2015 -16
Manuel N. Gรณmez ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
2015-16 SCHOLARS
Rosemary Gomez
Manuel N. Gómez ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
S
ince the early 1970s, Vice Chancellor Emeritus, Student Affairs Manuel N. Gómez, Ph.D., has been expanding educational opportunities for all students. Dedicated to access, equality and excellence, Dr. Gómez helped create and establish scores of K-16 partnerships, and today over 150,000 students have been touched by these efforts. From 1995 to 2010 he served as UCI’s Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs and has worked tirelessly to enrich the UCI campus experience. Community leaders, family, friends and UC staff have collectively supported the Manuel N. Gómez Endowed Scholarship in recognition of his commitment to students and exceptional career in higher education. The scholarship supports promising UC Irvine students who have participated in an academic enrichment, academic outreach and/or academic preparedness program as a prospective student or as a currently enrolled UCI student. The program must be sponsored in whole or in part by the University of California or a comparable state, federal or privately funded program.
My name is Rosemary Gomez. I grew up in Fresno, California in a single parent household. I am the oldest of four and the first to attend college. I have always retained a strong sense of culture as a result of being raised by my grandparents who emigrated from Mexico at a young age. Being at a four-year institution, I came to value my family and culture because I appreciated the work ethic, perseverance and respect that I learned from my mother and my grandparents. I am now a graduating senior in Criminology, Law and Society and Political Science. My undergraduate studies have revolved around understanding the impacts of immigration policies on the undocumented immigrant community. I grew interested in this social issue because Fresno is a predominantly low-income community of immigrants and agricultural laborers. I aspire to obtain joint degrees in public policy and law to enhance my analytical skills and develop the ability to shape social change for the betterment of low-income and immigrant communities. I hope to be able to serve as a representative and resource for my community through policy formation and legal services. My long term career goal is to establish a nonprofit organization whose research influences policy formation around poverty, immigration and workers’ rights in the Central Valley of California.
2015-16 SCHOLARS
Hali Santiago My name is Hali Santiago. I was born in Oaxaca, Mexico and moved to California in 2000 at the age of seven. I am a transfer student from Concord in Northern California, and a first generation college student majoring in Criminology, Law and Society with plans to graduate this fall quarter. I come from a single parent household and have been working extremely hard to return back home to assist my family. I will ultimately obtain my B.A. in Criminology, Law and Society in a year and one quarter. My low economic circumstance has motivated me to persevere so someday I can give back to my immigrant community. I am currently involved in Dreams at UCI and intern in Higbee & Associates in Santa Ana under the immigration department. I am passionate about immigration and aspire to change immigration policies. I plan to attend law school in Northern California and concentrate in immigration law.
2015-16 SCHOLARS
Efrain Vasquez My name is Efrain Vasquez and I am currently pursuing a degree in Sociology with honors. I am in the last year of my undergraduate career and currently studying abroad at the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain. I was born and raised in the city of Los Angeles by immigrant parents. I am the youngest of three children and the only person in my family to attend a four-year university. Before arriving at UC Irvine, I attended East Los Angeles College for two years and earned my associates degree while maintaining a 3.5 GPA. I will be graduating in June 2016 and will be applying for graduate schools soon after. I’ve always seen education as a way to tune out all the distractions in life and for that, education has a special place in my heart. I would love to continue expanding my education upon graduation. In today’s society it is imperative for an individual to obtain a graduate level education in order to achieve social mobility. My goal has always been to give my mother everything that she deserves because as a single parent she has done more than enough to deserve that. I am currently researching graduate school options in the fields of law and business. I hope to one day open and operate my own business.
