduate.  The one huge obstacle to this goal was funding.  I dedicated myself to my school work and earning great grades and volunteering and applying for scholarships.  One of the very first scholarships i ever received was from the HBA.  I still remember the scholarship ceremony and meeting the members of the HBA, and how encouraging they were and what a great inspiration it was for me to meet Hispanic leaders in the community who had attained the goals that i was striving for.  The HBA scholarship gave me that first glimmer of hope that i could do this, and eventually the dream of college became a college diploma, then I embarked on the educational journey to become an Oculoplastic and Facial Cosmetic Surgeon.  I am now in my second year of practice and I thank God for the Hispanic Business Association and for the blessing of their scholarship that helped to make my dream a reality.

There’s a real fear when stepping out into this scary big world after only knowing what little piece you have in front of you. The scholarships did more than just allow me the opportunity to attend Boise State 27 years ago, walk with my bachelor's degree in sociology, and a minor in Spanish and Mexican-American Studies. It breathed life into learning, exploring, and volunteering, with an emphasis on community involvement. Best of all, it changed my family’s footprint for years to come. These experiences propelled me to invest everything I learned as a young adult, both academically and professionally, to the life situations which has and continues to be thrown my way. It takes unyielding determination, goal-setting, perseverance, and learning from one's mistakes. I certainly didn't always make the right choices as an undergrad, but I later realized that the bar I was trying to attain was someone else’s bar. It was a bar that had not walked a mile in my shoes. The bar I needed was the bar I would set for myself. Am I okay with failure? Can I ask for help? How resourceful can I become? These are the questions we rarely seek when stepping out into the real world. I needed to take ownership of my successes, but most importantly needed to own my failures. Here is where character is key. We all have setbacks and our character is more about how you handle these setbacks, which eventually become successes. I continue to learn, teach, mentor, and give back when the right opportunities are presented. Thus, I encourage anyone to change the story you tell yourself if you don't like the plot, as I firmly decided to rewrite mine when a handful of people believed in me 27 years ago.​