California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA. - The California State University has selected 23 students, one from each campus in the system, to receive the 2010/11 William R. Hearst/CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. The Trustees will honor the scholars on Sept. 21 at the CSU Office of the Chancellor in Long Beach, California. Among the winners is CSU Channel Islands (CI) student Leticia Aguayo.

The Hearst/CSU Trustees' award is given to students who have demonstrated financial need, experienced personal hardships, and have attributes such as superior academic performance, exemplary community service and significant personal achievements. The $3,000 scholarship award is among the highest forms of recognition for student achievement in the CSU.

"These extraordinary student scholars exemplify strength, perseverance through adversity, dedication to learning and commitment to others," said Ali C. Razi, CSU trustee emeritus. "The leadership through service demonstrated by these scholars inspires deep respect on CSU campuses and within the community."

Leticia Aguayo migrated from Mexico with her parents and five siblings and never expected to attend a four-year university. Her father and older brothers worked day and night to support the family while Leticia and her two sisters attended school. Adjusting to a new language and culture and financial instability made Leticia’s transition to the United States difficult, but her father encouraged her to pursue an education so she could have a better life.

Today, Aguayo is a sophomore at CI majoring in pre-nursing with a minor in psychology and has had a part-time job in her hometown of Ventura since she was 14 years old. Her passion for nursing and helping her community motivates her to spend as much time as she can volunteering at St. John’s Regional Medical Center as a clinical care extender, all while maintaining a 3.78 GPA.

“The opportunities I have been given, including the option of continuing my education, are things that I treasure and do not plan to waste,” stated Aguayo.

Aguayo hopes to complete her bachelor’s degree as well as pursue a master’s degree in nursing and become a nurse practitioner, utilizing her bilingual abilities to give back to her hometown.

Schedule Information:

What: Presentation of the William R. Hearst/CSU Trustees’ Awards for Outstanding Achievement
Where: Dumke Auditorium, 401 Golden Shore, Long Beach CA
When: Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010, at 3:00 p.m.

Information about other Hearst/CSU Trustees scholars is available at http://www.calstate.edu/foundation/hearst/

Achievements of the students span a wide range of service activities. Examples include volunteering to provide medical care in the U.S. and internationally, tutoring, leading student organizations, feeding the poor and testing the response of bridges to earthquakes. This year's scholars are also advocates for children, the LGBT community, the homeless, the disabled, and HIV/AIDS awareness.

The strength shown by the scholars is often rooted in the adversity they have overcome. Students have persevered through family illness and death, abuse, drug use, hunger, poverty, homelessness, discrimination and loss of sight. Many of the scholars are the first in their families to attend college, and some learned English late in life.

The awardees demonstrate academic achievement and a passion for learning. All of the scholars are either currently completing or looking toward a graduate degree–with half of the students planning to pursue a doctorate. Many of the scholars are looking to teach either in the K-12 system or in higher education.