Thirteen talented community college students are headed to UC Santa Cruz this fall thanks to a generous scholarship program that provides students with $20,000 to complete their education at the university. Recipients of the Karl S. Pister Leadership Opportunity Awards are selected in recognition of their accomplishments despite adverse socioeconomic circumstances. The awards program was established in 1993 to help more community college students transfer to UCSC. Recipients receive $10,000 scholarships 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. "I am delighted to present these students with an opportunity that might otherwise have been beyond their reach," said UCSC Chancellor M.R.C. Greenwood. "This scholarship program is one of the most tangible symbols of our commitment to making a University of California education available to more well-prepared students than ever before." The scholarship program was established by former UCSC Chancellor Karl S. Pister to recognize 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 Greenwood in consultation with the Leadership Opportunity Awards Program Screening Committee. A list of this year's recipients follows, with hometowns and college affiliations. Biographical information about each recipient is also available below. For more information about the scholarship program or any of the recipients, call the UCSC Public Information Office at (831) 459-2495. * Maria Delgadillo of Gilroy, Gavilan College
* Traci Engel of San Jose Evergreen Valley College
* Lourdes Gomez of Colma, Skyline College
* Jason Haynes of San Jose, West Valley College
* Nicholas Javier of Colma, College of San Mateo
* Christopher Lepe of San Jose, De Anza College
* Yalin Li of Milpitas, Mission College
* Gina Orlando of San Jose, San Jose City College
* Sonia Rivera of Salinas, Hartnell College
* Joseph Sanchis of Belmont, Foothill College
* Marcella Selner of Redwood City, Cañada College
* Upkar Singh of Pacific Grove, Monterey Peninsula College
* Carole L. Wilson of Santa Cruz, Cabrillo College
Maria Delgadillo, Gilroy: At the age of 10, Delgadillo emigrated from Mexico to the United States to join her father and two older brothers, whom she hadn't seen since the age of two. The first woman in her family to go to school, Delgadillo overcame the language and cultural challenges of immigration to graduate from high school and become a successful college student. As a volunteer with the South County Property Management Youth Program in her Gilroy neighborhood, Delgadillo tutors children three times a week and encourages them to volunteer in their community, too. Delgadillo is a member of the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement Program at Gavilan College, which is designed to help students in math and science by providing tutors, mentors, and academic counseling, and she has done public outreach on behalf of the college to help recruit high school students. A biology major with an interest in medicine, Delgadillo plans to pursue a career in the biomedical research field. Traci Engel, San Jose: An astronomy buff since childhood, Engel plans to study astronomy and astrophysics at UCSC. A single mother who has worked part-time at Orchard Supply Hardware while taking a full load of classes at Evergreen Valley College, Engel has also found time to volunteer with the Math and Science Teacher Education Program, the American Red Cross, and as a tutor in calculus and chemistry for the FasTrack program at Evergreen. She is an avid archer. Lourdes Gomez, Colma: Gomez has grown from the "class clown" in high school to the student body president of Skyline College. She plans to major in Spanish and minor in Latin American and Latino studies as she pursues her goal of becoming a professor of Spanish. Gomez has been a volunteer tutor with an after-school program in Redwood City and has taught art at an all-boy orphanage in Mexico. At Skyline, she founded the Puente Club to increase Latino representation on campus and was chair of the Latino Parent Conference, which brings Latino parents to the campus for Spanish-language educational sessions. Jason Haynes, San Jose: Haynes, who has been on the dean's list every semester at West Valley College, plans to major in computer science at UCSC. Haynes has overcome substance abuse problems and has supported himself by working full-time throughout school. Haynes has been involved with anti-gang and drug-treatment programs and has worked on community service projects as a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society at West Valley. Employed as a security officer, Haynes has taken it upon himself to informally teach English to the janitors with whom he works. Nicholas Javier, Colma: A first-generation Mexican American, Javier has immersed himself in the college experience, becoming involved with Native American protests on Alcatraz Island, dancing with the Danza Azteca circle at Cinco de Mayo and Raza Day celebrations, and tutoring fellow students at the College of San Mateo (CSM) in math and English. Javier has helped build housing with Habitat for Humanity, has participated in the Shadow Day program that encourages high school students to enroll at CSM, and he was the student representative to the Faculty, Administration, and Staff Diversity Advisory Committee. Javier plans to major in literature at UCSC, where he looks forward to serving as a role model for his younger cousins. Christopher Lepe, San Jose: The oldest of six children, Lepe performed poorly in school until the summer before his sophomore year of high school, when he