Celebrating Excellence
By Lori Gilbert, Gina Oltman and Brian Vanderbeek
Choosing Stan State was just the first step toward obtaining an invaluable education, and these scholars are making huge strides, and making a difference, with their academic excellence. RIVAS EYEING A CAREER SPRINGBOARD FROM BUSINESS DEGREE
“I was like, wow, who just gives away that much money? I can’t just say, ‘OK, that’s it.’ I have to give back,” said Rivas.
Receiving a substantial scholarship from an organization that has helped hundreds of students improve their lives and communities can be a lifechanging experience.
Rivas is unsure how he will “give back” and admits it probably can’t happen soon, but he is eager to someday start a scholarship fund through the church he attends.
That’s what Stanislaus State business administration major Oscar Rivas discovered when he received his first Mary Stuart Rogers Foundation scholarship. It introduced him to the world of philanthropy and the desire to someday help others.
A resident of Modesto and a firstgeneration college student on track to graduate this spring, Rivas is one of 20 Rogers Scholars 2019-2020 academic year. He came to Stan State three years ago and has been covering his expenses by working 30 hours a week in a Gallo warehouse and, until recently, driving for Uber and Lyft.
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Rivas hopes to move up the ladder at Gallo and believes Stan State has prepared him with an education that combines quality with exposure to actual business practices in local industries. “In the business school, they have professors who have experience in the field, so it’s not just theory,” he said. “They provide real life examples of how the theories apply in the workforce.”
Ileana Trujillo
