Pas Luna
Supporting students through scholarship opportunities, community care, and educational access.
Our Mission
Pas Luna's mission is to expand educational access by supporting students who are working toward college, continuing their education, or pursuing academic opportunities but may face financial barriers along the way. We recognize that students come from many different backgrounds, identities, and life experiences, and we believe every student deserves the chance to pursue their goals with dignity, encouragement, and meaningful support.
While Pas Luna is committed to recognizing and supporting students of all races and backgrounds, our work is especially centered on marginalized students at the high school and college level. This includes students whose educational journeys may be shaped by financial hardship, limited access to resources, family responsibility, first-generation college experiences, or other barriers that make the cost of education more difficult to carry.
Through scholarships and student-centered support, Pas Luna seeks to help cover the costs that can stand between students and opportunity, including college application fees, enrollment costs, books, supplies, educational materials, and other school-related expenses.
About Us
Pas Luna is a nonprofit organization created to honor legacy, support students, and help open doors to educational opportunity. Our work is rooted in the belief that students should not be held back from pursuing school because of financial barriers, limited resources, or lack of access to meaningful support.
We are committed to serving students from all backgrounds while placing special focus on marginalized students whose experiences are often shaped by inequity, underrepresentation, and financial hardship. Pas Luna recognizes that every student carries a story, a family, and a future worth investing in.
Through scholarships, community care, and student-centered resources, Pas Luna seeks to provide meaningful support for high school and college students as they move toward their academic and personal goals.
About the Founder
My name is David Ornelas, and I am the founder of Pas Luna. I am currently a doctoral student in the Technical Communication program at Texas Tech University, where I study virtually while continuing my work as an educator in San Diego. Born and raised in San Diego, California, I completed my bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees at San Diego State University, a place that shaped much of my academic and professional journey.
I have had the opportunity to teach at several universities across San Diego, including San Diego State University, the University of California, San Diego, and California State University San Marcos. Working with diverse students across these institutions has allowed me to learn from some of the most brilliant, determined, and resilient students, while also recognizing the financial, personal, and systemic obstacles many of them face. My own experiences navigating challenges throughout high school and college inspired me to create Pas Luna as a nonprofit dedicated to helping students access the support, resources, and opportunities they need to continue moving forward.