Hi, my name is Chloe and I am from Mankato, Minnesota. I am looking forward to
attending California Lutheran beginning this fall! I plan on studying Global Business and
French. I love reading, listening to music, and spending time with my family and friends.
I started figure skating in the Mankato Figure Skating Club when I was around 5 years
old and I stayed in it throughout high school. I was also in the Social Justice Club,
Conscientious Eaters Club, SHINE Club, Environmental Club, Kiwanis Key Club, Book
Club, Music Review Club, and National Honor Society through school. Through my
church, I served as the youth representative on the Christ the King Church Council and
the Justice and Peace Commission. I have worked a paid job at Kohl's for over 2 years
now. I am so excited to see what my future holds me at California Lutheran University! I
am so honored for this gift I have received. I am so happy I get to attend California
Lutheran University this fall. This scholarship has really helped me to further my
education. I'm so thankful to have received this scholarship!

Hi, my name is Miller and I am from a tiny town called New London in central Minnesota. I am so happy to be able to attend California Lutheran beginning this fall, and I am planning to study biology on a pre-med track. I love spending time with my family and friends both indoors and outside either playing games, or relaxing at the lake. Through my high school years, I played a lot of sports and was very involved in my school and community. I was part of the basketball, volleyball, robotics, and math league teams at my school, and was part of the National Honor Society and Student Council as well. I spent my Sunday mornings teaching Sunday School to 2nd and 3rd graders, and my Wednesday nights mentoring confirmation students. I was also part of the local branch of League of Women Voters, where I helped encourage my classmates to register and get out to vote. I am so eager to see where life takes me, and I am excited to continue my journey and CLU.

I am so thankful for this generous gift I have received. I am so happy to be coming on to campus this fall, and this scholarship truly will help make the process a lot easier.

My name is Isabelle Rodriguez and I am from Napa California. I am an incoming freshman in the CLU Honors Program studying Criminology and Criminal Justice with a minor in Biology. Apart from school, I love to travel, hang out with friends, read, and watch Formula One in my free time. I also love to serve my community by volunteering and advocating for mental health through local programs in my town. 

I would like to thank the Community Leaders Association for choosing me as a recipient of your scholarship and helping me fund my educational journey. I am grateful that you took the time to review my application and saw my potential as a student and leader in my community. I appreciate any and all support in guiding me through my education. Thank you for recognizing the passion I have for my career goals and helping me to succeed and continue my education.

Hi, I'm Angela from Nairobi, Kenya. On campus I am a member of the Delight Club, Black Student Union, Musician's Club, Cielo (women's chorale), Sister's Circle, Psychi (the honors psychology club), and a  Resident Assistant. For on-campus jobs, I have had the opportunity to work as a student assistant in the Campus Ministries and Community Relations offices.

I am an artist in so many ways I write, perform music and write spoken poetry. These forms of art let me express myself in such a deep way since they allow me to explore my emotions and thoughts on a deeper level. However, my passion lies beyond art; it is also in mental health advocacy. Growing up, mental health was not a topic that was discussed in my family or community. It was often seen as a taboo subject, and those who struggled with mental health were stigmatized and misunderstood. This lack of understanding and support motivated me to learn more about mental health and how it affects individuals and communities.

My goal is to use my platform as an artist and my knowledge in psychology to raise awareness about mental health and advocate for mental health education and support. In the future, I would like to be a Psychologist and transform the narrative of mental health, especially in my home country, and advocate through my talent as a musician and a spoken word artist.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the Community Leaders Association. Thank you for recognizing the value of investing in students like me who are determined to make a positive impact on the world. Your generosity and belief in my abilities inspire me to push forward and strive for excellence in everything I do. Thank you for this incredible honor and the chance to pursue my passions and make a difference in the world. I am excited to see what the future holds and how I can positively impact the world around me.   

Hello! My name is Linda Tran, and I’m a senior majoring in biological sciences and minoring in chemistry. I’m also in the University Honors Program and have been on the Dean’s List for the past 3 years. As an aspiring physician assistant, I’m currently obtaining my EMT license in order to gain clinical experience. After graduating, I plan to work as an emergency department technician before applying to PA school.

Thank you to the CLA for this generous scholarship! This scholarship makes a world of difference to me and my medical journey: I'll be pursuing my education for the next decade, and while I don't regret my field of choice, EMT's are paid minimum wage, which will make repaying my student loans difficult. I am so, so grateful to be supported by my community: I'm truley humbled by all the trust you all have put in me and my ability to serve causes I'm passionate about.

I'm deeply interested in tackling food insecurity as a result of taking sociology and learning about different social justice issues. Food insecurity really struck out to me because the fact that food insecurity is a problem that is incomprehensible to me when food waste produced worldwide on a daily basis. I believe that no one should go hungry, and as a biology major, one of the social determinants of health is one's nutrition. By getting involved at food banks, I'd like to help out vulnerable populations and ensure that they receive the resources that they need to stay healthy and well.

