PCF eNews

Summer 2016

PCF’s 10th Awards Ceremony On June 16th at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, PCF hosted its annual Awards Ceremony. The Awards Ceremony is a time to celebrate our graduating seniors and their families, and welcome our incoming freshmen to the PCF family. We are pleased that this year was our largest class ever, 21 incoming scholars! This could not have been done without the continued support of friends of PCF like you. We also celebrated the success of 11 PCF graduates. Please enjoy a couple of photos from that night.

(Pictured: Our 21 incoming scholars.)

CONGRATULATIONS 2016 GRADUATES!

Listed here (in alphabetical order) are our incoming scholars, the high schools where they recently graduated and the colleges/universities they will attend this fall:

• Elias Acosta Mendoza, Summit High School, Santa Clara University

• Cesar Avalos Diaz, EPA Academy, UC Merced • Martha Avila Zavala, Palo Alto High School, Whittier • Dalia Barrientos, Sequoia High School, University of

San Francisco • Jose Corado, Woodside High School, UC Riverside • Jennifer Cuevas, Woodside High School, Santa

Clara University • Luis Del Rosario, Sequoia High School, San Jose

State University • Elisa Guizar Chavez, Sequoia High School, UC

Riverside • Angel Hernandez Mora, Sequoia High School, San Jose

State University • Abigail Lopez Ramirez, Sequoia High School, UC Santa

Barbara

• Lupe Maafu, EPA Academy, UC Davis • Melissa Olvera, Sequoia High School, University of

Redlands • Sharon Onitveros Cuevas, Menlo Atherton High

School, University of San Francisco • Cristal Ortiz-Valencia, Palo Alto High School, Chico

State University • Gabriela Perez, Aspire Phoenix, UC Riverside • Destiny Rivers, Eastside Prep, CSU East Bay • Ana Trevino, Hillsdale High School, UC Santa Cruz • Rosalia Valencia, Sequoia High School, UC Merced • Francisco Valencia Arroyo, Half Moon Bay High

School, Sacramento State • Samuel Vasquez, Palo Alto High School, San Francisco

State University • Lyla Washaha, Carlmont High School, UC Santa

Barbara

Congratulations to all our new 2016 Incoming Scholars!

Javier Guzman, San Jose State University graduate, addresses guests at the PCF Awards Ceremony

Javier came to the United States as a 12 year old. He spoke no English when he entered school in 7th grade. It took Javier some time to acclimate to his new environment. When he entered high school, he ”made a poor decision to get involved with gangs.” One day, after getting in a fight, he went home with a bruised body and face. His mom took one look at him and told him that she didn't bring him to the United States for this. He realized she was right and began to turn his life around. One of his English teachers later pulled him aside and told him that she thought he could go to college. He began to concentrate on his studies which led to his acceptance at San Jose State. When he applied to PCF, Javier thought that no one would give him “free money” because of his gang activity. The PCF selection team instead

focused on Javier's ability to overcome adversity along with his academic efforts and community involvement activities. PCF accepted him into the program and provided him with the help and support he needed to graduate, magna cum laude, with a major in Justice Studies and a minor in Sociology. His dream one day is to work as a police officer with the hope of becoming an FBI or DEA agent.

Karina Macias, who graduated from St. Mary’s College with a degree in Communications, spoke to the crowd at the PCF Awards Ceremony

