September 15, 2003
Recipients of $20,000 leadership scholarships
named
By Jennifer McNulty
This years recipients of the annual Karl S. Pister Leadership
Opportunity Awards $20,000 scholarships include two single mothers,
a Pakistani immigrant, and an aspiring computer engineer.
A $5,000 scholarship has helped
an aspiring teacher enroll at UCSC this fall. See
story |
All recipients receive a $10,000 scholarship for each of two years,
as well as the support of a strong academic mentoring program and assistance
finding paid summer work experience in a field that complements their
studies.
The scholarships were created to foster the transfer of accomplished
students from community colleges in the UCSC region. The program was
designed by former UCSC Chancellor Karl S. Pister to make the university
accessible to the most promising community college students in the area.
UC Santa Cruz is proud to welcome these students to our campus,
said UCSC Chancellor M.R.C. Greenwood. They bring focus, motivation,
and a depth of life experience that enriches the campus community.
The scholarship program recognizes students who have made a demonstrated
commitment to assisting and improving the lives of others, who have
overcome adverse socioeconomic circumstances, and who might not otherwise
be able to attend UCSC for financial reasons. Candidates are nominated
by the presidents of each of 13 regional community colleges, and recipients
are selected by the chancellor in consultation with the Leadership Opportunity
Awards Program Screening Committee.
This year's recipients, with hometowns and college affiliations, are:
Muhammad Farhan Abbasi, Sunnyvale; Mission College
Stacey Marie Bixby, San Jose; West Valley College
Carlos Andres Cabrera, San Mateo; Cañada College
Diana Carreno, San Jose; San Jose City College
Angelica Magdalena Correa, Castroville; Monterey Peninsula College
Michael David Phillip Eccleston, San Jose; Evergreen Valley College
Berta Rosa Guillen, San Bruno; Skyline College
Tremain Pele Jones, East Palo Alto; Foothill College
James Gregory Herrera, Morgan Hill; Gavilan College
Samantha Sadlowski, Campbell; De Anza College
Lisa Michelle Woodhouse, Santa Cruz; Cabrillo College
Muhammad Farhan Abbasi, Sunnyvale; Mission College. With a 4.0
grade-point average, Abbasi was an accomplished student who augments
his studies by tutoring English and volunteering in the community. Abbasi
emigrated from his native Pakistan after finishing high school and has
been an active member of the Muslim Student Association at Mission College
and the Muslim Community Association.
Stacey Marie Bixby, San Jose; West Valley College. The single
mother of two children and a recovering addict, Bixby dropped out of
high school at 16 and attended night school sporadically before enrolling
at West Valley College, where she has been a peer adviser for other
single parents. She also participates in a mentor program designed to
help keep at-risk high school students in school, and she is a volunteer
soccer coach for her sons team. Bixby plans to pursue a degree
in legal studies.
Carlos Andres Cabrera, San Mateo; Cañada College. An
aspiring computer engineer, Cabrera supports himself as a physics and
math tutor at Cañada College. A native of Bogota, Colombia, Cabrera
is vice president of the Engineering Club and was involved in the colleges
Math-Engineering-Science Achievement (MESA) program, through which he
attended the National Conference of the Society for the Advancement
of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS).
Diana Carreno, San Jose; San Jose City College. A first-generation
college student, Carreno is pursuing a double major in neurobiology
and psychology on the path to a research career in neuroscience. Carreno
has volunteered for the San Jose Redevelopment Agency, Community Impact,
and the Barrio Defense Committee, and she tutors Latino youth through
the Bibliotea Latino Americana program.
Angelica Magdalena Correa, Castroville; Monterey Peninsula College.
The youngest of six children, Correa has pursued her educational goals
despite a lack of support from her family. Correa spent her junior year
of high school as an exchange student in Sweden and hopes to pursue
a career in linguistics or as an interpreter. She was active in the
Descendents of Africa student organization at Monterey Peninsula College.
Michael David Phillip Eccleston, San Jose; Evergreen Valley College.
Self-supporting since he left home at the age of 18, Eccleston has worked
full-time to put himself through school. He has earned a 3.8 grade-point
average while taking honors courses that span a broad range of subjects.
In addition to his work and study responsibilities, he has tutored middle
school students.
Berta Rosa Guillen, San Bruno; Skyline College. Guillen hopes
to become a teacher, building on her own experiences as a student and
mentor for youth. As a high school student in San Francisco, Guillen
became involved with Youth Making a Change (YMAC), which lobbied for--and
received--city funding to put health clinics inside some of the citys
biggest high schools. Guillens career goals crystallized after
she joined Revitalizing Education and Learning (REAL) and helped high
school and middle school students organize food and clothing drives
for the homeless.
Tremain Pele Jones, East Palo Alto; Foothill College. Jones
has overcome serious family troubles to succeed in college, where he
made the deans list, competed on the mens swim team, and
joined Phi Theta Kappa. Jones, whose mother and three brothers are in
prison, credits several high school and college instructors with helping
him reach his potential. Jones works for the City of Los Altos recreation
departments teen center, The Underground, where he enjoys interacting
with youth.
James Gregory Herrera, Morgan Hill; Gavilan College. A motivated
student and a gifted athlete, Herrera played on the Gavilan College
basketball team. Raised to give back to the community, Herrera participated
in basketball camps for local youth and visited elementary and junior
high school classrooms as a role model for youngsters. He has volunteered
for three years at the El Toro Youth Center, where he organized basketball
tournaments, and he is active in his churchs teen program.
Samantha Sadlowski, Campbell; De Anza College. Sadlowski left
home at the age of 16 and has supported herself through full-time work
ever since, but she hasnt let that interfere with her educational
goals. Sadlowski plans to major in psychology with an emphasis on child
development in preparation for a career helping abused children. A specialized
instructional assistant who works in public schools, Sadlowski also
supervised a high-risk youth crew through the San Jose Conservation
Corps/AmeriCorps summer program.
Lisa Michelle Woodhouse, Santa Cruz; Cabrillo College. A former
welfare recipient, Woodhouse successfully juggles the responsibilities
of work, school, and parenting. A teachers aide at Green Acres
Elementary School, Woodhouse plans to earn her bachelors degree
and continue on for a teaching credential. Clean and sober for more
than 10 years, Woodhouse has sponsored many women in their efforts to
overcome addiction.
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