 

My name is Nektaria Anagnostou and I will be attending Cal Lutheran in the fall as a freshman.  I graduated from Downey High School, class of 2020.  I have been swimming competitively with Lakewood Aquatics since I was 10 and was a part of the varsity team at my high school as well.  I am looking forward to being a Regal on the women's swim team where I will make new friends and continue to work towards my swimming goals.  At Lakewood Aquatics I volunteered as a “Big Fish” in their “Big Fish Little Fish” program.  In this program, I mentored younger swimmers on the team and helped them develop skills and prepare for meets.  On my high school swim team, I continued to mentor less experienced swimmers so that they could reach their personal swim goals.  Outside of the pool, I am interested in photography.  I enjoy capturing landscapes and finding interesting lines in nature.  While at Cal Lutheran I am planning on studying Political Science and Journalism.  I eventually would like to travel and write about how politics plays a part in the daily lives of citizens around the world.  During my time at Cal Lutheran, I hope to have many internship opportunities and to study abroad.  For this, I am very grateful to have received the CLA scholarship to further help me to reach my future goals.

My name is Kylie Cardenas, I am seventeen years old and I just graduated from Thousand Oaks High School. I live in Thousand Oaks, California and in the fall, I plan on attending CLU in hopes to study psychology. I love being involved with both my school and my community. Leadership has always been a part of my life and I look forward to applying it to my future and using it to make a difference in the world.

 

 

Eliana Goncuian is a senior at California Lutheran University majoring in Biology. Following graduation, she plans to attend Optometry School, where she will pursue an OD and MS. Her eventual goal is working in optometric medicine, as well as carrying out research in the visual sciences. She works as a Biology Department Assistant at Cal Lutheran, as well as an Optician at Dr. Kevin Hirano Optometry. In addition to work and school, she has been a biochemistry research student under Dr. Katherine M. Hoffmann for three years.

Attending an all Armenian high school has caused her to gain a strong passion for and connection to Armenia and the Armenian community. She has been an active member of the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) for five years. The AYF strives to advance the goals of a free, independent and united Armenia. Within her chapter of the organization she has been a committee chair for two consecutive years. In addition to partaking in AYF, she is the founder and president of the Armenian Students’ Association Club at Cal Lutheran. This club strives to cultivate an understanding and appreciation of Armenian history, heritage, and culture while also working with other cultural, social, or philanthropic clubs to promote an appreciation of all cultures and people.

Landry Irumva is a Senior at California Lutheran University majoring in political science with an emphasis on International Relations. On-Campus, he serves as a senator on the student government board, President of the College Democrats and United Students of the World club, and a Resident Assistant. Off-Campus, Landry is very involved in politics as an organizer for congressional campaigns and a legislative intern for U.S. Senator Kamala Harris in Washington DC. Landry hopes to continue working in congressional campaigns and Washington DC when he graduates to help enact policy that benefits marginalized communities.

Kayla Klussman is a senior at California Lutheran University majoring in Chemistry and minoring in Music. On campus, she has been a Department Assistant for Chemistry, General Chemistry Supplemental Instructor, president of the ACS Chemistry Club, and tutor in various STEM courses. Her passion for teaching has grown significantly from experiences such as being Drum Major of her high school’s marching band, giving private flute lessons, and teaching chemistry courses over the years. Experience in Dr. Jesus Cordova Guerrero’s research group at CLU has provided her with highly valuable experience in writing review articles and creating a textbook of practice problems for organic chemistry courses. She has been on the Dean’s List for each of her semesters at CLU, in addition to most recently being added to the President’s List. Upon graduating, she plans on earning her Master’s in Education and teaching credential to then serve her community as a high school chemistry teacher.

My name is Luke VanKeersbilck. I am an Exercise Science Major with an emphasis in Human Performance. I run on Cal Lu's Cross Country and track teams. I also work as a peer tutor with the Allies in STEM and I have worked as a peer tutor and a Supplemental Instructor at the STEM Academy. This summer I have been doing research into the biomechanics, specifically the kinetics, of a golf swing. The past two summers I have volunteered as a Camp Counselor at a Christian Summer Camp. I am also very involved in my church and youth group.

Garrett Mueller is finishing his studies in Political Science with an emphasis in Law & Public Policy. From being a Senate Representative, Presidential Host, and a Student Ambassador, he has also been active off-campus, volunteering for multiple political campaigns, working in the governor’s race, and interning for U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. He is spending his fall semester at the University of Oxford studying philosophy, politics, and economics, and will spend the spring semester interning on Capitol Hill. After graduation, Garrett hopes to continue his political career in Washington, D.C., and eventually run for public office.

