Six student scholars were recognized for their scholastic achievements, university accomplishments and community service with scholarships underwritten by the university’s emeriti. The awards were announced during yesterday’s Emeriti of Cal State Fullerton luncheon hosted by President Mildred García.
The Emeriti Memorial Scholarship Fund was initiated in 1987 and currently supports up to three awards annually to: a full-time, upper-division undergraduate; a graduate student; and a student in the Guardian Scholars program. The fund is supported through members of the Emeriti organization, as well as family and friends of deceased emeriti. In addition, members of the CSUF Emeriti maintain an Emeriti Library Endowment Fund to help build collections in the Pollak Library.
Recipients of this year’s Emeriti Memorial Scholarships are:
Jonathan C. May of Fullerton is a senior business administration-entrepreneurship major. A professional musician and piano teacher who has performed at Disneyland and Universal Studios, May developed an online course, PianowithJonny.com, and teaches piano to underprivileged children.
Amie Newberry of Yorba Linda is a postbaccalaureate student working on her education specialist-mild/moderate disabilities credential with the goal of later earning a master’s degree in education with a concentration in special education. A mother of two daughters, she has led Girl Scouts through community-based service projects, such as feeding the homeless, “adopting grandparents” in nursing homes and establishing a children’s library in a local hospital.
Four scholars are recipients of Russell V. and Betty L. Benson Scholarships. The Benson Scholarship Endowment Fund was created in 2014 as part of a gift from the estate of Russell Benson, professor emeritus of mathematics, who served the campus community for 18 years. This year’s recipients are:
Sarah C. Hernandez of Fullerton, a senior major in mathematics-teaching mathematics, tutors students in subjects ranging from remedial math to calculus and hopes to eventually teach.
Faith La of Anaheim, a senior completing a bachelor’s degree in human services in the gerontology track, volunteers and interns at a senior center in Anaheim.
Dianna J. Blake of Chino, a Class of 2015 CSUF alumna and graduate student studying English, is the inaugural president of CSUF’s first nontraditional honor society; developed a book, “College Success for Moms: A Guide to Succeeding in College While Raising a Family”; and has worked as editor-in-chief of Pearson North America’s student blog.
Morgann Havig of Irvine is completing her master’s degree in English at UC Riverside while working on her educational specialist-moderate/severe disabilities credential at CSUF.