participated in a summer math program that inspired him to prepare for college. Three years later, Lepe was accepted by UC Santa Barbara and San Jose State University but couldn't afford to attend. He completed his first two years of college at De Anza College, and, despite working his way through school, has found time to volunteer with the Jose Valdes Summer Math Institute, the same program that had made such a difference in his life, and at Hidden Villa, a farm and wilderness-education program for children. In 1999, as part of an overseas study program, Lepe volunteered for three weeks at an international work camp in the Bordeaux region of France and for two weeks at a camp in Thailand. An avid cyclist, Lepe plans to major in environmental studies and biology at UCSC. Yalin Li, Milpitas: Since emigrating from China at the age of 15, Li has mastered English and become a successful student at Mission College. She is president of the Chinese Student Association and a member of Alpha Gamma Sigma and the Writer's Club. Her volunteer work transporting seniors to the Milpitas Senior Center has enhanced her appreciation of elders. An accomplished pianist, Li plans to major in computer science at UCSC. Gina Orlando, San Jose: Being a full-time student, a parent, and a part-time employee leaves Orlando little time for herself, but her busy schedule has not diminished her achievements. Orlando is a member of the international community college honor society Phi Theta Kappa, is enrolled in the San Jose City College Honors Program, and has made the college's President's Honors List three times. Orlando has volunteered with the Mountain View Community Services Agency and the Emergency Housing Consortium. On campus, she is active in many programs, including the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, and has tutored students and participated in high school outreach programs. With plans to major in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology, Orlando has twice worked with UCSC scientists during summer research programs. Sonia Rivera, Salinas: The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Rivera lives in a migrant labor camp in Salinas with her mother, father, and sister. One of nine siblings, Rivera is determined to follow in the footsteps of her seven older brothers and sisters, all of whom are college graduates. A top student at Hartnell College, Rivera plans to major in sociology at UCSC in order to pursue a profession in which she can help others, such as teaching or school counseling. Rivera is an active participant in the California Mini-Corps, a state-funded program that employs low-income students from migrant backgrounds. With Mini-Corps, Rivera has tutored migrant students, assisted teachers with lesson planning, and urged youngsters at elementary schools in the Salinas Valley to pursue their education. Joseph Sanchis, Belmont: An aspiring entrepreneur, Sanchis is founder and president of the Foothill College Business Club and organizer of the first-ever Foothill Business Conference at the college. A strong advocate of new technology, Sanchis joined the Student Council as business operations manager and took a lead role in calling for Internet access for student government and newspaper offices. He also organized a statewide community college campaign to raise awareness of technology needs on campuses, and he facilitated the "Technology Strategy and Advocacy" workshop at the California Student Association for Community Colleges Conference last year. As a Student Ambassador at Foothill, Sanchis was involved in campus outreach and event planning. Sanchis plans to major in information systems management. Marcella Selner, Redwood City: A dedicated student and an accomplished tennis player, Selner brings discipline and focus to her work, whether in a macroeconomics course at Cañada College or on the tennis court. Raised in a single-parent family, Selner is following in the footsteps of her sisters, both of whom attended college. She plans to major in sociology out of a desire to help others. She has volunteered as a tutor and with the Sandwiches on Sunday program that provides food for the homeless. Upkar Singh, Pacific Grove: Singh intends to pursue a degree in psychology with a minor in women's studies and hopes to work for a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping women raise their self-esteem and realize their potential. Her commitment to helping women stems from her own experiences with arranged marriage, depression, divorce, and family conflict. Singh is a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society and the Women's Intercultural Alliance at Monterey Peninsula College, where she helped write a resource booklet for international students. Singh has also organized "The Goddess Social," a monthly support group for women. Carole L. Wilson, Santa Cruz: A re-entry student and single parent, Wilson is a former high school dropout who earned her G.E.D. and graduated last December from Cabrillo College with an A.A. in liberal arts. She was a member of Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society at Cabrillo, where she helped establish the Anthropology Club. She plans to major in anthropology at UCSC. Wilson volunteers for the Santa Cruz Water Council, performing various water-monitoring tasks, and for Native Animal Rescue, where she specializes in the needs of shorebirds. She has tutored handicapped students in American Sign Language and organized a neighborhood-watch program that reduced drug sales and prostitution in her Santa Cruz neighborhood.