SDSU Hosts Fourth Annual President's Diversity Scholarship Event on April 18

Contact:
Lorena Nava Ruggero
Media Relations Specialist
San Diego State University
lnava@mail.sdsu.edu

SAN DIEGO (Friday, April 18, 2008) — Nine hard-working, high-ability, low-income students from San Diego and Imperial counties will be honored at the Fourth Annual President’s Diversity Scholarship Event on April 18 at the San Diego Convention Center.

The event, emceed this year by CW news reporter and San Diego State alumna Perette Godwin, also serves as a fundraiser for future scholarships at SDSU for local, low-income, high-achieving students. As part of the evening’s festivities, there will be a reception, a fundraiser for scholarship recipients’ textbook costs, a presentation of the scholarship recipients and the awarding of the Decades of Diversity Award.

During the event, an outstanding community member is recognized for their work with the Decades of Diversity Award. This year, Gonzalo Rojas will be honored. Rojas recently retired from SDSU after serving as director of collaborative programs, which included overseeing the Compact for Success program with the Sweetwater Union High School District. Past recipients include baseball legend John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil and the Rev. George Walker Smith of San Diego's Catfish Club.

"For years, Gonzalo Rojas has worked in the San Diego and SDSU communities to help diverse students realize their goal of attending college," said Stephen L. Weber, president of SDSU. "He embodies one of the core values of our university: providing access and opportunity to those who deserve it."

This year’s scholarship recipients (bios available upon request) include:

• Angela Ruth Bacon, Hilltop High School
• Joe Allen Bobadilla, Madison High School
• Paola Michelle Diaz, Eastlake High School
• Zaynab Elmi, Crawford High School
• Amy Lyn Finch, Granite Hills High School
• Alejandra Lopez, Holtville High School
• Josue Luii Ramos, Castle Park High School
• Abraham Salcido, Calexico High School
• Jose Zuniga, Hoover High School

The Fourth Annual San Diego State Diversity Event is supported by a number of generous sponsors, including: Union Bank of California, Wells Fargo, Harrah’s Rincon Casino and Resort, The Jack in the Box Foundation, The Corky McMillin Companies, Barona Band of Mission Indians, Luce, Forward, Hamilton and Scripps, Scripps Health, USE Credit Union, Mission Federal Credit Union, Drs. Richard and Selma Reed, Kaiser Permanente, Qualcomm and San Diego National Bank.

San Diego State University is the oldest and largest higher education institution in the San Diego region. Since it was founded in 1897, the university has grown to offer bachelor’s degrees in 81 areas, master’s degrees in 74 areas and doctorates in 16 areas. SDSU’s approximately 34,000 students participate in an academic curriculum distinguished by direct contact with faculty and an increasing international emphasis that prepares them for a global future. For more information, visit www.sdsu.edu.

###