Allison Dickson is an incoming freshman at CLU. She is majoring in Multimedia and minoring in Marketing to later open her own graphic design advertisement firm. On campus she plans to play on the Women’s Water Polo team and find clubs that follow her interests in cooking, dancing, camping, ceramics, and photography. Allison has previously worked on community projects such as being the lead artist on a 16 foot ceramic mural commemorating veterans for a special event her high school puts on called King High Remembers. She also was an officer and founding member of the English Second Language club at her school where she planned cultural events to bring together students from different backgrounds. Furthermore, she worked as a volunteer cross age tutor for foreign students in the English language development program. She was the secretary and then president of the Creative Writing Club and began annual open mic events to bring together club members, outside school peers, and visual arts students by showcasing their work. Throughout this, Allison played varsity water polo for 4 years as well as participating on the tennis and swim teams and maintained a high GPA for all 4 years of high school, always making the scholar athlete award.

My name is Niki Roberts, and I am a transfer student from Columbia College in Sonora, California, which is my hometown. My major is English, and at Cal Lutheran, I plan to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Master of Arts degree, and a single-subject teaching credential to become a high school English teacher. I have made the President’s List at Columbia College every semester that I have been enrolled, and I was recently selected as one of the top eight students at Columbia College by the faculty, receiving “Student of the Year” recognition. I am additionally a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honors society. I have worked at an after school and vacation child care program called P.M. Club for two years and have received consistent promotions throughout my time there. Roughly six months ago, I stepped into the “Head Teacher” position, which put me second-in-command for the program. During the summer of 2018, I went on a mission trip to Ensenada, Mexico. On this trip, we visited a women's shelter, a children's shelter, and a local elementary school near Ensenada. Our tasks for the week included helping with construction projects at our partner church in Ensenada, playing with all of the kids at the three programs we visited, giving the women at the shelter manicures and pedicures, and taking the children at the elementary school to a local zoo. Before the trip, we loaded donations of clothing items, shoes, and toys into a trailer to haul to Ensenada to donate to the programs we visited.

Clayton Schrader, a junior from Austin, Texas, is a Business Administration major with an emphasis in Finance. He has consistently made the Dean’s list and has a 3rd degree black belt. He is president and founder of both the Pre Law Society and the Finance club at Cal Lutheran. Last semester, he studied abroad through the Semester At Sea program in which he visited 11 countries throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe. Through this program he participated with the Elephant Conservation Project in Myanmar, volunteered at City of Refuge Ministries in Ghana, and made friends from around the world. After graduating, he plans to attend Cal Lutheran’s MBA program and continue on to law school.

My name is Monica Kane and I am going to be a senior at Cal Lutheran this year. I am from Simi Valley, CA, and my major is mathematics. Some of my other academic interests include learning German and being a part of CLU Choir. On campus, I am a member of Catholic Community, PRIDE, and Math Club. I also enjoy tutoring in the Math Lab at CLU, working in the library, and being a lector at my church. Although I am not yet sure about my plans for after college, I am looking forward to staying committed to service, helping other people, and sharing God’s endless love for them. I am very grateful to the Community Leaders Association, and I look forward to seeing what the future will bring.

My name is Raquel Gunkel and I am an incoming freshman at California Lutheran University majoring in English and Secondary Education while playing soccer. Throughout my high school career I have lead many events but, I will only talk about two. Relay For Life is an event that raises money for people who are currently battling cancer. I have participated in his event since I was in first grade and have lead a team of fifteen peers for four years. During my time at Cal Lutheran I plan on continuing to be a leader for this event that helps many families. I also ran an event called “Trick or Treat Street” where local elementary school students have a safe place to dress up for Halloween, play games, and get candy. Seeing the smiling faces on all 400 children makes the long preparation more than worth it. I’m a strong believer that if you give people a way to give back, they will. Therefore, my dream is to take my passions and give others the opportunities they never knew they needed.  

Eleanor Barker is a junior at California Lutheran University, where she has maintained a consistent position on the Dean’s list since her first semester. She is double majoring in History and Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations. She is a head delegate for the university’s Model United Nations team, with whom she earned an award at Harvard National Model United Nations in February of 2018. Furthermore, she was a Departmental Assistant for the History Department her sophomore year and will be the Secretary for History Club in the fall of 2018. She also worked as a Resident Assistant her sophomore year, which allowed her to grow tremendously as a leader on campus. Eleanor is a member of the Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society and has presented historical research at the Festival of Scholars in April 2017 and 2018, as well as at the Phi Alpha Theta Biennial Convention in January 2018. In the summer of 2018, she completed a Russian language intensive and studied abroad in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to which she intends to return to study abroad in the spring of 2019. She is currently focusing her studies on the Post-Soviet world and plans to build a career around international service. After finishing her undergraduate degrees, she intends to take time off to serve abroad through Fulbright, Peace Corps, or another form of volunteer service before starting a graduate program.