2014-15 SCHOLAR
2014-15 SCHOLAR
Christopher Galeano As the son of first-generation Mexican and Salvadoran immigrant parents, I grew up hearing about the “American Dream,” the ideology that anybody with a good work ethic could better their lives in the U.S. However, in high school, when my mother married my undocumented stepfather, I witnessed the limits to his social mobility that work ethic alone could not overcome. I started to realize the American Dream was not equally accessible. This was the catalyst for me becoming interested in immigrant rights in the U.S. Throughout college, I became involved in campus and grassroots organizations in Orange and Los Angeles Counties including Dreams at UCI and RAIZ. Alongside youth activists, I advocated for increased funding for undocumented students in the UC system. I worked to help institute UC Irvine’s first Dreamer Student Coordinator. I assisted in various immigrant rights clinics on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. I participated in the nationwide campaign, “Free The People,” and worked directly with the Mexican community in Orange County in direct action advocacy against family separations imposed by deportations. In addition to the advocacy work I have accomplished, in 2013 I participated in the UCDC Academic Internship Program in Washington D.C., and studied abroad in Madrid, Spain while simultaneously conducting field research for my senior honors thesis on African migration into Europe. For my senior year I was also the head coordinator for the Social Sciences Academic Mentorship Program. As an undergraduate I was awarded three Summer Undergraduate Research Program grants and one Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program grant. I graduated UC Irvine June 2015 cum laude, with three bachelor’s degrees in Sociology, International Studies, and Political Science. For the 2015-2016 year I will be a Senate Fellow in the Capital Fellows Program in Sacramento. Ultimately, I plan to obtain dual graduate degrees in law and urban planning with a focus on regional and international development. I hope to enhance the development of local/regional policies and resources in urban and rural settings that help build robust and integrated communities throughout the U.S. My goal is to help migrants, regardless of immigration status, develop the mechanisms and knowledge to understand their human rights and live comfortable lives.
Hakop Azatyan I recently graduated from UCI with a major in Sociology and Conflict Resolution. I discovered a passion for learning more about my Armenian community, a topic I explored through the Honors Program in Sociology. After being involved in a yearlong research project, I wrote my honors thesis on the Armenian Diaspora in Los Angeles including factors in settlement, cultural perseverance and return to the homeland. I furthered my research by traveling to Turkey, Georgia and Armenia in the summer of 2014 through a conflict educational group called the Olive Tree Initiative. Upon my return, I interned at the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region, a grassroots political advocacy organization where I worked on research, press releases and campaign projects, and facilitated different committees. My involvement in local politics lead me to work in Washington, D.C. for six months under Congressman Adam Schiff, who represents the largest Armenian constituency. I worked on issue areas such as healthcare, education, environment and foreign policy. During my time there, I participated in the University of California D.C. program and was part of the Armenian National Committee of America’s Capital Gateway Fellowship program. I am currently part of the Judicial Administration Fellowship Program administered by Center for California Studies at California State University, Sacramento in partnership with the Judicial Council of California. I am enrolled as a graduate student in Public Policy and Administration at Sacramento State and work at the Los Angeles Superior Court. Due to my commitment to public service and interest in the administration of justice in the California court system, I plan on going to law school next year and hope to utilize my fellowship experiences to get involved in public policy.
2013-14 SCHOLAR
2013-14 SCHOLAR
Yoselinda Mendoza My name is Yoselinda Mendoza and in June 2014, I graduated magna cum laude from UC Irvine with a B.A. in Psychology and Social Behavior with completion of the Campuswide Honors Program and Social Ecology Honors Program. This was possible due to the financial support I received from this scholarship. I was able to focus on my schoolwork and co-curricular involvement. Currently, I work at Cal State Fullerton (CSUF) as a Research Assistant for the Migrant Education Program Comprehensive Needs Assessment. I collaborate with faculty and graduate students on identifying needs and concerns related to programming in order to better serve migrant students and their families. I also work as a consultant for the Shanghai Master’s in Higher Education (MSHE) program in the Educational Leadership Department at CSUF. A select number of students from Shanghai, China earned admission to the MSHE program. As a consultant, I am responsible for administrative work for the program, developing co-curricular programming and providing social support during the students’ stay. I am also in the process of applying to graduate school programs for admission in the fall of 2016. I am applying to Ph.D. programs in sociology statewide. My overall goal is to earn a Ph.D. so I can teach and conduct research at the university level, addressing the experiences of Latina/o students in higher education.
