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Community Donations Support $350,000 in Scholarships

Trustee Scholarship honors the memory of Edward A. "Sandy" Hay

The Foothill-De Anza Foundation provided some $350,000 in scholarships this year to graduating and continuing Foothill College and De Anza College students.

Approximately 350 scholarships are awarded annually through the foundation (https://foundation.fhda.edu). The scholarships are privately funded by community members, civic groups, family foundations, local businesses, current and retired faculty and staff, and other friends of the colleges.

"Thanks to the generosity of our community, thousands of local students have been helped over the years to advance their postsecondary education," said Chancellor Linda Thor, who heads the Foothill-De Anza Community College District. "We are proud of our students and the many contributions they make to our communities."

Student scholarship winners

This year's scholarship winners include students such as Ben Pacho, a first-generation college student at De Anza. Pacho was awarded the President's Scholarship, presented annually to someone who has overcome significant obstacles to seek higher education.

Pacho will use the funds to transfer to Columbia University to study political science. An intern at De Anza's Institute of Community and Civic Engagement and opinions editor of the campus newspaper, he graduates with an associate degree in journalism and a certificate in Leadership and Social Change. He hopes one day to influence state and federal public policy by advocating for educational and environmental issues.

Sabrina Bui completed Foothill's dental assisting program this year. She was selected for Foothill's Great Perseverance Scholarship in recognition of her academic achievement while carrying a heavy course load. Born in a refugee camp, Bui came to the United States from Vietnam 10 years ago when her family was granted asylum. She is proud to be the first in her family to attend college. Inspired by her interactions with patients and their families while volunteering at Good Samaritan Hospital, Bui plans to continue her education with the goal of becoming a registered nurse.

Trustee Scholarships

Through the foundation, current and former members of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees privately support two Trustee Scholarships. These scholarships are awarded annually to continuing students who demonstrate strong academic promise and are returning to Foothill College and De Anza College the following year.

Other donations to the foundation made possible a third Trustee Scholarship this year to honor the memory of Edward A. "Sandy" Hay, a Cupertino resident who served on the Board of Trustees from 1998-2005. Hay, who passed away in 2013, was a former faculty member who founded the geology departments at both colleges. Hired in 1961, he retired from De Anza in 1995.

Following are this year's Trustee Scholarship winners.

Evan Quick was motivated by his experiences working as an emergency medical technician to become a paramedic. Then he enrolled in the Primary Care Associate Program, which is administered jointly by Foothill College and the Stanford University School of Medicine. After completing the program, Quick plans to work as a physician's assistant in an underserved community.

Aika Miikeda became interested in biology after losing her father to cancer when she was 6. Miikeda plans to transfer from De Anza to the University of California to pursue a program in biochemistry and cell biology.

Jeffrey Yen, winner of the Hay memorial award, moved from the United States to Taiwan at the age of 10. Enrolled in a local Chinese school, he faced the challenge of learning to read and write all over again, and finished in the top of his class. He returned to the U.S. last year to finish high school before entering De Anza. His interest in biology and plant sciences has him thinking about a career as an agronomist or biology teacher.

How to donate

As a non-profit auxiliary organization of the community college district, the Foothill-De Anza Foundation raises and invests funds to support the success of Foothill and De Anza students. The foundation contributes approximately million a year to college programs that provide students with services such as tutoring, counseling and mentoring as well as scholarships, book vouchers and stipends that go directly to students.

Information about donating to scholarships can be found at https://foundation.fhda.edu/how-to-give/give_scholarships.html

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Posted June 25, 2014