Alejandro Guzman is an upcoming Junior going to California Lutheran University whose doing pretty well for himself. He's originally from Napa, California and is currently pursuing a bachelors in Multimedia with an emphasis in High Definition Digital Cinema. He has continually been on the school's Dean List and works in the school's own magnificent Pearson Library. Over the years at Cal Lu, Alejandro has enjoyed being involved with a multitude of campus clubs, participating in events, and volunteering around his community. He is currently the co-president of the Digital Cinema Guild and is an active member in Theatre Club. One event he's pretty proud of running is the "CLU 48 Hour Film Jam!", which is a competition that puts groups of students together to make a short film within 48 hours that will screen at the local AMC once done. He's quite unsure what his future will involve, but what he does know is that he wants to be involved with sharing stories and inspiring others to speak their voice.

 

Allison Dickson is an incoming freshman at CLU. She is majoring in Multimedia and minoring in Marketing to later open her own graphic design advertisement firm. On campus she plans to play on the Women’s Water Polo team and find clubs that follow her interests in cooking, dancing, camping, ceramics, and photography. Allison has previously worked on community projects such as being the lead artist on a 16 foot ceramic mural commemorating veterans for a special event her high school puts on called King High Remembers. She also was an officer and founding member of the English Second Language club at her school where she planned cultural events to bring together students from different backgrounds. Furthermore, she worked as a volunteer cross age tutor for foreign students in the English language development program. She was the secretary and then president of the Creative Writing Club and began annual open mic events to bring together club members, outside school peers, and visual arts students by showcasing their work. Throughout this, Allison played varsity water polo for 4 years as well as participating on the tennis and swim teams and maintained a high GPA for all 4 years of high school, always making the scholar athlete award.

Oliver Lee is an incoming freshman from Santa Monica, California. He is a biology major with a pre-med emphasis. He enjoys taking photographs with his digital SLR camera and intends to balance out his academic schedule with art and photography classes. Additionally, he enjoys mountain bike riding, hiking and spending time at the beach. 

Since kindergarten, Oliver has been volunteering his time donating clothing and needed hygienic items to Los Angeles Family Housing. To this day he still makes yearly sack lunches for the residents as well as monthly goods donations. He accumulates money to buy necessities for LAFH by recycling plastic bottles and aluminum cans from his home and school. Additionally, Oliver has always been interested in the medical field and intends to pursue a career in medicine in the future. For the past 2 years he has been a clinical volunteer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and is committed to continuing both ventures. 

He is excited to attend Cal Lu, and knows that he will thrive within the community!

Coming soon. 

Hello, my name is David Andrew Crago. I am so blessed and thankful to be chosen as a Community Leaders Association scholarship recipient. I am a going to be a senior at California Lutheran University. My major is Biochemistry and I love it! My vocation is to be a college science professor who can inspire and teach others in their pursuit of science. I plan on going to graduate school after graduation to help fulfil my vocation, and this scholarship helps makes this dream a reality. Another subject I love to explore besides science is my Christian faith. That is one reason why I am a minor in Religion. I hope that my faith can help guide me to make ethical decisions throughout my life and help me spread God’s love through my life and service. It is a life goal and passion of mine to have a commitment to service. I am involved on campus as a Chemistry tutor, Campus Ministry Sound Technician and Church Council member, Cell Biology research student, International Peer Mentor, Hiking and Adventure Club member, and in service projects such as helping in the local beach or garden. I am thankful for the many opportunities Cal Lu and this scholarship has given me, and this scholarship encourages me to continue being a leader with a commitment to community service.   

Joshua Janik is a student at California Lutheran University majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Multimedia.  For eight years, Joshua has been working on and perfecting the art of video game development and has worked on projects from iPhone to the Virtual Reality (VR) headset HTC Vive.  “Perspective”, one of Joshua’s latest games, has players exploring a claustrophobic cave as they solve puzzles that could only be done with current generation VR technology.  Joshua’s work in video game development led to him creating and becoming the President of the Virtual Entertainment Club at Cal Lu.  In 2016, Joshua won the Academic Excellence Award, given to the students with the top two GPAs at Cal Lu.  Joshua also won 1^st place at the Entrepreneurship New Venture Competition, where students propose their business idea to a group of investors and judges.  Joshua is also a Junior Member at the World Famous Magic Castle.

My name is Amber Marroquin and I am incredibly thankful to the Community Leaders Association for giving me the opportunity to develop my skills as both a person and student at California Lutheran University in the fall. I am from Costa Mesa and have learned the importance of community through being apart of my church congregation at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Huntington Beach.

While growing up in this environment, I have been involved in vacation bible school, youth group, community service, and mission trips. It is through this setting I have discovered my passion for helping others and being a part of an ensemble. Teaching at vacation bible school has sparked my interest in becoming an Elementary School Teacher.

After volunteering at my church, I realized the power that I can have on someone’s life. Therefore, I organized a 5k run on Thanksgiving morning to help a family who has a son with autism. All of the proceeds were given to this family to help pay for their medical bills. At Estancia High School, I was a part of the Associated Student Body, cheerleading squad, and theatre. Being the President of Drama my senior year gave me the opportunity to experience the magic that occurs from being a part of a team. I learned the effectiveness of leading by example and creating a positive environment.

