SDSU Names Recipients of 2006 President's Diversity
Scholarships
10 Remarkable Students to be Recognized at Gala Tonight

Contact: Jason Foster
SDSU Marketing & Communications
Tel: (619) 594-2585 office; (619) 992-0772 cell
foster@mail.sdsu.edu

SAN DIEGO – (Friday, March 3, 2006)– Ten outstanding local high school seniors - including several who have seen or struggled through adversity as they grew up, ranging from homelessness to crime to the loss of immediate family members - have been selected to receive San Diego State's 2006 President's Diversity Scholarships.

The 10 students will enter SDSU as freshmen this fall and receive up to $14,000 and other support services over the next four years. They will be recognized tonight at SDSU's second annual President's Diversity Scholarship Gala at the San Diego Convention Center , one of the signature events of the university's yearly SDSU Month celebration. In addition, 10 "alternate" recipients will be offered one-year scholarships of $3,138 to cover student fees.

The 2006 President's Diversity Scholarship recipients are:

Cassandra Arroyo, Mount Miguel High School - Cassandra is a first-generation college student who helped hold her family together after her younger sister died of heart complications in 2000. She will major in biology and aspires to be a pediatrician.

Michelle Banaban, Monte Vista High School - Michelle's tumultuous childhood included witnessing difficulties with substance abuse and her family having to spend nights sleeping in their car. She will major in psychology and her goal is to counsel others through troubled times.

Richard Carr, Morse High School - Richard volunteers in church and community activities and participates in SDSU's Upward Bound program. He will major in English and wants to teach at the community college level.

Renae Dudley, Morse High School - Renae saw crime and injustice in her neighborhood growing up. It has inspired her to become a lawyer and an activist for change in her community. She will major in criminal justice administration.

Jennifer Fuentes, Castle Park High School - Jennifer is an accomplished athlete and musician and plans to become an officer for the U.S. Border Patrol. She will major in criminal justice administration.

Wilfred G. Paloma, Montgomery High School - Wilfred has seen many of his peers fall into drugs or gangs, but he stayed focused on school and has a 4.23 GPA. He will be the first of his family to attend college. His major is undeclared.

Monica Pannell, Helix High School - Monica is the youngest of five siblings in a single-parent household. Her volunteer activities include helping the Futures Foundation assemble computers to donate to needy families. She will major in computer science.

Liliana Quezada, Chula Vista High School - Liliana moved to the United States from Mexico while in high school and went from not speaking English to enrolling in Advanced Placement classes in less than two years. She will major in astronomy.

Lizette Uribe, Sweetwater High School - Lizette has been an honor student throughout high school and has played on the girls basketball team for three years. Her goal is to become an educator and she will major in liberal studies.

James Shaw, San Diego High School - James has been a science buff since the seventh grade and works as a tutor, serves as an editor for his high school yearbook and is president of his church's youth department. His goal is to become a physical chemist and help fight diseases. He will major in chemistry.

"These students make me hopeful for the future of San Diego ," said SDSU President Stephen L. Weber. "They embody the tremendous potential and talent of San Diego 's diverse community. I cannot express enough thanks to everyone in the community and on campus who have made it possible for these bright young minds to come to San Diego State University ."

The theme of this year's gala is "Diversity Makes Heroes of Us All." SDSU alumnus Artie Ojeda of KNSD-TV Channel 7/39 will emcee the event, which begins at 6 p.m. The keynote speaker is Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield. The program also features a presentation of a Decades of Diversity Hero award to John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil, the legendary Negro League player and manager who also became the first African-American coach hired by a Major League team (by the Chicago Cubs in 1962).

The gala, co-chaired by Dan McAllister, San Diego County treasurer/tax collector; and Robert McNeely, chairman and CEO for the Union Bank of California Foundation, raises money to support the scholarship program and is one of more than 90 events taking place as part of SDSU Month. For more information on SDSU Month, visit www.sdsumonth.com .

The President's Diversity Scholarship program began in 2005 and is open to any eligible student regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or national origin. Each year it provides 10 local, high-achieving, low-income high school seniors $3,500 a year for up to four years - enough to cover virtually all student fees necessary while earning a bachelor's degree from SDSU. The scholarship recipients receive other benefits, including an academic adviser, internship opportunities, fee waivers for student orientation activities, and an annual meeting with President Weber.

For more information about the gala or the President's Diversity Scholarship program, call (619) 594-6464 or visit www.sdsu.edu/diversityscholarship.

SDSU is the oldest and largest institution of higher education in the San Diego region. Founded in 1897, SDSU offers bachelor’s degrees in 81 areas, master’s degrees in 72 and doctorates in 16. SDSU’s nearly 33,000 students participate in academic curricula distinguished by direct faculty contact and an increasingly international emphasis that prepares them for a global future. For more information, visit www.sdsu.edu.

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