Jose Quintana I was a Manuel Gómez scholarship recipient in 2013, and a 2014 graduate of UC Irvine with a dual bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Sociology. During my time at UC Irvine, I was involved in the campus community serving as president of the College Democrats at UCI, Academic Chair of the School of Social Sciences Dean’s Ambassadors Council, and Academic Manager at the Social Sciences Academic Resource Center. In addition, I pursued rigorous academic activities including participating in the Summer Academic Enrichment Program, carrying out a research project with funding from the Summer Undergraduate Research Program and completing an honors thesis in political science. Prior to finishing my studies at UCI with support from the Manuel N. Gómez Endowed Scholarship, I interned at the U.S. Department of Education in the Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs in Washington, D.C. Upon graduation, I became employed by Access Group, a non-profit organization in Washington, D.C. that works to further access, affordability and the value of legal education through research, policy advocacy and direct member and student educational services. Most recently, in April 2015 I was promoted to Program Coordinator for Research and Policy with Access Group’s Center for Research & Policy Analysis where my duties include assisting with research, policy and advocacy efforts and providing communications support by acting as liaison with internal and external partners. I extend my appreciation to Dr. Gómez for having provided me the opportunity to reach higher during my time at UC Irvine.
2013-14 SCHOLAR
2012-13 SCHOLAR
Jacqueline Rodriguez As the daughter of working class Salvadoran immigrants, I am passionate about increasing social, economic and political access to marginalized populations. I am specifically interested in areas of international development and law. However, these interests did not develop overnight, but are a manifestation of personal, academic and professional experiences. Prior to UC Irvine, I attended Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, California. I transferred to UCI in 2011 where I was part of MEChA de UCI and the SAGE Scholars Program. In efforts to increase access to higher education, I began working for the Early Academic Outreach Program. For two years I mentored and encouraged low-income students to apply to college, a rewarding endeavor as I became better acquainted with structural conditions and policies affecting the educational trajectory of low-income and minority youth. During my undergraduate studies I also took advantage of research opportunities such as UROP and SROP and completed an honors thesis. In 2014, I graduated with a bachelor’s in Sociology and Chicano/Latino Studies. This was one of my proudest moments as I was the first in my family to graduate from a university and did so despite the challenges, graduating top of my class from a top-tier public research university. Moreover, I had the honor and privilege to share the stage with President Barack Obama as the undergraduate Commencement speaker, where I affirmed my commitment to expanding educational access. As a result, in the fall of 2014 I began a master’s program in Education Policy, Organization and Leadership at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I am currently conducting my master’s thesis on the impact of trade on policy directions for higher education in developing countries and am now interested in international trade law and policy. Upon completing my graduate studies I hope to spend a year abroad as a Fulbright Fellow. Ultimately, I plan to pursue law school, with the goal of acquiring a position with an international development agency or firm by seeking major channels of economic growth that bring forth mutual benefits and shared prosperity in developing countries.
Jesus Camacho I am currently in the first year of my Ph.D. program in Sociology at UC Berkeley, which is ranked number one in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. It’s a completely new academic and living situation, but I welcome new experiences and challenges. My research interests are still taking shape, but broadly speaking, they include immigration, race, labor, poverty, and Latino communities. At UC Irvine, I was involved in community service and academic activities. I was previously the president of the Student Achievement Guided by Experience (SAGE) Scholars Program. There are several components to SAGE: community service, internship opportunities, professional skill attainment classes and other program components. One of my principal responsibilities was to oversee our annual 1000 community service project. I was also a lead teaching assistant for the Saturday Academy of Law. As part of this experience, I was responsible for leading a group of six interns in the coordination of projects and classroom activities (reading and writing assignments) for high school students. Academically, I did research with Professor Ana Rosas on Orange County Domestic Workers and their families. This was my senior honors thesis, which I presented and was awarded UC Irvine’s Jeff Garcilazo Honors Thesis Award. Moreover, I’ve conducted research on the propensity to naturalize by Latino permanent residents with Professor Louis DeSipio. I academically excelled at UC Irvine, graduating magna cum laude and being inducted into several academic honor societies (Phi Beta Kappa , Pi Sigma Alpha, Golden Key International Honour Society).
