Kennedy-King Memorial College Scholarship Fund, Ltd.

2007 Kennedy-King Scholars

Kennedy-King awarded 23 undergraduate scholarships of $8000 each and 4 graduate scholarships of $4000 each in 2007.

Victor Bolan plans to major in Liberal Arts at California State University, San Diego. He is a member of his college basketball team and the Business Club, and serves as Activities Coordinator for the Asian Pacific Islander Student Union. One of Mr. Bolan’s instructors at Contra Costa College says, “Victor demonstrates an inquisitive mind and a delight in the process of education. He is always hard working and self-motivated to achieve, yet does not sacrifice the enjoyment of learning just to pursue a grade.”

Oscar Davila intends to major in community studies at UC Santa Cruz.  He hopes to become a lawyer with interests in immigration, crime and societal matters.  He wants to help those who would not normally be able to obtain legal representation.  He has been active in the Puente Project, whose mission statement includes returning to the community as a leader.  He is the President of the Latino Student Alliance and one of his deans has said “He has an amazing store of energy to accomplish great things.”

Ruben Delgadillo from childhood has been fascinated with machines and how they work. He intends to study mechanical engineering and hopes to attend San Jose State. One of his instructors at Los Medanos College writes that he “is a responsible and responsive individual whose vision and work ethic will fuel him through difficult times.” He has had to work hard both in and out of school, but has found time to be involved in groups such as Latinos Unidos and Power of Unity. He has also volunteered in the Marsh Creek clean up projects.

Alva Evans plans to major in African American Studies at UC Berkeley. A returning student, she has served as President of the Black Student Union at Contra Costa College. Ms. Evans has mentored numerous neighborhood youth by feeding, clothing and tutoring them. An instructor comments, “Alva is a very hard worker and does not turn away from responsibilities at home, on the job, or in college.”

Gabrielle Gonzalez will attend UC Davis where she plans to major in Economics.  Her career goal is to become a teacher.  She has taken a demanding curriculum while earning outstanding grades and working twenty to thirty hours per week.  One of her instructors describes her as “clearly one of the top students in class.”  She assists other students by tutoring in the Math Lab.  She will be the first in her family to graduate from college.

Francisco Granados intends to major in Civil Engineering at UC Berkeley. He has an outstanding academic record at Los Medanos College and is a member of the Honors Transfer Program and is the first to attend college. He provided service for the City of Pittsburg by classifying levels of water purity at Dow Chemical Company and helped the map the watershed with GPS devices at Kirker Creek. One of his instructors says, “Francisco is an extremely capable, astute and intelligent student with a diligent and unyielding work ethic.”

Danielle Hart will major in Biological Science at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she has been accepted into their Honors Program. She has taken an extremely challenging program of honors courses at Los Medanos College. One of her advisors describes her as “a highly-gifted student” and “among the top students in the honors program.” Her community activities have included cooking for the homeless and visiting convalescent homes. She is a Certified Nurse’s Assistant and her career goal is to become a neurosurgeon.

Derrasha Hudson is currently President of the Associated Students Union at Contra Costa College and a former President of the Black Student Union. She has a “passion” for social justice and is a “natural born leader and teacher” writes her Academic Counselor. Her goal is to be a librarian, to pass on her love of learning and to empower others with knowledge. She hopes to attend Hampton University in the spring to continue her work in “Afrikan” studies.

Tephiny Jones intends to major in mathematics at U C Berkeley. She hopes to become a youth math teacher and continue service to the community. She came to California from Belize in 2001 and entered Contra Costa College in 2003. Ms. Jones has been a volunteer math tutor for the past six years at various Richmond schools and currently works with inner city youth teaching math in an after school program.

Jordan Kendall intends to major in Early Childhood Education at a four-year university after his tenure at Contra Costa College. He wants to have a strong impact on children’s lives and the opportunity to model positive behavior in their pursuit of reaching their full potential. He has received awards for his accomplishments in football. He is actively involved with his church and is developing a violence prevention program. He also volunteers at Little League games and at St. Anthony’s Dining Hall in San Francisco.

Buffie Lafayette is the first in her family to attend college. The Los Medanos College graduate is a cancer survivor and takes care of her mother, daughter, a niece and a nephew. She is ac­tive in her church and volunteers as a tutor with 4AC’s helping children with their homework. She intends to attend Patten University to study Psychology.

Zilose Lyons has an outstanding academic record at Contra Costa College with a major in African-American studies, and plans to major in developmental studies and/or international relations. She came from Zambia after graduating from journalism school and working as a reporter and with various NGO’s in Zambia. She now volunteers with the Bay Area Black Adoption Center and an organization mentoring a resettled Liberian woman and tutoring children. She is also the Spotlight Editor of the Advocate, the college newspaper.