Karina opened her comments by quoting an ancient African proverb which states, “It takes a village to raise a child”. She then reflected on the proverb saying, “Whoever said this probably didn’t have college in mind. Nowadays, for kids like me, it takes an entire town, five organizations, countless friends, mentors, supporters and a set of out-of-this-world parents to raise a child and get them through college!” Karina was born in Apatzingan, Michoacan, Mexico. Her mother skipped meals so that Karina and her brother could eat. On one occasion, her mom pawned a gold necklace just so she could buy an ice cream cone for her kids. Her parents decided to make the trip North to find a better life for their kids. Karina attended high school at East Side College Prep and for the first time ever had a desk to work on. Following high school, she was accepted at St. Mary’s College in Moraga. Staying in

college became a much harder task than getting in. Because Karina’s main goal was to make sure that her parents didn’t have to pay a dime for her college education, she worked all through school, lived at home for a semester commuting from East Palo Alto to Moraga and ended her senior year working 25-30 hours a week with a full course load. She concluded her comments by thanking PCF for the support provided by her mentor, Jaya, PCF's Director of Internship Program Services, Denise Villamil, and PCF’s Founder, Charles Schmuck. Together, they were her "goto" team to lean on whenever she had questions or needed help. This summer, Karina starts a year-long internship as part of Genentech’s University Talent Acquisition team.

Dr. Janett Jackson, PhD., Chancellor at the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District, keynotes the PCF Awards Ceremony

Dr. Jackson spoke about her life dedicated to service and learning. She served in the Army for thirty years, did two tours of duty in Iraq and retired as a Colonel. During her time in the Army, she attended the University of Texas in Austin, receiving her Ph.D. in Educational Administration in 2001. She told the students to take advantage of every opportunity that came their way, not to fear taking risks or failing, that all of those experiences will make them grow – and as an aside, even when you are older, you can still change your career. She wished the incoming students the best and congratulated the graduates.

The 2016 graduating seniors, with founder Charles Schmuck and CEO Phillip Powell, were celebrated at the PCF Awards Ceremony

The 2016 graduates are (in alphabetical order):

• Yxenia Contreras, B.S. Environmental Science, Minor in Spanish, UC Santa Barbara

• Alexandra Cota, B.A. Sociology, Minors in Education and Art Therapy, Notre Dame de Namur University

• Cristian Diaz, B.S. Human Biology, UC Merced

• Martin Esquivias, B.A. Business Management Economics, UC Santa Cruz

• Katherine Garcia, B.S. Biochemistry, Loyola Marymount University

• Javier Guzman, B.S. Justice Studies, Minor in Sociology, San Jose State University

• Yaritza Lara Alvarez, B. A. Psychology, Minors in Art and Sociology, Notre Dame de Namur University

• Diana Lopez Solorzano, B.A. International Relations, foreign policy emphasis, Minors in Spanish and Communications, UC Davis

• Karina Macias, B.A. Communications, Saint Mary’s College of California

• Eric Ramirez, B.A. Multimedia Productions, CSU Northridge

• Sefora Rios, B.S. Health Science, Minor in Mexican American Studies, San Jose State University

PCF Community Luncheon, Thursday, October 27, 11:30-1:30

Please save the date of PCF’s Community Luncheon on Thursday, October 27th 11:30 am – 1:30 pm at the Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club 2900 Sand Hill Rd, Menlo Park, CA 94025. More information will be forthcoming.

PCF Welcomes New Program Coordinator We are pleased to introduce Joel Yap, who has been hired as our new (part-time) Program Coordinator. Joel grew up in South San Jose, CA. As the first in his family to attend college, he developed an interest in the structural inequalities in education and a desire to give back to his community. His past work includes recruiting and retaining students of color in higher education, peer advising, and teaching English in rural China as a Gilman Scholar.After receiving a B.A. in Sociology from UC Berkeley, he launched a literacy intervention program at an under-resourced school as an AmeriCorps member in Milpitas for 46 at-risk youth and 70 volunteers. Joel is thrilled to join PCF for its commitment to demystifying higher education, advancing equity, and empowering first-generation college students.

PCF Featured on NBC’s Bay Area Proud On June 21st PCF was featured on NBC’s Garvin Thomas of Bay

Area Proud. The segment was entitled: “Former High School Teacher's Scholarship Program Helps 150th Low-Income Student Reach College.” Please take a moment to view this touching video. CLICK HERE

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