At California Lutheran University I plan on majoring in Education and minoring in Theatre Arts. I am very excited to begin my education at CLU and continue being a leader on and off campus. Thank you Community Leaders Association for making my hopes a reality!

Hi, my name is Courtney Martin and I am going into my last semester at California Lutheran University. I am currently majoring in Interdisciplinary Educational Studies with a minor in Psychology. Throughout my time at CLU I have played on the women's golf team and have been a part of two clubs; Club Teach and Her Campus. After I graduate, I plan to attend Cal Lutheran's credential program to achieve my dream of becoming an elementary school teacher. Cal Lutheran has truly made an incredible impact on me as a person and I plan to funnel that into my own future students. With the help of this scholarship I'm one step closer to making my dreams a reality.

Jaimilee Ruud is Junior at California Lutheran University, majoring in Communications and minoring in English and Entrepreneurship.  On campus, she works at Media Services as a technician and is involved in clubs such as The American Marketing Association and The CLU Entrepreneurship Club. Additionally, Jaimilee is an Education Media Assistant at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, managing social media outreach as well as an upcoming blog. When not at school or working, she enjoys serving on the Music Production team at her church, Discovery. One of her favorite hobbies is collecting vintage photographs and books. One day, she hopes to work in the music and entertainment world as an artist manager or concert photographer.

My name is Madelyn Terhune and I am very grateful to have received this scholarship. I am currently enrolled at California Lutheran University as a freshman. I graduated from Henrietta Lacks Health and Bioscience High school in Vancouver Washington, and plan on graduating college with a major in psychology and a minor in sociology. My goal after college is to continue my studies at medical school.

In high school, I was involved in many clubs such as the National Honor Society and Key Club. I was also involved in student government and planned many of our school events and assemblies. During my summers in high school, I volunteered at Girls Inc. St. Louis, mentoring young girls on how to be strong, smart, and bold.

While at Cal Lutheran I hope to join various clubs and get involved in both the school and the community. I am very excited to attend Cal Lu and to start a new chapter of my life. Thank you Community Leaders Association for the scholarship and the opportunity to attend Cal Lu.

Sydney Tresvant is an incoming freshman from Las Vegas, Nevada. In high school, Sydney was President of Black Student Union, Vice President of Theatre, a DECA member, a member of the Las Vegas Jest Serendipity Improv Comedy Club, as well as an active member of Inspire Nevada. Sydney currently has a 4.8 GPA and graduated as her high school valedictorian. She has volunteered for homeless shelters and food pantries across her town, and is dedicated to fighting for social justice. In the fall, Sydney plans to study criminal justice with a minor in theatre arts.

My name is Cody Jones. I am a current senior at Cal Lutheran. I will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing Communications. I throw the javelin for Cal Lutheran and for Team USA's Paralympic Team. The Los Angeles Dodgers are my favorite baseball team. People are my passion. I am a youth leader at Discovery Church. I co-lead a small group of amazing 6th grade guys. I have been known to change my hair color for the youth group. I was recently on yellow team for our youth camp. I went all out and bleached my hair. Whatever the future may hold for me, I want to be in a position where I can help those around me.

I was introduced to the Paralympic movement when Cathy Sellers, the Director of U.S. Paralympic Track and Field, emailed my high school baseball coach.  She read an article about how I played baseball with cerebral palsy and thought that I would make an excellent thrower. Due to cerebral palsy on the left side of my body, I learned to catch and throw the baseball with my right hand. My style of play was similar to that of pro-baseball player, Jim Abbott.  In the next few months, I graduated high school and made California Lutheran University’s Track and Field team and fell in love with the javelin. I didn’t know which end of the javelin was up the first time he held one, but with the help of coaches and teammates, I eventually broke and rebroke the America’s record for his F38 classification. My furthest throw to date was in 2015 with a mark of 44.83 meters. I currently ranked 6th in the world for my classification. I did not make the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games team, but I hope to train hard enough to make the 2017 London World Championship team.

I would like to thank the Community Leaders Association for their amazing support! They are helping me reach my educational and personal goals. That is a genuine gift.

My name is Julia Kearns and I am majoring in Accounting and minoring in Global Studies at California Lutheran University. I am a two-time CLA scholarship recipient, and I could not be more grateful.

I am entering my senior year at Cal Lu as captain and 4-year scholar athlete of the regal's soccer team. Leadership is a huge part of my life, and I take great pride leading my team on the soccer field and in the weight room. I'm very antsy to start my final season as a regal, and implement my own style of leadership to the program.

