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Pister Scholar Bios
Norma C. Córdova
Pister Scholar of 1993
San Jose City College, San Jose
Norma Córdova works in the area of Healing Arts in the San Jose and Santa Cruz areas. She practices and teaches Reiki, shamanism and the use of sound for healing. She has been a volunteer at the Aids Project of Santa Cruz since 1995 and opened a Reiki Walk-In-Clinic three years ago. In 2001 she performed with her improvisational vocal sound group, Sisters of the Sound Continuum, at Lincoln Center. Her greatest memory of UCSC is the joy of graduating with her children and grandchildren there to support her. Norma graduated from UCSC, Kresge College, with a B.A. in Women’s Studies and a minor in Psychology in 1995.
María Elena Delgadillo
Pister Scholar of 2001
Gavilan Community College, Gilroy
María Delgadillo is interested in the field of biomedical research and volunteers at Dominican Hospital. One of the greatest memories she has of UCSC is how being a student prepared her for being in the real world. María graduated from UCSC, Crown College, with a B.A. in Biology.
Olga Díaz
Pister Scholar of 1997
San Jose City College, San Jose
Olga Díaz works at Cabrillo College as an Instructional Division Assistant for the Human Arts & Social Sciences Division. She has also been involved in organizing educational events about post September 11th and its effects for Spanish-speaking communities. She was greatly impacted by the culture and activism at UCSC. Olga graduated from UCSC, Merrill College, with a B.A. in Latin American and Latino Studies in 2000.
Janice Domanic
Pister Scholar of 2000
Monterey Peninsula College
Janice Domanic teaches Math in Salinas at Everret Alverez High School and is also working on completing her teaching credential. She is active in her Pacific Grove community through her involvement with the local PTA. One of her most profound sentiments regarding UCSC is simply the gratitude she feels towards Dr. Pister for the opportunity to realize her dream of a college education. Janice graduated from UCSC, College Eight, with a degree in Math in 2002.
Michael Duran
Pister Scholar of 1995
Thomas B. Porter Scholar
Gavilan College, Gilroy
Michael Duran works at the Indian Health Center (IHC) of Santa Clara Valley as the Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator working on a conference called Gathering of Native Americans (GONA). He completed his M.A. at San Jose State in Counseling Education with an emphasis on Multicultural Counseling and plans to pursue a Ph.d. in Native American Studies in the future. Prior to working at IHC, Michael worked as the Counseling Coordinator for the GED program at the Center for Training and Careers (CTC) in San Jose. Michael graduated from UCSC, Merrill College, with a B.A. in History in 1997.
Juan Estrada
Pister Scholar of 2002
Mission College, Santa Clara
A current student at UCSC, Juan Estrada was the chair of SVOC (the Student Committee on Committees) for 2002. He participated in both the campus-wide student government (SUA) and his specific college government (MSG). He held an internship at Alum Rock Counseling Center, Inc., and will hold a CUIP internship with Strategic Planning and Management Services in the Planning and Budget Unit. He is especially thankful to all staff and faculty at UCSC. Juan is double majoring in Business Management Economics and Sociology and is a student of Merrill College, UCSC.
Tanisha Fitzgerald
Pister Scholar of 1998
Alfred E. Hahn Scholar
Evergreen Valley College, San Jose
After completing her B.A., Tanisha Fitzgerald completed a Master in Education in the Master/Credential program at UCSC in 2001. At that time she was also awarded the Governor’s Teaching Fellowship. She now works as a Math and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) teacher at Hayward High School in Hayward, CA. She thanks Professor June Gordon in helping her through the Master's Program. Tanisha graduated from UCSC with a B.A. in Math in 2000.
Ernesto Martin Garay
Pister Scholar of 1996
College of San Mateo, San Mateo
From 1999-2002, Ernesto Garay has taught Special Education and has published four literary works in La Revista Journal, a UC Santa Cruz student-led journal. Currently Ernesto is pursuing his M.A. in Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University and is a full-time advocate for adolescents in Special Education in San Francisco. His strongest memory of UCSC is his graduation day and walking the stage to receive his diploma. Ernesto graduated from UCSC, Merrill College, with his B.A. in Latin American/Latino Studies in 1999.
Lucio Garcia
Pister Scholar of 1996
Hartnell College, Salinas
Lucio Garcia works as a Scientist Assistant at Syngenta Seeds in Gilroy, CA. His plans in the future include returning to UCSC to attain an M.A. in Biology. His strongest memory of UCSC is the relaxing woods on campus. Lucio graduated from UCSC, Merrill College, with a degree in Biology in 1998.
