CLAA is proud to announce that we have awarded 7 new scholarships for 2009-10 to current Cal students. Each of the deserving students was evaluated on financial need and proven comittment to community service.
“I am very blessed to have been awarded this scholarship as it will give me the tools to overcome this financial burden and lead me to the path of success,” said Hugo Morales '13 upon receiving the CLAA Scholarship.
Read all the bios below:
Linda Sanchez
Linda is currently a first-year student at Cal and is the first in her family to attend college. She is a majoring in political science and plans to pursue a career in law. Linda immigrated to Southern California at age nine from Oaxaca, Mexico speaking only her native language, Zapoteco. Despite the challenges of learning a new language and adapting to a new country, she excelled in high school and developed the Advancement in Education for Minorities (AEM) club with the support of YMCA to encourage minority students to pursue a higher education.
“I do not have words to express my gratitude towards this extreme help that I have awarded. It is through kind hearted people like your family that has made UC Berkeley a realistic and affordable school for students like me.”
Hugo Camarena
Hugo is a first-year student majoring in Neuroscience. His future plans include attending medical school with the ultimate goal of becoming a physician. At the age of 10, Hugo lost his father to cancer, an early loss that inspired him to want to pursue a career as a healer. Hugo grew up in Inglewood and struggled to succeed in school and devote countless volunteer hours at a local hospital, despite the challenges of being raised by a single-mother in a marginalized community.
“I am very blessed to have been awarded this scholarship as it will give me the tools to overcome this financial burden and lead me to the path of success.”
GABRIELA MONICO
Gabriela grew up in an underprivileged community in southern California. Despite many obstacles, including learning English as a teenager, she excelled in school and gained admittance to UC Berkeley. She is currently a second year student pursuing a double major in Ethnic Studies and Spanish Literature. Her future plans include pursuing a career in immigration law. Gabriela has consistently given back to her community, beginning in high school where she served as a volunteer mentor with the after-school program Think Together and with the California Association of Bilingual Education Programs. At Cal, she volunteers with the East Bay Sanctuary, an organization that offers free legal assistance and she is a mentor with the Berkeley Project, a program that seeks to orient underpriveledged high school students on the college application process.
“I have learned in these past years that I would have much to offer to society if given the opportunity to further my education.”
Marco Flores
Marco is a senior at UC Berkeley, majoring in gender studies. After graduating from Cal, he plans to pursue a PhD in Public Health. Marco is involved in various community service organizations such as the Latino Network leadership Institute, Upward Bound, and MEChA. He has also been a motivational speaker at various youth conferences.
“I would like to let you know that with this scholarship i am one step closer to achieving my academic goals and continuing my academic progress at the University of California, Berkeley.”
Maria Belman
Maria is a second-year student at UC Berkeley majoring in History. She grew up in the Los Angeles area where she graduated in the top 4% of her class. Maria is the first in her family to pursue a college education. While studying at Cal, she has had to overcome a number of economic barriers. Nevertheless, she has persevered and become involved in campus activism with the goal of helping students like herself have access to higher education.
“I would like to thank you for the support you have given me. It is an affirmation of my hard work and your acknowledgment of it.”
Jesus Chavez
Jesus is a first year student at UC Berkeley. He grew up in Central California where his parents worked in the agricultural fields and packing houses of the San Joaquin Valley. In addition to his studies, Jesus provided mentorship and leadership to his peers during high school through AVID tutoring, as well as link crew and captain positions in cross-country and track teams. At Cal he is an intern for Raza Recruitment and Retention Center and a member of a support group for immigrant students. Jesus is a double major in Chicano Studies and International Relations. He would like to pursue a career in public service or law.
"My persistence to never-give up and my fight to succeed will prove worthy your investment to my future."
Mario Lopez
Mario, born in Mexico City, came to the U.S. when he was 4 years old and was raised in East Los Angeles. He is currently a third-year student at UC Berkeley double-majoring in political science and statistics, with a minor in public policy. He has achieved various academic honors including being selected as a DMI Scholar through the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy in New York City, YP4 Fellow for the Young People for the American Way Foundation, and summer intern with the Center for Progressive Leadership in Washington, D.C. He currently serves as Honorary Board member for Adelante! California, where he also served as policy chair. His post-graduate objective is to study immigration law and public policy.
"I seee this scholarship as a further investment in my intellectual capital that will grant me the opportunity to dedicate more time, not solely to my required studies, but allow me the opportunity to actually explore in-depth academic research within my respective fields of study."