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

By Staff Report

Gavilan CollegeOn 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.