Meet the Recipients

Like many immigrant families, my parents came here chasing something better, not for themselves, but for us. They left behind everything they knew so that my siblings and I could have opportunities they never had. That sacrifice has stuck with me my whole life, and it’s become something I carry with deep pride. It’s what I’m most passionate about is making their sacrifices mean something and helping others like me find their path forward. 

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​Growing up, I saw a lot of families, including my own, struggle to find the help they needed with essential resources, whether it was food, housing, or just understanding how to navigate systems. A lot of times, the help existed, but people didn’t know where to look or how to get to it. As a first-generation college student, I saw this same pattern show up in higher education, students trying to succeed but lacking access to the right resources or support. That pushed me to step into roles where I could help bridge that gap.

My professional goal is to create an AI voice-conversational math tutor that can also see what you’re writing to teach you the way a human would teach you. My graduate program is education technology with an emphasis on programming and evaluation. My education would help me teach these goals by teaching me more about education technology design, learning psychology, and computer programming to create and evaluate the most useful tutoring program for education. I’m excited to get to work and make a huge impact for good in the world of education!

My career goal is to be a data scientist at the USGS Hydrology Department, where I can gain valuable experience and knowledge. I am passionate about contributing to research efforts aimed at mitigating the consequences of climate change. Specifically, I aspire to focus on hydrological and meteorological data management. This presents a fantastic opportunity to handle large amounts of data collected from monitoring stations, allowing me to simulate floods and landslides. By doing so, I aim to prevent devastating outcomes, particularly in economically disadvantaged countries like my home country, Peru.

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I am determined to collaborate with local governments in Peru in conjunction with international institutions to make informed decisions that safeguard human and animal lives, infrastructure, and the economy. Through my work, I hope to play a crucial role in minimizing the impact of natural disasters in vulnerable regions.

The world has already crossed the horizon into a virtual landscape, and not everyone in charge of this technology has benevolent motives. I want to pave the way for ethical technology and use what I learn in college to help people improve their lives, not take over it.

Throughout my time in high school, I have strived to open doors for other women in STEM. Its not easy always being the only girl in group projects or job teams, but I'm hoping to eventually be in a position where I can support and enable other young women to pursue what they are passionate about, no matter the obstacles. - Madelyn

Hello! My name is Cambrea and am currently a student at Utah Valley University. I am working towards finishing my general education courses. I am an undeclared major but hope to major in something to make a difference in peoples lives. I would love to make a change in the special needs world and help people feel confident in their own abilities. Throughout my higher education experience, I have learned so many lessons that I hope to pass on to those I come in contact with. One of those being, it’s important to be a friend. Many college students feel alone and feel that they don’t have anyone to chat with. Be that person that makes someone’s day just a little better. Say hello, smile, compliment them, etc. It can be a challenging experience but, we aren’t in this alone and we can make the difference

Opening up the doors for others has been my main focus throughout my life. One of the organizations I currently volunteer for is Teen Act. In this organization, I create a safe space for many students who aren't on track to graduate. I go through a curriculum with them that helps them understand the importance of higher education, whether that be a four-year university or a certificate, and how that can help improve their lives. 

Throughout my time in college, I have also taken on leadership roles that help others have a safe space and a community, such as being a recruitment ambassador, being on the interfaith council, and the multicultural student council.

I pride myself on character and giving back to my community, which is why I started a podcast series on Spotify dedicated to helping younger high schoolers achieve their higher education goals by offering guidance on how to gain admission to their dream schools. My passion for this cause has allowed me to gain a sense of self-fulfillment knowing that I am positively impacting the youth of my community, who are essential to the progress of humanity. Furthermore, I plan to continue my commitment to giving back throughout college and the rest of my career in the form of scholarships and grants once I gain financial stability. I will be attending New York University to study at the Stern School of Business to pursue a career in the finance realm.

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Through opportunities provided by institutions that focus on higher education, I can learn how to combine my passion for finance and how it can help solve this looming global crisis. As an aspiring environmentalist and economist, I aim to reverse the impacts of human activity and seek alternatives to our modern lifestyle, utilizing a double concentration in Finance and Economics with an additional major in Sustainability.