AHSIE 2021 Scholarship Recipients

Mayra Rodriguez

Associate Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies

Fullerton College

Mayra Rodriguez is a first generation Chicana undergraduate student working towards becoming a mild to moderate Special Education teacher. As the daughter of immigrant parents, she understands the sacrifices they endured to provide her the opportunities they never had. This is why Mayra is making it her mission to be the first in her family to graduate with a college degree and prove to her parents that their efforts were not made in vain. She is currently in her second year at Fullerton Community College, California, pursuing her Associate Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Art and Human Expression. During her time at Fullerton College she has been an active member of the Teacher Pathway Program and now serves as a Peer Mentor. She enjoys being able to serve the students and her fellow Chicano/as so they become the teachers we need in the classrooms. Her educational goals are to transfer to a four year college after her time at Fullerton College to pursue a Bachelor Degree and Teaching Credential. Mayra understands the importance of children being able to see themselves reflected in others. Therefore, she hopes to one day teach at the same school she attended to be an example for her students that they too can reach their goals and dreams.

Cassandra Abarca

Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and Spanish

Alverno College

Cassandra Abarca attends Alverno College in Milwaukee. Currently she is a junior studying Business Management and Spanish. Originally, she’s from Waukegan, IL she was excited to move out of state to learn from another community. Waukegan and Milwaukee are both diverse cities that offer many opportunities to Latinx students. From the start of her college experience she became involved in many organizations, programs, and volunteering opportunities. Abarca is President of Alverno’s chapter of Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee (HPGM) and a Doherty Scholar at Alverno. Recently she was admitted in a fellowship program by Campus Compact for the year 2020-2021. This fellowship is offered to young civic leaders across the country to learn and network. She is enthusiastic to deliver a creative dialogue as part of her fellowship in March. Abarca is highly involved with social justice issues that specifically affect minorities through systematic racism. She has two jobs on campus as a Student Assistant in Alverno’s HR department and Peer Career Coach of Alverno’s Career Studio. Abarca looks forward to completing three internships before her graduation date. She classifies as a first-generation student and hopes to inspire young individuals to follow their dreams and aspirations. One future goal of hers is to help individuals through career guidance and financial assistance.

Valeria Alonso Blanco

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology

University of California, Santa Cruz

Valeria Alonso Blanco was born in Guerrero, Mexico, and at the age of nine, she migrated with her family to San Diego, California. She is the first of her family to go to college but believes she won’t be the last; she has two younger brothers who she hopes to inspire in pursuing higher education. Currently, she is a Ph.D. student in Psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her research interests explore the links between cultural values, identity, academic outcomes, and fostering belonging for undocumented community college students. Her educational and professional goals have been shaped by her work in the Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Initiative, Cultivamos Excelencia (CE). For three years, she has collaborated with staff, faculty, and graduate students to increase retention of first-generation, Latinx, and undocumented community college students by preparing them to conduct original research and increasing institutional engagement of their family members. Through her work at CE, she recognized the inequity in educational resources for marginalized students. Thus, she is committed to continuing to increase the retention and graduation rates of minoritized transfer students. As a future professor, she will continue using research to inform policies and develop resources that leverage cultural assets and create an inclusive climate for learning for underrepresented students.