CLU has offered me numerous internship opportunities throughout the past couple years. I've completed several internships ranging from different industries to paid and volunteer experiences. I'm most proud of my most recent internship this summer with Ernst & Young. I hope to receive a full-time offer this August, so I have a job waiting for me at the end of senior year. My career goals include starting at EY in Los Angeles, while working to complete my CPA certification. I would not have received the opportunity to work for EY if it wasn't for my Accounting Association at Cal Lu.

For my senior year, I plan to dedicate myself completely to my team during soccer season, while also maintaining a balance as a department assistant for the accounting program. In December, I will start a side job as the head junior varsity soccer coach at my alma mater high school. I am looking forward to enjoying my last year of school and making the most of my college years. I am always thankful for the opportunities Cal Lu has presented me and the financial help as well.

I am beginning my second year at Cal Lutheran and I am a Communication major with an emphasis in Public Relations and Marketing with a minor in Multimedia. Cal Lu has provided me with countless opportunities to discover new friends and talents. On campus I am a Presidential Host, or tour guide, and it is unlike anything I have ever done. But I have discovered it is something I love to do. It has also further cemented in me that I want to pursue a career where I get to meet and interact with people. I have also found lifelong friends in the residence halls and I cannot be more thankful. 

In the community off campus I have been able to serve children with disabilities weekly, which is something I did back home as well.  By serving in this community I have learned lessons in patience and acceptance that can only be learned through real life experiences and not just in a classroom. I have also gotten to help with Habitat for Humanity through an RA program. 

My name is Sonora Carroll and I will be a sophomore this year at Cal Lu. I will be double majoring in Political Science and Criminal Justice. I am extremely thankful for the opportunities that Cal Lu has made being a first generation college student possible for me.

Last year at CLU, I participated in many extracurricular groups including Interfaith Allies, Dance Multicultural Club, and I the theatre program, where I have been casted in major productions during both semesters. I have been volunteering whenever and wherever I can. Last year I volunteered doing things from repainting stables at a ranch the specializes in teaching disabled children how to ride horses, all the way to helping Ventura County clear out invasive plant species from their water ways. I also have been chosen to become a dormitory Residence Assistant for this academic year in which I will further my ability to lead and prosper.

Leadership and service are core values for me, which do and will continue to carry through my life– in college and beyond. I plan to continue to work toward a more just society through my pursuit of an education in law and political science, while continuing to volunteer and advocate in the areas of international cultural exchange, criminal justice reform, and the end of homelessness and racism in America.  I plan to attend law school and serve in the American criminal justice and political systems, leading toward a more just and better world for all of us. 

Hi my name is Alexandra Stewart and I am majoring in Biochemistry. With 2 siblings in college the CLA scholarship program has made it possible for me to pursue my education at California Lutheran University, and for that I will be forever grateful.

One of my greatest passions is playing soccer, and luckily I get to continue playing throughout my college career as a Regal on the Cal Lutheran women's team. As a freshman I thought that I would be at the bottom of the totem pole so to speak, but the girls on the team have treated me as an equal, and that is what true leadership should be.

Over the years I have coached soccer and interned at the hospital in my hometown, both of which really helped me to branch out and realize all the things I could do with my life.

Looking ahead to the rest of my college experience I want to make sure that I try ability. I want to try new things and be the best version of me that I can be which will hopefully help me to carry on my studies to med school where I can conduct medical research.

Even though I have only been at Cal Lutheran a few months, I can tell that the facilities and programs that are offered will lead me to success. I hope to be able to give back to this community in order to repay the CLA scholarship program for all the support they have given me.

My name is Christian Moreno and I an incoming freshmen at California Lutheran University. I graduated from Walla Walla High School in Walla Walla, Washington. I plan on graduating with a double major in Business Administration and Global Studies with a minor in Spanish. My goals after college are to travel the world and become more cultured.

I was involved with the Latino/an Educational Achievement Project organization in Seattle during my junior and senior year. LEAP advocates for higher education for the Latinos in Washington State by advocating for changes to the state legislator. During my involvement in LEAP, the college bound scholarship and state financial aid was allowed to be awarded to undocumented students. In being involved with LEAP, I have been able to change my community by changing some of the state laws that would discourage undocumented students from going to college.

In high school, I was involved with Latino Club, Key Club, National Honors Society, Link Crew, and Science Bowl.  During all of my summers in high school, I would volunteer for Children’s Home Society at the Walla Walla Farm Labor Homes. I contributed my whole summers in mentoring young Hispanic children. I attended the same summer program as a child, and I felt the need to contribute and give back to society.

Thanks to the Community Leaders Association for awarding me this scholarship. They will help achieve my dreams of travelling the world become tangible!

My name is Kaitlyn Domingues and I will be studying Biology at Cal Lutheran in the fall.

This past May I graduated from Saint Joseph High School in Santa Maria, CA. Throughout high school I was involved in several extracurricular activities. I was a 4 year member of Key Club, the National Honors Society, Christian Service Club, and a lifetime member of the California Scholarship Federation. These clubs have opened up several volunteering opportunities for me including working with the Kiwanis, feeding the homeless, and visiting many rest homes throughout the year to spread cheer.