Luz Garcia
Pister Scholar of 1994
Hartnell College, Salinas
Luz Garcia completed the post-baccalaureate program at UC Davis Medical School in 2001 and is now working at Acacia Family Medical Group, a Family Practice Clinic in Salinas. She also teaches Health Education at Soledad High School. Her future plans include applying to medical schools in CA next fall. She fondly remembers her class with Dr. Talamantes as the most outstanding class she took at UCSC. Luz graduated from UCSC, Kresge College, with a degree in Biology in 1997.
Annette Gilbertson
Pister Scholar of 1996
Rowland and Patricia Rebele Scholar
De Anza College, Cupertino
After completing her studies at UCSC, Annette Gilbertson became involved with the Suicide Prevention Services of the Central Coast and Women's Crisis Support Services. In May of 2003, she completed the Masters of Social Work program at San Jose State University. Since June of 2003, she has been employed as a Nephrology Social Worker at a satellite dialysis center for El Camino Hospital. Her strongest memory of UCSC is the wonderful smell of the redwood tress with early morning dew. Annette graduated from UCSC, Kresge College, with a B.A. in Literature in 1998.
Guillermo Gloria
Pister Scholar of 1999
Alfred E. Hahn Scholar
San Jose City College, San Jose
Since graduating this past spring, Guillermo Gloria has been working at New Leaf Community Market, continuing his studies in music, and getting ready to apply to graduate school. Some of his favorite memories of UCSC are: Drum Circles in the Meadow behind Merrill College and Open Mic Nights at the Junction and Stevenson College. Gloria graduated from UCSC, Kresge College, with a B.A. in History and a minor in Education in 2003.
Donna Kenney
Pister Scholar of 1993
Skyline College, San Bruno
A recent member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, Donna Kenney graduated from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, School of Architecture with a Master of Community and Regional Planning (MCRP) in 1998. At U of N, she received a full two-year Regents Scholarship and focused on Environmental and Land Use Planning. Since receiving her MCRP, Donna has worked as an Environmental/Land Use Planner. Donna’s greatest memory of UCSC is walking through the redwoods or the fog at night and encountering deer. Donna Graduated from UCSC, College Eight, with a B.A. in Community Studies in 1995.
Jessica J. Kohler-Crowe
Pister Scholar of 1998
Alfred E. Hahn Scholar
Gavilan College, Gilroy
Jessica J. Kohler-Crowe works at a veterinary hospital in the Santa Cruz area and has been taking courses at Cabrillo College so that she can enter the Nutrition Program at San Jose State University. Her future plans include getting an M.S. in Nutrition and Food Science so that she can work as a dietician specializing in diabetes education. One of her greatest memories of attending UCSC is of swing dancing with the Swinging Slugs. Jessica graduated from UCSC, Merrill College, with her B.S. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology in 2000.
Xuemei Li
Pister Scholar of 2002
College of San Mateo, San Mateo
Xuemei Li is currently a UCSC student working on her degree in Information systems Management (ISM). She is very thankful to be a Pister scholar and appreciates UC Santa Cruz for its beauty and wealth of resources. Outside of her studies her family is very important to her. She is a student of College Nine.
Janeen Malatesta
Pister Scholar of 1994
College of San Mateo, San Mateo
Janeen Malatesta works as an ESL educator and has taught English and ESL at two of California’s most under-performing high schools. In 2000, she completed her M.A. in English from San Francisco State University, and in 2002 she completed her teaching credential from Notre Dame De Namur University in Belmont. This year, Janeen will apply to Ph.D programs in Language, Literacy, & Culture in order to strengthen her ability to aid all students in the reading and language skills they need for socioeconomic empowerment. She plans to begin her Ph.D. program in the fall of 2004. Janeen graduated from UCSC, Merrill College, with a B.A. in Literature in 1996, and then continued her studies at Oxford and in universities in Italy, Spain, and Mexico.
Anthony Perry
Pister Scholar of 1993
Monterey Peninsula College, Monterey
Anthony Perry completed his M.S. degree from UCSC in Computer Science in 2000 after completing his B.A., and he has been working at Lockheed Martin, Management and Data Systems (1999-2001) and Cisco Systems (2001-present). His strongest memory of UCSC is participating in the Pister Leadership Opportunity Awards Program. Anthony graduated from UCSC with a B.A. in Computer and Information Sciences in 1995.
Maria Celina Reyes
Pister Scholar of 1997
Adolph C. and Mary Sprague Miller Scholar
Mission College, Santa Clara
Maria Celina Reyes teaches at Santee Elementary located in East San Jose. While teaching she completed her BCLAD- multiple subject credential at San Jose State. As a teacher she is involved in forging strong home-school connections and in getting Latino Parents involved in the education of their students. Her strongest memory of UCSC is the support she received as a single parent. Not only through the financial assistance she received from UCSC, but also through the acceptance by her professors of her status as a mother and a student. Maria graduated from UCSC, Oaks College, with her B.A. in Sociology in1999.