2012-13 SCHOLAR
2012-13 SCHOLAR
Estefania Lopez I work as an Educational Outreach Program Manager for the Center for Educational Outreach at the University of Michigan. Born in San Salvador, El Salvador and raised in Los Angeles, California, I grew politically and socially aware of the issues affecting undocumented immigrants, particularly in relation to the barriers they endure as members of marginalized, underserved and frequently criminalized communities. During my undergraduate years I was involved in social advocacy, immigrant rights and labor rights work with other undocumented students and families. Through research projects I also investigated factors that contribute to academic persistence and resiliency among underprivileged and marginalized youth. My research, professional and service interests center on exploring empowerment perspectives that validate a multiplicity of cultural, linguistic and racial-ethnic student backgrounds, particularly Latina/o and minority equity, accessibility and retention issues. Throughout my professional and academic career I aim to explore building strength-based strategies towards creating nurturing academic environments for diverse students in postsecondary institutions. I earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Irvine and master’s degree in Higher Education from the University of Michigan.
Tcharles Fagundes I am currently in my second year of medical school at Brown University. In fact, I only have a few months remaining of the second year before we break to study for step 1 of the national boards. In my free time I volunteer at the Clinica Esperanza, a free medical clinic predominantly serving the new immigrant communities of Providence, Rhode Island. I do patient intake, translate for the Spanish and Portuguese speaking patients and present the cases to the attending doctors. My experience at Brown Medical School has been amazing. I loved my time spent with my first patient Eveline, a 90 year old woman at a local nursing home that I was matched with for six months last year. The interaction with patients in the first year is not usual for many medical schools, but I think it is extremely important to get right into patient care. I feel that UCI prepared me well for medical school, especially my time with the UCI Flying Samaritans at the El Testarazo Clinic in Tecate, Mexico. In April, I am looking forward to starting the clinical rotations of my third year. This will finally feel like real medicine with hospital-based learning. I have to thank Dr. GĂłmez for seeing the potential in me, which has helped me get to where I am today.
2011-12 SCHOLAR
2013-14 SCHOLAR
Linda Vong
Alexander Le
My name is Linda Vong and I graduated from UC Irvine in 2014. I am currently taking paralegal courses at Santa Ana College while working as a temporary recruitment coordinator for the Department of Pathology at the UC Irvine Medical Center. At last year’s gathering, I mentioned that I am contemplating pursuing a career in law. I was studying for the LSAT and was researching several law schools; due to some unexpected events, however, I was unable to take my exam in December. But as Paul Coelho had described it in his book, The Alchemist, “All of the universe will conspire to help people achieve their goal when the person wants it.” I stumbled upon an article regarding a program called Pathway to Law School that was being offered at Santa Ana College. The school was having a final orientation for the program that week, and I decided to attend. Although I am unable to participate as a college graduate, I was encouraged by the director of the program to take some paralegal courses. From the paralegal courses, I have met paralegals and lawyers who have offered me valuable advice regarding a career in the legal field. I was given the opportunity to attend the Orange County Paralegal Association’s Education Conference last month as a volunteer. As of today, I have not decided on whether I want to be a lawyer or a paralegal, but I know that I want a career in the legal field. I find legal analysis to be fun, and enjoy researching and reading case opinions.
Graduated Summer 2014 Public Health Sciences Major
Manuel N. Gómez Endowed Scholarship Eligibility Requirements • Current undergraduate student with full-time enrollment for 2015-16 academic year. • Must have participated in an academic enrichment, academic outreach and/or academic preparedness program as a prospective student or as a currently enrolled UCI student. • Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. • Open to all majors. • Must be first in their family to attend college. • Financial need as determined by the UCI Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.
In terms of my educational aspiration, I know that I will eventually apply to graduate school. I do not know if it will be law school, but I will return to school for another degree. I love being in school because there is always something new to learn and wonderful people to meet.
If eligible, applicants must file a 2015-16 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov. Students who are not eligible to file a FAFSA and qualify for the AB540 fee exemption waiver must submit a 2015-16 California Dream Act application at www.csac.ca.gov. • Must provide one letter of recommendation.
Manuel N. Gรณmez ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
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