AHSIE 2026
Scholarship Recipients
Natasha Lizette Perez
Biology and Microbiology
Hartnell College
Hello, my name is Natasha Perez, I’m a Fall 2025 graduate from Hartnell Community College and I’m currently studying at California State University of Monterey Bay. I completed my Associate in Science for Transfer in Biology and am now studying to earn my Bachelor’s in Microbiology. My goal is to earn my MD in OB/GYN, a physician specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology. I was raised by a single mother who worked three jobs to provide food and keep a roof over mine and my three brothers' heads. One of my biggest hobbies and something I am involved in outside of school is the California Rodeo of Salinas for over 8 years now. My biggest interest in life has actually grown to be my biggest passion which is giving back and serving my community. I have done so by volunteering in many events in my community such as airshows, Christmas assistant programs, Hospital front desks, labs, and research. When I felt like my giving to the community was only seasonal I enrolled in a second college while I was trying to earn my AS-T, to go get my CNA License and I continued to give back to my community through nursing homes and hospitals! My end goal is to show and inspire all first generation HSI students as I was once inspired by a man, Manuel Bersamin, that devoted his heart and his work to first gen. HSI que “SI SE PUEDE”!
Alejandro Gonzalez
Space Technology
Glendale Community College
Alejandro Gonzalez is a proud first-generation Mexican-American student pursuing an Associate degree in Aerospace Engineering at Glendale Community College, with a strong interest in jet propulsion and space technology. Alejandro’s identity fuels his ambition and keeps him resilient as he navigates higher education while also maintaining a close connection to his community. Academically, Alejandro has been successful throughout his coursework and is driven to apply his knowledge to real-world applications, pursuing independent research in computational fluid dynamics and building technical skills through certifications in SolidWorks and Ansys Fluent. He is the Founder and President of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) chapter at GCC, where he led the chapter’s growth into the largest engineering club on campus, uplifting underrepresented students through professional development and connecting them to internships and research. Alejandro also serves as an AEW leader and STEM tutor for the MESA program at GCC, as well as a peer mentor for the Go Baby Go initiative. Outside of engineering, Alejandro is a longtime dancer and color guard instructor who previously pursued dance as a profession and continues to find passion in movement and choreography. Overall, Alejandro is focused on uplifting his community and is determined to create a path of success for himself and his peers.
Monet Nevarez Sanchez
English
University of Texas at El Paso
Monet Nevarez Sanchez is a first-generation Chicana student from El Paso, Texas, a border community where access to college preparation and technical resources was limited. With no family history of higher education in the US, she largely taught herself to navigate academics and opportunity, a background that shaped her drive and independence. She is currently double majoring in Computer Science and Mathematics at the University of Texas at El Paso, supported by the Terry Foundation full-ride scholarship. Monet has conducted research at the Air Force Research Laboratory and will be joining NVIDIA as an AI development technology intern this summer. She has also participated in programs with Jane Street, Capital One, HSF, HACU, and others. On campus, she serves as Secretary of Girls Who Code at UTEP, worked as a Data Analytics Intern, and is currently conducting research through CAHSI. Outside of academics, she enjoys running and traveling. Her long-term goal as a software engineer is to build impactful systems while expanding access to technical opportunities for first-generation students.
Valeria Gomez
Education
University of California, Riverside
Valeria Gomez is a first-generation Mexican American undergraduate student at the University of California, Riverside. She was born and raised in Riverside, California to parents from Jalisco, Mexico. As a proud member of the Inland Empire, Valeria is dedicated to giving back to the region that raised her. She is currently pursuing three majors in Education, Liberal Studies, and Spanish, with aspirations of attending graduate school to earn both a master’s degree and a PhD in Education. Valeria is passionate about mentorship, access, and student success. She serves as a Chicano Link Peer Mentor with UCR’s Chicano Student Programs, School of Education Student Ambassador, and a FIERCE Fellow within the School of Education. In addition to her academic and campus leadership, Valeria works multiple jobs within her local school districts, holding multiple roles that reflect her dedication to education and service including positions as a youth development professional, secretary, bilingual assistant, special education assistant, and food service worker. These roles have allowed her to support students across diverse learning environments and better understand the systemic challenges facing students and families in her community.
Cristian Reyes
Science
California Poytechnic State University- San Luis Obispo
Cristian Reyes (he/him/él) is a first-generation Mexican-American graduate student from McFarland, a small rural town in California’s Central Valley, currently pursuing a Master of Science in Higher Education Counseling and Student Affairs at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Grounded in his experiences navigating college as a first-generation student and supported by his family, his father from Guadalajara, Jalisco, and his mother from Panindícuaro, Michoacán, Cristian’s academic and professional interests center on advancing equity for first-generation, low-income, Latinx/e, and rural students through research, policy, and practice. His work bridges practitioner and policy perspectives through roles in Hispanic-Serving Institution initiatives and higher education policy and advocacy, shaping his goal of pursuing a Ph.D. in education policy and contributing scholarship that centers marginalized student voices. A middle child with an older brother and younger sister, Cristian comes from a community rooted in love, care, and hard work, and in his free time enjoys cooking, listening to music, making collages, watching movies, and spending time with friends.
Alexis Meza
Education
University of California, Berkeley
Orgullosamente, primera generación y hijo de padres inmigrantes, Alexis Meza is a Ph.D. Student in Education at the UC Berkeley School of Education. He received his Bachelor's Degree from UC Riverside and a Master's from New York University. Alexis has long envisioned Hispanic Serving Institutions as spaces rooted in Unidad (unity), Cultura (culture), and Resistencia (resistance). As the son of an HSI, Alexis carries a spirit and tradition of servingness with the intention of paying it forward to the next generation as a professor, university leader, and activist. His research centers on the experiences/ journeys of Chicanx/Latinx students at HSIs and how Latinx cultural centers facilitate student empowerment, build capacity, and cultivate/sustain a tradition of servingness at HSIs. At UC Berkeley, Alexis works in partnership with the Latinx Student Resource Center and the Chicanx/Latinx Student Development Office, where he serves as a Graduate Student Fellow for the Casa Magdalena Mora Program, guiding Latinx-identifying freshmen at Cal through university life. He also serves as a Diversity and Community Fellow for the Office of Graduate Diversity, where he works with the Latinx Thriving Initiatives in creating, sustaining, and embodying a culture of servingness at UC Berkeley. As a proud alumna of the first HSI and Latinx Cultural Center in the UC system, Alexis aspires to serve as an administrator and faculty member with the hopes of establishing an Institute for Hispanic Serving Research, harvesting the next generation of HSI scholars, practitioners, and community leaders.