I am also very involved at Saint Louis de Montfort Church. There I taught a first grade CCD class every Wednesday since I was in the seventh grade and led a small group for the confirmation program. It is also where I have been employed as a weekend secretary since I was a sophomore. I enjoyed leading my class as a member of the associated student body since my freshmen year and my school as a member of the ASB Executive Board my senior year.

Student government and volunteer programs are what I plan on getting involved in at Cal Lutheran. In my moments of free time I enjoy following Angel’s baseball, crafting, and being adventurous with my friends.

I am so excited to start the next chapter of my life at Cal Lutheran. I plan on going into the medical field and know that Cal Lutheran will give me the strong foundation I need to succeed in doing that.

I would like to thank the Community Leaders Association for their recognition and also their assistance in helping me reach my goals.

My name is Shelby Jo Kitson and I am an incoming freshman.

I graduated from Boulder Creek High School in Anthem, Arizona, where I was a member of many sports teams, clubs and organizations. I played Varsity Softball my freshman and sophomore years, and was a member of the two time, state runner-up competitive cheer squad. While not in a competitive sport,

I served over 220 volunteer hours with National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and as a student trainer for our athletic department. Some of these events included the Special Needs Prom, blood drives, community triathlons, peer tutoring, youth coaching, food drives, and many other events that took place on and off campus.

As a student athlete who enjoys keeping busy, I also held a part-time position at Nike. Serving my community has been a role that has assisted in shaping who I am, but academics have been at the forefront of my life. I finished in the top 12% of my class of 600 students with a GPA of 4.17, while taking four years of Spanish, two years of college English, and a year of college math.

At Cal Lutheran, I will major in Mass Communications with an emphasis in Broadcast Journalism, and a minor in Spanish. I am very excited to bring my passion for people and my love of sports to Cal Lutheran, where I will be a member of the 2015-2016 cheer squad.

A few fun facts about me are: I have three biological brothers, one half-sister, three step brothers and three step sisters. I am leaving two dogs at home, a golden doodle named Peter and mini poodle named Frank. Along with English, I speak sign language and Spanish. I can throw a football better than most boys. I am left handed, love road trips and have a season pass to Magic Mountain.

I cannot wait to start my life at Cal Lutheran as a Regal and become part of an amazing community.

Thank you to the Community Leaders Association for assisting me in furthering my goals and making me feel like an important part of the Cal Lutheran family.

My name is Anna Lundsten and I am an incoming freshman. I graduated from Mahtomedi High School in Minnesota.

Throughout high school I was involved in INTERACT, Mahtomedi Service Partnership, and Spanish Club. I also swam for my high school swim team for four years and was a captain this past year. When not competing for my school, I was swimming for a year round swim team for the past 10 years. Being a part of these activities facilitated my involvement in my school and the surrounding community.

Outside of school, I volunteer at a homeless shelter for Hispanic families, called Casa Guadalupana, located in St. Paul. There I have learned the importance of bridging language and cultural differences. This concept was reinforced through my work in Uganda, Africa.

I have sponsored a 13 year-old girl through Uganda Orphans Fund for three years, and I write to five other girls who live at the orphanage along with her. In the spring of 2014, I had the opportunity to travel to Uganda; specifically, Kasozi Village (the orphanage). There, I was able to meet the girls I correspond with, spend time with the young girl that I sponsor, and spend two weeks volunteering in the orphanage.

The two weeks I spent in Uganda didn’t change my life, they redefined it. I learned so much from the children and people that I met. I learned new priorities: people are priorities. My biggest lesson was in love; my heart was broken by an overwhelming passion for the Ugandan people and their culture. This trip was my inspiration for a Psychology and Global Studies double-major at California Lutheran University.

Upon graduating I am planning to work in Ugandan orphanages as an Art Therapist for orphans and the former child soldiers.

I would like to thank the Community Leaders Association for their help in pursuing this goal.

My name is Kerry Sanchez and I am an incoming freshman. I attended and graduated from St. Joseph High School in Santa Maria, California.

I have participated in a multitude of extracurricular activities while at St. Joseph. I was an active member of the Rotary Interact Club, Key Club, and the California Scholarship Federation, as well as creating and being President of the Baking for a Cause Club.

Another activity that was a part of my high school experience was associated student body. I served as class vice president during my freshmen and sophomore year, commissioner during my junior year, and finally as an Executive Board Officer my senior year. I also took part in my school’s Youth Ministry, in which we created retreats, masses, daily prayer, and prayer services for the student body.

These activities allowed me to expand my compassion towards others when I participated in service activities such as feeding the homeless, playing Bingo at rest homes, and helping with benefit dinners. My community involvement included volunteering at the hospital and leading a small group through the confirmation program at my church, St. Louis de Montfort.

