Bowman Scholar earns honors at Blue Ridge, will study business at JMU

Photo caption: Bowman Scholar Fernando Sagastume holds his diploma from Blue Ridge Community College after the May 10 Commencement, with (from left) brother Bryan, parents Sandra and Carlos, and sister Hailey. (Courtesy photo)

Fernando Sagastume’s message to his fellow graduates of Blue Ridge Community College was about something he’s practiced since childhood: Asking for help.

“Asking for help doesn’t make you less smart,” he said, summarizing his May 10 Commencement address. “It makes you more knowledgeable. None of us start off knowing everything, but the challenges we face lead to both personal and professional growth.”

This simple but humble action of asking for help has empowered Fernando’s success, from learning two languages as a child, joining the college preparatory Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program at Harrisonburg High School, applying for and winning college scholarships, and helping his family’s business grow.

“Fernando is currently one of our most impressive students,” said BRCC’s president, Dr. John Downey. “I’m impressed not only by his maturity and academic success at Blue Ridge, but also by his leadership as a young person in the Harrisonburg community, serving on boards and volunteering his time, all while helping to run his family’s roofing business.”

Fernando serves on the board of directors of On the Road Collaborative and on the recruitment and retention subcommittee of the HHS AVID program. At BRCC, he was a member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, and was recognized on the All-Virginia Academic Team.

The 20-year-old serves as the chief administrative officer at Highest Roofing and Exteriors, where he has played a key role in legal matters, insurance, marketing and sales since 2019.

Add another distinction to that long list.

“Fernando is the fifth Samuel R. Bowman II Scholar to transfer to James Madison University, and based on his pattern of top academic performance, he’ll be the third Bowman Scholar to graduate from JMU,” said Ann Siciliano, senior director of scholarships and grants at The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

The Bowman Scholarship was started by Samuel Bowman, a local farmer who was touched and inspired by the work ethic, generosity, and relationships of his many employees and wanted to help their children access higher education. The scholarship is for local students, usually first-generation, attending either Blue Ridge or James Madison University. It’s renewable, which means if recipients meet the criteria each year, they will receive additional funding.

While balancing work and studies, Fernando says he has been inspired by his family, particularly his parents Carlos and Sandra Sagastume, who have “always emphasized the importance of education and hard work.” Cousins Maria Alonso and Heiber Monroy have also “shown me what’s possible through sacrifice, persistence, and giving back to the community,” he said. In all that he does, he hopes to be a role model for his younger siblings, Bryan and Hailey.

Though he’s been awarded several scholarships as a result of his hard work, Fernando says the Bowman award is different. While one-time scholarships reward potential, earning a renewable scholarship symbolizes that and more.

The financial support as he’s transitioned through more and more academic challenge is a powerful message of “investment in my potential,” a unique award that shows “deep belief,” he says.

“I am beyond grateful to have received this opportunity, and it’s one I will take advantage of,” he said. “That faith and ongoing support is something I value in my education and will value forever.”

Editor’s note: We’re pleased to report that Bowman Scholar Lindsey Ruvalcaba also graduated from BRCC last weekend with academic honors. Both she and fellow Harrisonburg High grad Fernando Sagastume were featured in local media coverage of Commencement. After a gap year, she plans to attend JMU to study biotechnology.