2023 Scholarship Recipients
This year, because of the chapter’s continued generosity, we could offer five scholarships of $2,000 each, and will have enough donations left over such that next year we will likely be able to award 6 scholarships. We had 17 students apply for the scholarships, a 50% increase over the previous year. Congratulations to the winners! Four of them were able to attend our 2Q luncheon and tell us a little more about themselves, it was a real treat hearing what inspires them.
This was our third year that we had our own chapter scholarship committee and judges (within and outside of our chapter) determining the selections. The process is working great, and we plan to keep it this way which, because we aren’t paying an outside party to manage it, has enabled us to give an additional award. Since 2005, we have given out over $132,000 in scholarships to 83 recipients.
Jackson Devoe
Jackson graduated from Amador Valley High School this year and will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall. He is planning for a double major of Economics and Mathematics of Finance. His grandfather, Richard Devoe, retired in 1993. Jackson loves math, analytical thinking and planning and wants to get into the world of financial planning. Hey Jackson, there are lots of retirees out there needing your help!
Michael Fusinati
Michael graduated from Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland and will be attending UC Santa Cruz in the fall. He is planning to major in Biology/Pre-med. His mother, Linda Fusinati, retired in 2017. Michael is going to be on the UCSC swim team after competing for several years on a competition swim team – he’s going from being a shark to a banana slug in the pool – a very fast slug!
Elijah Hughes
Elijah graduated from Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach, CA and will be attending UC Berkeley in the fall. He is planning to major in Political Economy. His grandfather, Doug Hughes, retired in 2010. Elijah’s long-term goal is to work in the field of international relations, contributing to the policies that promote diplomacy, peace, and cooperation among nations. More power to you Elijah – the world needs all the help we can get.
Anton van Oppen
Anton graduated from De La Salle High School and will be attending Cal Poly Pomona this fall. He is planning to major in Engineering with a concentration in Environmental Engineering. His mother, Isabella de Oliveira Lima van Oppen, retired in 2020. Anton is interested in the natural world. Having been born in Brazil he wants to do what he can to save the rain forests, and has a passion for working at his local community gardens.
Valerie Whitfield
Valerie graduated from Mountain View High School on the Peninsula and will be attending UC Davis this fall. She is planning to major in Systems and Synthetic Biology which she explained a little more about at the luncheon. Her grandmother, Kristen Bodie, retired in 2004. Valerie has been learning Japanese language and culture and hopes to study abroad in Japan during college, working in a lab. Kouun to seikou o inorimasu Valerie-san (Valerie, best wishes and success).
Congratulations to all the winners. Thanks to all the applicants (I have reminded them that they can apply again as long as they are still eligible). A big thank you to the Scholarship Committee and judges for volunteering their time and energy to make this happen. And a huge thank you to everyone who adds a little bit to their membership check each year to fund our scholarship. That is the only money we have available for the scholarships, and we collected over $12,000 this year. That is a tremendous show of support from our members for this program, so thanks to everyone who donated. Even a little bit extra really adds up with about 750 Chapter members. We do accept donations at any time, so if anyone here hasn’t given to the scholarship fund, feel free to Zelle some money to the Chapter, or send a check in to the PO Box, either way with a note that it is for the Scholarship fund.