I plan on continuing my involvement in service oriented and leadership clubs at Cal Lutheran in addition to studying Psychology in Honors Program. I cannot wait to begin in the fall and be a regal at California Lutheran University. I am thankful to the Community Leaders Association for their generous scholarship in helping me to pursue my goals.

My name is Diana Marie Pasternak and I will be attending California Lutheran University in fall 2015, as an incoming freshman.

I graduated San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara, California. Throughout my time during high school, I was involved in numerous organizations and clubs including: National Honors Society, California Scholarship Federation, and the San Marcos Every Fifteen Minutes Program, which was an event that I helped create and partake in, designed to remind my classmates of the dangers of driving while under the influence. I was also a part of San Marcos Leo Club and had leadership roles for three years, including co-president my senior year.

I had the unique opportunity to participate in a student-run nonprofit organization called Kids Helping Kids at San Marcos High School. As a group we raised over $312,000 in one semester. The funds we raised helped subsidize advanced placement and SAT tests and helped purchase electric wheelchairs and visual aide machines for students at San Marcos High School. Kids Helping Kids also raised money to fund and build a safe house in Nicaragua, set up a preschool in Rwanda, and install water purification infrastructure in Honduras. I have found this work very rewarding.

Throughout my high school career, I dedicated my time to working with children and learning how to teach. In addition to Kids Helping Kids, I assisted and instructed children through programs at my church, the public library, the Down Syndrome Association of Santa Barbara and my dance studio.

During my senior year, I had first-hand experience working with an elementary school teacher while student teaching in a fifth grade classroom thrice weekly.

Currently this summer, I am working as a Speech Pathologist’s Assistant at Camp Mariposas. This Santa Barbara-based program allows children between the ages of three and eleven to participate in fun activities — arts and crafts, games, music, dance — that enhance their communication skills and sensory development. I also worked at this camp last year and this is where I realized that I have a desire to work with and help children.

After college, I hope to be employed in an environment where I have the opportunity to continue educating and helping others.

I am so grateful for being chosen as a 2015 Community Leaders Association recipient. Thank you for this generous scholarship in helping me to attend California Lutheran University.

My name is Nicole Roed and I graduated from Chief Sealth International High School in Seattle, Washington.

While at Chief Sealth, to prepare myself for university success, I took the most rigorous courses available, including International Baccalaureate courses my junior and senior years. Along with academics, I was involved for 4 years in World Water Week, a festival put on by students in my high school to raise awareness in the community about water issues happening in the world today. This past year we put on a conference through Global Issues Network to which we invited students from different states and even countries to come and discuss world issues and how we, as young people, could solve them.

I was also involved with athletics. I played on the Varsity Soccer team for four years and served as captain my senior year. I was also on the varsity swim team and played water polo for sister school Roosevelt HS. Sports gave me focus and a serious work ethic and I feel that it is so important, especially for females, to feel strong and confident as we navigate life.

Much of my “giving back” has therefore revolved around sports: Volunteering with Special Olympics club at my school, running summer soccer camps with my high school team, teaching kids to ski and swim, coaching water polo being a summer swim team ‘big buddy’ and always encouraging kids to do their best. It makes me happy and proud each time a young girl says she is going to shoot for a goal because I believe in her.

I am so blessed to be a Cal Lutheran Regal and so grateful for the scholarships I’ve been granted. Without them I would not be able to attend this school so thank you for your generosity! I look forward with great enthusiasm to the next four years studying exercise science and hope to give back at least as much as I’ve been given.

Go Regals and Kingsmen!

My name is Hayden Smith and I graduated from St. Mary's High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado. At St. Mary's, I participated in numerous extracurricular activities, playing football, ice hockey, and baseball all four years along with being in the Student Government program and National Honor Society program for my junior and senior years.

Through athletics, I was a team captain for the varsity football team both my junior and senior years and a captain for ice hockey and baseball my senior year. I was the junior class treasurer and senior class vice president for student government, and I put on blood drives and book drives through the National Honor Society. I embraced my role model position by tutoring younger students in our feeder schools in my free time as well.

Some of my accomplishments include the offensive MVP and quarterback of the year for football, as well as all-conference and all-state titles in the sport, along with being the recipient of the Bob Otto award for leadership, the highest leadership award my school gives out I was also an all-conference and all-state baseball player my senior year, and led many school assemblies through student government.

I feel that two of my biggest accomplishments thus far are being named a captain at the 2015 Colorado High School Coaches Association All-State football game, and signing to play football for the Kingsmen the fall of 2015.

Some things about me are that I am a big outdoorsman, and I love to fish and camp. I am a huge Denver Broncos and Colorado Avalanche fan, and support the Boston Red Sox during the spring. I love sports and staying active, so I am very excited to see what new opportunities California Lutheran University has to offer me.

I plan on following my father's footsteps as a dentist, so I will be studying pre-dentistry at Cal Lutheran with a major in exercise science.