San Diego State University Students Awarded CSU Foundation Scholarships
Six San Diego State University students received scholarships from the CSU Foundation for the current academic year. The foundation has supported teaching and learning across the California State University system since 1962. This last year, it awarded $2.5 million in need-based scholarships — funded by donor gifts — to all 23 CSUs, according to Wendy Garcia, senior manager of development and donor relations in the CSU Office of Systemwide Advancement.
To identify outstanding candidates, SDSU’s financial aid and scholarship office solicits nominations from faculty and staff members for most of the scholarships, said Kari Hooker, assistant director for scholarships.
The final decision is made by the CSU Foundation. This year’s winners are:
CSU Foundation Scholarship: Anica Deche
This new award is for up to $7,500 and supports both undergraduate and graduate students. Applicants must show financial need and have a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Deche, a civil engineering major and first-generation college student, said receiving the scholarship has greatly influenced her ability to accomplish her goals.
“I have had to finance school on my own, which sacrifices the time that I could originally be spending on career-oriented objectives,” said Deche. “This has been an ongoing challenge as a student which can be overbearing at times, but I always make my ends meet and keep pushing through.”
Western Union International Student Scholarship: Edwin Rodríguez Muñoz
This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to international undergraduate and graduate students and requires a minimum GPA of 2.8.
Hailing from Colombia, Rodríguez Muñoz, a master’s student in Spanish, said financial considerations were the biggest barrier to continuing his education.
“I come from a country whose currency is nothing compared to dollars,” he said. “Not even having saved money for many years would have been enough to fulfill my dream of studying here. Fortunately, there are invaluable aids that have allowed me to overcome difficulties and stay focused on my studies.”
Rodríguez Muñoz is pursuing a career he is passionate about: teaching Spanish.
“SDSU has allowed me to do what I love,” he said.
Dale M. Schoettler Scholarship for Visually Impaired Students: Taylor Bantle, Erica Shannon Dagnall and Maico Moreno
This award is for up to $10,000, and may be awarded to the same person for multiple years. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible and must possess a minimum GPA of 2.8 and have a verified visual disability.
Moreno said as someone who experienced a visual disability later in life, he has faced many challenges, including navigating environments that were not designed with the visually impaired in mind, and adapting his academic experiences to maximize learning, participation in class and quality work.
He is pursuing a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling. He said the CSU Foundation Scholarship helped reinforce his decision to pursue his graduate degree in order to help people with disabilities reach their full potential.
“I plan to specialize in educating and training people to use assistive technology,” Moreno said. “SDSU has provided me with the means to achieve these goals through quality education and training. The CSU Foundation scholarship has helped to reassure me that there are people out there that believe in me and my ability to help others.”
Howard C. Christiansen Endowed Scholarship: Julia Hong
Both undergraduate and graduate students in any field of engineering are eligible for the Howard C. Christiansen Endowed Scholarship. Applicants must show financial need and have a minimum GPA of 3.0. The award is for up to $7,500.