Christopher MacAlpine-Belton plans to major in Geography and International Relations. He is a certified tutor and volunteers at the S.F. Boys and Girls Clubs, tutoring elementary and middle school children, and was chosen Treasure Island Clubhouse’s Youth of the Year in 2004 for these efforts. One of Mr. MacAlpine-Belton’s instructors at Contra Costa College says, “He is incredibly hard working, intellectually honest, determined, persistent and optimistic.” For a while homeless, he is now a “President’s Scholar” with a cumulative 4.0 GPA.

Kathy Madrid plans to attend UC Davis where she will study Psychology with an eventual goal of becoming a lawyer.  She has been active in a leadership role with many student organizations and is currently the Inter-Club Council President.  She has been active in many community service areas, including tutoring middle school students and raising money for Hurricane Katrina victims.  One of her instructors says “Her academic potential is unlimited; I have studied with graduate students at Yale who fall short of her intellectual attainments.”  She says: “only through developing my own sense of community did I discover that helping others was where I receive the most satisfaction.”

Luis Medina intends to major in Human Development at Cal State University East Bay, and to become a special education teacher. He worked in the hospitality industry before suffering a brain aneurism. After a long rehabilitation, he is seeking a college degree. He tutors middle school students with math and English. He co-founded the Puente Club at Contra Costa College and serves on its executive committee. One of Mr. Medina’s instructors says, “Luis constantly looks for ways to be a more effective role model and teacher.”

Rosa Mejia-Rios plans to major in Nursing at Samuel Merritt College. She is a member of the Sociology Club; Educational Opportunity Club; Associated Student Union; Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society, and helped organize the W. E. B. Dubois Lecture Series at Contra Costa College. Ms. Mejia-Rios was recently awarded a National Social Science Award from the U.S. Achievement Academy. She has worked in the healthcare field as a Certified Medical Assistant and as a Nationally Certified Phlebotomy Technician.

Zulma Merino-Fuentes intends to major in Sociology at Mills College and become a social worker in charge of a drug recovery center for women and infants. She is an active member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society and president of the Sociology Club at Contra Costa College. She also volunteers in the reading programs at her children’s elementary school and she volunteers for the Head Start program. She was awarded her a National Social Science Award and a Collegiate All-American Scholar Award.

Olufunlayo Onafowode plans to major in Nursing at a California State University after graduating from Contra Costa College. She is the first in her family to attend college. She volunteers for Celebrate Recovery Ministries, which aids people suffering with addictive compulsion disorders. She also works at Clara Mae’s Group Home, helping clinically depressed and abused adolescent boys who have been removed from the foster care system.

Brandy Oubre will attend either UC Davis or UC Berkeley to study Sociology.  She has maintained an outstanding academic record while working full time.  She also volunteers as a mentor and tutor for the Youth Empowerment Program.  She wants a career in counseling teenagers and battered women.  She was awarded a National Social Science Award and a Collegiate All-American Scholar Award from the U.S. Achievement Academy.  She is  graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise.  She says she wants to “inspire those in underprivileged communities.”

Carmen Isabel Perez has a fine academic record at Los Medanos College and has maintained excellent grades while working and participating in a number of volunteer community activities, including assist­ing at a pain management clinic and helping with an after school program for middle school students. She will is the first in her family to attend College. She intends to become a Registered Nurse and hopes to attend San Diego State University next fall.

Daniel Ponce will major in Business Administration at Cal State East Bay and hopes to own a business employing Richmond’s “harder-to employ.” He is the first in his family to graduate from college. At Contra Costa College he has served as Associated Student Union Senator, Vice President of the Business Club, and organizer of the Cinco de Mayo celebration and the Rally for Immigration Rights, and is a student intern in Richmond’s Office of Economic Development and a peer mentor coaching Richmond High’s Soccer team and serving as a tutor there.

Bryan Rojas plans to major in Psychology and Child Development at San Jose State. He represented the Puente Program at a leadership conference in Sacramento and took part in Puente’s teaching-training program. He founded the Dream Club which is dedicated to helping students realize higher educational dreams. He has served as an intern in Congressman George Miller’s office. One of his instructors at Diablo Valley College says, “Bryan is truly committed to helping others.”

Maria Ruiz will major in Latin American Studies. She is the first in her family to attend college and has been actively involved in the Puente program. She represented Contra Costa College in Sacramento at a Student Leadership Forum. Ms. Ruiz also volunteers for METAS (Spanish for goals), serving as a role model and mentor for junior high and high school Latino students and she also reactivated the Latino Student Union, serving as its Vice President.

Kevin Warmsley will major in Sociology. He would like to become a police officer in Richmond, California and make his community safer for everyone to enjoy. Mr. Warmsley is involved with troubled youth at Helms Middle School in the Friday Night Live (FNL) program and was recruited into the Richmond Police Department Explorer Post. One of his instructors at Contra Costa College says, “Kevin is a bright young man with a caring attitude that suits him for police work.” He is a “President’s Scholar” and has a 3.8 GPA.

Kennedy King Memorial College Scholarship Fund, Ltd.
P.O. Box 727, Martinez, Ca. 94553
email: info@kennedyking.org
IRS Tax ID# 94-1677726