Marjan Rotting
Pister Scholar of 1997
Redtree Properties, L.P. Scholar
College of San Mateo, San Mateo
Marjan Rotting works as an environmental geologist at GeoEngineers, Inc., based in Portland, Oregon. She has worked all over the Pacific Northwest and recently spent 6 months on Midway Island as the project manager. While her work usually involves cleaning up of the contamination of our surface and ground waters, the Midway project was a little different. At Midway Island, Marjan and her team helped rebuild the island infrastructure to save the wildlife refuge. Marjan completed her M.S. degree in Earth Sciences at UCSC after having completed her B.S. in less than six quarters.
Herbert G. Ruffin II
Pister Scholar of 1995
Alfred E. Hahn scholar
San Jose City College, Milpitas
Since graduating from UCSC Herbert G. Ruffin II has been a Smithsonian Institution intern and fellow at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (1997) and at the Program of African American Culture (2000); has worked as the supply coordinator for Folklife Festivals (1998 and 1999) and as a web producer and co-producer of "A Quest for Freedom: Blacks in the American West" symposium (2000 and 2001); and is currently coordinating Brown v. Board conference at the Claremont Colleges with the Program of African American Culture. He is also a visiting professor at Claremont McKenna College for the academic year 2003-2004. In 2003 he completed his M.A. degree from Claremont Graduate University and is currently working towards his Ph.D. in American history with an expected completion date of 2005. Herbert graduated from UCSC, Merrill College, with a B.A. with honors in American History and with a philosophy minor in 1997.
Claudia S. Meléndez Salinas
Pister Scholar of 1995
Mills Scholar
Cabrillo College, Aptos
Claudia S. Meléndez Salinas has worked in the field of journalism through a number of important positions. First she worked as a features reporter at The Valley Morning
Star in Harlingen, Texas, where she covered cultural trends in this small Border-town. Later, she worked as assistant editor for the Los Angeles bureau of El Financiero, a daily financial newspaper based in Mexico City. Then, in 1999 she became a reporter in Nuevo Mundo, the Spanish-language weekly of the San Jose Mercury News, where she still works as a general assignment reporter covering pressing issues in the Latino community, such as immigration. In addition, she teaches a class in journalism in the Latin American and Latino Studies Department at UCSC, and she leads a women's support group for immigrant women in San José. Claudia graduated from UCSC, Merrill College, with a degree in Latin American and Latino Studies in 1997.
Kristy L. Schreader (Groel at UCSC)
Pister Scholar of 1994
Monterey Peninsula College, Monterey
Kristy L. Schreader completed her MA in Clinical Psychology at the National University and is now a registered intern. She is currently working with emotionally disturbed children in a program designed by the Oregon Social Learning Center developing their program so that it fits with her clientele in Sacramento. She remembers UCSC’s beautiful setting fondly as a busy summer camp. Kristy graduated from UCSC, Merrill College, with a degree in Psychology in 1996.
Sonia Shefayee
Pister Scholar of 1994
Foothill College, Los Altos Hills
Sonia Shefayee completed a Masters Degree in Public Health (MPH) from UCLA in 2001. She worked at Afghan Coalition and at Hill Physicians Medical group and went to Afghanistan in the summer of 2002 for a reproductive health assessment project. She is currently pursuing a Physician Assistant degree at Stanford University. Along with the academic strengths of UCSC, Sonia enjoyed the lifestyle, philosophy and environment. Sonia graduated from UCSC, Oakes College, with dual majors in Biology and Community Studies in 1998.
September Singh
Pister Scholar of 2001
Monterey Peninsula College, Monterey
September Singh is currently in the Industrial/Organizational Psychology Graduate Program at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. Her strongest memory of UCSC is the beauty of the campus and of the people. September graduated from UCSC, College Nine, with a degree in Psychology in the spring of 2003.
Carole Wilson (Riddle at UCSC)
Pister Scholar of 2001
Cabrillo College, Aptos
A recent UCSC graduate, Carole Wilson is currently taking time to consider her future options. As a graduation vacation she recently traveled to the Monte Verde Rain Forest. One of her clearest memories of UCSC is the amount of academic work, lots of it! Carole graduated from UCSC, Crown College, with a degree in Anthropology in 2003.
Joan Wuischpard
Pister Scholar of 1997
De Anza College, Cupertino
After graduating from UCSC, Joan Wuischpard entered UC Berkeley and in 2001 graduated with her Masters in Social Welfare. She now works predominantly with Spanish speaking families as a certified bilingual Emergency Response worker for Alameda County Child Protective Services. Joan graduated from UCSC, Kresge College, with a degree in Sociology in 1999.
Maintained by: pioweb@ucsc.edu