MSJC Foundation hands out scholarships to 50 students, many from SW area

MSJC student Joe Posadas, left with Don Meek of the MSJC Foundation, was recently awarded a scholarship from the college foundation. (Photo courtesy of MSJC)

It recently got a little easier for some Southwest Riverside college students to further their education when more than $27,000 in scholarship money was awarded to 50 students by the Mt. San Jacinto College Foundation.

The students were honored by members of Mt. San Jacinto College Foundation’s President’s Club during the annual State of the College luncheon Oct. 22 at the Western Center for Archeology and Paleontology in Hemet.

MSJC serves students from across Riverside County. According to college spokeswoman Karin Marriott, scholarships were awarded to residents of Temecula, Murrieta, Perris, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Sun City and Redlands.

Hemet resident Joe Posadas was recently laid off and wanted to return to college to get a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, but the cost of college was a challenge for him, according to a letter he wrote in his scholarship application. Now, he said the Community Foundation Scholarship he received is allowing him to continue his goal.

Brenda Aleman, a San Jacinto resident, received the Osher Scholars Award. She plans to transfer to Cal State San Marcos and try and earn a bachelor’s degree in social science, and then to Berkeley for a master’s degree in sociology. Aleman said the scholarship is motivating her to “keep on going and never give up.”

Hemet Resident Moses Garcia, said this is the first scholarship he has ever received.

“It has inspired me to make sure it isn’t my last,” Garcia said.

Garcia currently cuts hair and his dream is to open a barber shop. This scholarship will allow him to learn more about owning and operating his own business. Garcia and his family of seven recently lost their home and are now renting. He said the scholarship will make a big impact in their financial situation.

Among the donors were the Community Foundation of Riverside & San Bernardino Counties Scholarship; the Lena T. Pond Nursing Scholarship; California Community Colleges Endowed Osher Scholars; the Presidents’ Pooled Scholarship; the “Kit” Longe Stewart Scholarship; and the Richard Kokes Memorial Scholarship.

Here is a list of the winners: Janie Rigsby, Erendira Rojas-Hernandez, Katherine Collazo, Veronica Cameron, Jennifer Gluntz, Carrie Conerty, Monserrat Alvarez, Cathy Wingate, Sarah Bennett, Joe Posadas, Edward Sukla, Danielle Smith, Maricela Riestra, Jimmy Stubblefield, Crystal Temples, Eric Reynaga, Jeffrey Johnson, Divina Wright, Amy McMahon, Kimberly Levyssohn, Annastaysha Wuestewald, Tracy Weber, Lissa Zappardino, Cynthia Elauria, Michelle Davis, Taylor Buckley, Cinda Renteria, Shirley Niell, Jessica Mendivil, Jennifer O’Connor, Christopher Ourth, Kelly Yin, Gina Munoz, Brenda Aleman, Stephanny Perea, Karen Scott, Patricia Perry, Caccia Holster, Arielle Garcia-Dahlman, Rebecca Santiago, Jessica Joseph, Linda Williams, Cheree Taylor, Cassidy Marshall, Miguel Lopez, Moses Garcia, Esmeralda Casillas and Rachel Hollis.

Tags: hemet, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, mt. san jacinto college, San Jacinto, SWRNN, Temecula, western center for archeology and paleontology

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