The TELACU Education Foundation and Latina Grad Guide are excited to introduce the second cohort of TEF x LGG Scholarship recipients! Together, we awarded $10,000 in scholarships to four accomplished Latina graduate students attending some of the country’s top universities. To date, we have awarded a cumulative sum of $20,000 in scholarships to Latina graduate students.
About The TEF x LGG Scholarship
Despite their growing share of the U.S. population, Latinas rank at the lowest levels of educational attainment and are less likely to earn a college degree than women from other racial or ethnic groups. Given that higher educational attainment is associated with higher lifetime earnings, better health outcomes, and longer life expectancy, more needs to be done to support the academic success and socioeconomic upward mobility of Latinas in the U.S. Our scholarship aims to address the racial, ethnic, and gender disparities in higher education and increase the representation of Latinas in graduate studies and the workforce.
The scholarship honors the paternal grandparents of Valerie Gómez, the founder of LGG. Her grandparents, Jesus and Maria Gómez, fled war-torn El Salvador in 1981 for a chance at a better life in the United States. They believed that education had the power to transform their children’s lives and encouraged them and their grandchildren to pursue higher education. Today, Jesus and Maria’s children and grandchildren hold nine bachelor’s degrees and three master’s degrees with one of their granddaughters currently enrolled in a PhD program.
Meet the Recipients
Alejandra Avitia
Alejandra is currently attending the University of Southern California where she is pursuing her Masters in Physician Assistant Studies. Prior to starting school at USC, she worked as a Population Management Support Coordinator at Kaiser Permanente for five years. Ale hopes to help bridge the healthcare gap by providing primary health care in under-resourced communities upon graduation. She is also passionate about helping Latina/x students, primarily first-generation students, reach their higher education goals by providing mentorship and guidance. When asked about the impact of the scholarship, Alejandra shared, “Receiving the TEF LGG scholarship will allow me to continue to pursue my goals of becoming a Primary Care PA in medically under-resourced communities. I hope to apply my learned skillsets and bilingual skills in communities that lack bilingual healthcare providers. Being a recipient of this scholarship provides me with less financial stress and allows me to focus more on building the skillsets I need to be a culturally-competent provider. Thank you TELACU and Latina Grad Guide for this opportunity!”
Angie Monreal
Angie Belen Monreal is a first generation college student. She graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in sociology and earned a masters in social work from Columbia University. Currently, she is a Ph.D. student at UCI, where she studies deportation, incarceration, health, and reentry. When asked about the impact of receiving this scholarship, Angie shared, “The TEF/LGG scholarship has helped me both academically and personally. As a recipient, I was able to use the funds to pay participants and cover transcription costs. Most importantly, I was able to be in community with other Latinas in higher education.”
Ariana Aparicio Aguilar
Ariana was born in Mexico City, Mexico, and grew up in Northern California where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, Cum Laude, with distinction from Sonoma State University. Ariana also holds a Master of Arts degree in Education with a concentration in Higher Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is currently a second-year Ph.D. student in the Higher Education Administration and Policy program at the University of California Riverside. In 2019, she received the Latinx Amplifier award, and last year was awarded the 10,000 Degrees Changemakers award for her advocacy work on behalf of the immigrant community. Ariana has more than 10 years of experience in higher education and the non-profit sector. Her professional career is influenced by her experiences navigating life and higher education in the U.S. as an undocumented and DACA recipient. In addition to being a doctoral student, Ariana is committed to guiding the next generation of leaders and has mentored many college and graduate students. She is passionate about issues pertaining to undocumented students, immigration, social justice advocacy, and access & retention of minoritized students in higher education.
When asked about the impact of receiving this scholarship, Ariana shared,
“Receiving the TEF/LGG Scholarship will assist my educational endeavors by covering the cost of my DACA renewal application ($495) which is set to expire on November 2023. As an undocumented individual, I am required to renew my DACA permit every two years and the costly renewal fee causes an additional financial burden that reduces my ability to cover my monthly living expenses. I am required to renew my DACA permit for continued employment and for the ability to remain in the U.S. without fear of deportation. Additionally, I do not qualify for Federal Student Aid, (e.g., federal loans, CA Dream Act) because of my immigration status, and because I am no longer an undergraduate student to be eligible for the CA Dream Act, further limiting my funding sources.”
Michelle Rivera
Michelle Rivera is a first-generation, UCLA graduate student studying Urban Planning with a concentration in Design and Development. Born in Salinas to an immigrant farmworker family and raised in Visalia, she became radicalized from experiencing the conditions of a redlined community and an exploitative agricultural economy. After earning her B.A. in International Relations at UC Davis, Michelle entered the LA nonprofit sector as an AmeriCorps VISTA. She later managed a farmers’ market with a local community development center where she helped improve food accessibility for nutritionally-at-risk immigrant communities in East Hollywood, while supporting food systems that centered local farm workers. Her experience at this nonprofit enabled her to pursue a higher education in Urban Planning to learn how to challenge existing economic conditions. In Fall 2023, Michelle will attend the Sciences Po University in Paris, France to further her Urban Planning studies with a global, comparative lens. In her free time, Michelle enjoys thrifting, eating delicious foods across LA, and watching the latest tv shows.
When asked about the impact of receiving this scholarship, Michelle shared,
“As a first-generation graduate student, I am thrilled to be immersed in the field of Urban Planning, especially at UCLA. This scholarship offers me the financial support to continue my studies to become a well-rounded planner equipped with a deeper understanding of how to challenge the economic inequities of our built environment.”
Congratulations Ale, Angie, Ariana, and Michelle for your incredible achievements! We have no doubt that you will continue making a positive impact in our community.
Support our Scholarship Fund
Our scholarship was made possible through the generous support from our network of donors. To support our scholarship fund, donate at: gofundme.com/f/teflgg-scholarship
