Gavilan College students receive $112K in scholarships

Published in the May 27-June 9, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Staff Report

On May 8, 2015, The Gavilan College Education Foundation and Gavilan College Office of Financial Aid awarded $112,000 in scholarships to Gavilan College students. In total, 105 awards were given. Some awards are designated for specific fields of study, while others are more general.

The largest award, presented annually, was the Karl S. Pister Leadership Award of $20,000 over two years for a student who will be transferring to U.C. Santa Cruz in the fall. This year the winner of the award is English major Celina Rose Gutierrez. Gutierrez, a re-entry student and parent, has served the Gavilan College community as an assistant in the Writing Center. In the community, she has volunteered with El Teatro Campesino and the nonprofit organization Andariegas. Her English instructor, Karen Warren, described her as “one of those students who is committed to using her knowledge and skills to make a difference, not only in her own life but also to change the community she cares so deeply about” and added that Celina is “one of the most intelligent, determined, hard-working and positive students I have worked with.”

In her personal statement, Celina wrote: “This scholarship would allow me to fulfill my goals of completing my education and obtaining my Bachelor’s degree to ultimately be a better provider for my family….I know that going back to school is the right choice for me and I am immensely proud of my academic achievements…this scholarship will be a lifeline for me and my family.”

A new scholarship was offered this year as well, the Eunice J. Picetti Memorial Scholarship, which was awarded to twelve students. The fund is a result of the largest bequest ever left to Gavilan College: $190,000 from the estate of Fulton Picetti, a 1936 graduate of San Benito Junior College to create a scholarship fund in his sister’s name. Picetti was a Hollister resident who transferred form San Benito Junior College to Stanford, where he earned a B.A. in Economics. He served as a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army and was an owner of Picetti and Anderson Insurance Agency.

Scholarships are awarded through the Gavilan College Office of Financial Aid. For scholarship applications and more information about creating scholarships, go to www.gavilan.edu/finaid.

Here’s a complete list of Gavilan College 2015-16 scholarships and recipients

 Karl S. Pister Leadership Award – U.C. Santa Cruz ($20,000) 

 Celina Rose Gutierrez 

American Association of University Women, Gilroy Branch 

 Gladys Elizondo 

American Association of University Women, Morgan Hill Branch 

 Tamie Bittle 

 Jade Cortez 

 Anika Mathewson 

 Lydia Riojas 

American Legion Post 2017,Business 

 Katya Olmos 

American Legion, Liberal Arts 

 Carman Huboi 

American Legion, Math 

 Monica Puga 

American Legion, Henry & Hattie Nurling, Nursing 

 Ashley Jimenez 

American Legion, Raymond Valadez, Science 

 Dina Sanchez 

American Legion, Raymond Valadez, Veteran 

 Marni Braverman 

 Alex Lejia 

Associated Students of Gavilan College – ESL 

 Paulina Gonzalez 

 Patricia Villagomez 

Associated Students of Gavilan College –John Pruitt Leadership 

 Teresita Gomez (Entering/New student) 

 Valerie Rodgers (Entering/New student) 

 Tamie Bittle (Continuing student) 

 Adrian Lopez (Continuing student) 

 Omar Lopez (Continuing student) 

 George Luna (Continuing student) 

 Anthony Quijada (Continuing student) 

 Rosario Gutierrez (Transfer student) 

 Charles Keith (Transfer student) 

 Moriah Montes (Transfer student) 

 Abigail Sotelo (Transfer student) 

Besson Family Vineyards Scholarship 

 Judy Lopez 

 Ivan Ortega 

CSEA Chapter 270 

 Ivan Moreno-Barbosa 

 Alyssa Gonzales 

 Lawrence Lin 

 Michelle Theresa Pedraza 

 Juan Esteban Talavera  

 Isobel Milton Cerney 

 Elizabeth Aguilera 

Marge & George Dufresne Nursing 

 Maria Gomez 

EOPS Club & EOPS Consortium 

 Keana Gandarilla 

 Georgina Melendez 

 Ivan Ortega 

 Anthony Quijada 

Esther & Fred Forman Memorial 

 Victor Velsquez 

Fulfill Your Dream Scholarship 

 Andrea Magana 

Gavilan College Gala Scholarship 

 Marisol Alfaro (ESL) 

 Lili Olmos (ESL) 

 Rubi Calderon (Business) 

 Iris Cueto (Biological Science) 

 Fernando Rodriguez Duran (Liberal Arts/Psychology) 

 Adrian Lopez (Liberal Arts/Social Science) 

 Rosalinda Mendoza (Allied Health) 

 Elizabeth Aguilera (Allied Health) 

 Sara Papion (Liberal Arts/Global Studies) 

 Damian Medina Ruiz (Communication Studies) 

 Maria Solorio (Child Development) 

 Jennivi Zambrano (Liberal Arts/Natural Science) 

Gavilan College Comm Club 

 Javier Castaneda 

 Jennifer Gallagher 

 Carmen Huboi 

 Elizabeth Quezada 

 Leila Villarreal 

Gavilan College Managers & Confidentials 

 Ivan Ortega 

Gilroy Chamber of Commerce – Sorensen-Lake Memorial 

 Katya Olmos 

Gilroy Garlic Festival Association Rudy Melone Scholarship 

 Denise Apuzzo 

Gilroy Garlic Festival Association Richard Nicholls Memorial 

Karl S. Pister Leadership Award – U.C. Santa Cruz ($20,000) 

 Celina Rose Gutierrez 

American Association of University Women, Gilroy Branch 

 Gladys Elizondo 

American Association of University Women, Morgan Hill Branch 

 Tamie Bittle 

 Jade Cortez 

 Anika Mathewson 

 Lydia Riojas 

American Legion Post 2017,Business 

 Katya Olmos 

American Legion, Liberal Arts 

 Carman Huboi 

American Legion, Math 

 Monica Puga 

American Legion, Henry & Hattie Nurling, Nursing 

 Ashley Jimenez 

American Legion, Raymond Valadez, Science 

 Dina Sanchez 

American Legion, Raymond Valadez, Veteran 

 Marni Braverman 

 Alex Lejia 

Associated Students of Gavilan College – ESL 

 Paulina Gonzalez 

 Patricia Villagomez 

Associated Students of Gavilan College –John Pruitt Leadership 

 Teresita Gomez (Entering/New student) 

 Valerie Rodgers (Entering/New student) 

 Tamie Bittle (Continuing student) 

 Adrian Lopez (Continuing student) 

 Omar Lopez (Continuing student) 

 George Luna (Continuing student) 

 Anthony Quijada (Continuing student) 

 Rosario Gutierrez (Transfer student) 

 Charles Keith (Transfer student) 

 Moriah Montes (Transfer student) 

 Abigail Sotelo (Transfer student) 

Besson Family Vineyards Scholarship 

 Judy Lopez 

 Ivan Ortega 

CSEA Chapter 270 

 Ivan Moreno-Barbosa 

 Alyssa Gonzales 

 Lawrence Lin 

 Michelle Theresa Pedraza 

 Juan Esteban Talavera 

 Isobel Milton Cerney Award

 Elizabeth Aguilera 

Isobel Milton Cerney 

 Elizabeth Aguilera 

Marge & George Dufresne Nursing 

 Maria Gomez 

EOPS Club & EOPS Consortium 

 Keana Gandarilla 

 Georgina Melendez 

 Ivan Ortega 

 Anthony Quijada 

Esther & Fred Forman Memorial 

 Victor Velsquez 

Fulfill Your Dream Scholarship 

 Andrea Magana 

Gavilan College Gala Scholarship 

 Marisol Alfaro (ESL) 

 Lili Olmos (ESL) 

 Rubi Calderon (Business) 

 Iris Cueto (Biological Science) 

 Fernando Rodriguez Duran (Liberal Arts/Psychology) 

 Adrian Lopez (Liberal Arts/Social Science) 

 Rosalinda Mendoza (Allied Health) 

 Elizabeth Aguilera (Allied Health) 

 Sara Papion (Liberal Arts/Global Studies) 

 Damian Medina Ruiz (Communication Studies) 

 Maria Solorio (Child Development) 

 Jennivi Zambrano (Liberal Arts/Natural Science) 

Gavilan College Comm Club 

 Javier Castaneda 

 Jennifer Gallagher 

 Carmen Huboi 

 Elizabeth Quezada 

 Leila Villarreal 

Gavilan College Managers & Confidentials 

 Ivan Ortega 

Gilroy Chamber of Commerce – Sorensen-Lake Memorial 

 Katya Olmos 

Gilroy Garlic Festival Association Rudy Melone Scholarship 

 Denise Apuzzo 

Gilroy Garlic Festival Association Richard Nicholls Memorial 

 Raquel Vazquez 

Gilroy Rotary Scholarships 

 Nery Peralta – Susan J. Seledon Scholarship 

 Nery Peralta – Gilroy Gardens Scholarship 

 Ivan Ortega Rotary/Syngenta Scholarship 

 Rosario Gutierrez – Rotary/Syngenta Scholarship 

 David Miranda – Rotary/Sungenta Scholarship 

 Shelby McClelland – Goldsmith Scholarship 

Kai & Libby Lai Family Scholarship 

 Jade Cortez 

 Ivan Ortega 

 Perla Virgen-Silva 

 Leslie Montes-Vazquez 

Bernard Osher Scholarship 

 Juan Avalos (Continuing student) 

 Taha Khan (Continuing student) 

 Latoya Pires (Continuing student) 

 Caroline Mansmith-Gutierrez (Transfer student) 

 Xinia Muniz (Transfer student) 

 Miguel Redmond (Transfer student) 

 Karanbir Singh (Transfer student) 

Pacific Dining Scholarship 

 Tarianna Perez 

 Jennivi Zambrano 

Eunice J. Picetti Memorial Scholarship 

 Marisol Alfaro (Continuing student) 

 Victor Alfonseca (Continuing student) 

 Mary Cueto (Continuing student) 

 Priscilla De Anda (Continuing student) 

 Karen Moreno (Continuing student) 

 Elizabeth Quezada (Continuing student) 

 Ilse Denise Torres (Continuing student) 

 Stan Wolosz (Continuing student) 

 Janet Chaires (Transferring student) 

 Yenisel Cruz (Transferring student) 

 David Ray Miranda (Transferring student) 

 Nery Peralta (Transferring student) 

Edna & Waldo Rohnert Memorial 

 Alejandra Rueda 

 Giovanna Sainz 

South Valley Democratic Club 

 Alicia Arias 

 Ivan Ortega 

South Valley Unitarian Scholarship – Nursing 

 Roberta Henry 

 Silvia Madera 

 Jennifer Solis 

 Sara Whitney 

 Ashley Wilson 

Cindy Starr Memorial Scholarship 

 Juan Castrillon 

 Ray Gutierrez, Jr.