VAMSF SCHOLARS

2022 Recipients

GAEL FONSECA,
CSU FULLERTON CLASS OF 2026

My name is Gael Alejandro Fonseca and I am a freshman at Cal State Fullerton majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Finance. I plan to use my education to pursue a career in the tech industry and give back to all the non-profit organizations that made it possible for me to get to this point, such as Healthy Cities Tutoring and the Silicon Valley Food Bank. I currently work as a baseball coach and volunteer tutor and plan to continue this throughout college. 
 
Diversity isn't just a group of people with different backgrounds and ethnicities coming together. Diversity is when people with different ideas and viewpoints can come together and learn from each other in ways that otherwise wouldn't have been possible without having an open mind. By supporting programs that allow people from disadvantaged backgrounds to have the same opportunities as everyone else, we broaden the diversity in higher education, giving fields such as STEM different viewpoints and angles to solve complex problems. 

ANDREW LI,
UC Berkeley Class of 2026

My name is Andrew Li and I’m from Oakland, California. I will be attending UC Berkeley as a bioengineering major while on the pre-med path. I’ve always been interested in medicine, but this passion really grew over the recent years with the various medical hardships that my family has faced. Witnessing the intricacies of medical care first-handed has inspired me to pursue a career as a physician, more specifically, a surgeon.

 

I understand the pain of losing a family member, the difficulties of navigating the logistics of health care, the disappointment of not being able to afford an opportunity, and the challenges of seeking support. Medicine is not only about saving lives, it’s also about making sure that those involved can go on and live a happy life. As a physician, I hope to not only cure physical illnesses but also help alleviate the disparities my patients and their families may face.

AMY ZHANG,
UC DAVIS Class of 2026
HOME OF HOPE SCHOLAR

My name is Amy Zhang and I’m from Alameda, California. I will be attending UC Davis this fall as a biological sciences major. 


Growing up stereotyped by my looks and background, I faced challenges accepting my culture and identity. However, after witnessing and understanding the sacrifices my parents made for me to receive an education in the United States, I was able to recognize the privilege I had which motivated me to take full advantage of it. In the future, I hope to contribute to the development of more effective, cost efficient alternative medicine and technology in order to increase supply and access to disproportionate communities. I’m incredibly thankful to have received this scholarship and grateful for all my friends and family who continue to support me every step of the way.

DANIEL HERNANDEZ,
UC Berkeley Class of 2026
HOME OF HOPE SCHOLAR

My name is David Hernandez and I will be attending UC Berkeley as a Computer Science major this year. I come from a community with limited educational resources around me and hope to use my degree to provide my community with the resources and skills needed to pursue higher education and gain a passion for programming and engineering.
 
I believe that minority and low-income communities entering the STEM field will enable and spread the new perspectives and beliefs needed for problem solving and innovation in our society. I strive to reach a higher level of education in order to incite the change and innovation needed to help our youth escape cycles of poverty, crime, and violence. Hopefully paving the way for a safer and more equitable society. 

2021 Recipients

Masoma Naseri,
UC Berkeley Class of 2023

I am a junior majoring in Bioengineering at the University of California-Berkeley. This summer, I interned for Puspadi Bali, a non-profit organization, based in Indonesia and the surrounding areas. During my internship, I was able to modify prosthetics using design software to alleviate the challenges the disabled community in Indonesia faced.

 

My passion is not limited to bioengineering, I am also passionate about advocating for women in STEM and decreasing barriers that women face in pursuing their STEM careers. At UC Berkeley, I currently participate in an engineering program to prototype portable generators for victims of flooding and other developing countries without electricity. In addition, I hope to participate in research with CRISPR-CAS9 and its potential contribution to epilepsy. After earning my Bachelor's degree, I plan to pursue my Ph.D. and continue my work with CRISPR-CAS9.

Vivian Lee,
UCLA Class of 2025

My name is Vivian Lee and I am from Orange County, California. I graduated from Cypress High School as class of 2021 and will be attending UCLA in the fall as a biophysics major. I hope to pursue a career in the medical field, utilizing interdisciplinary connections in researching medicine and providing care to patients. I currently work as an Executive Officer for the nonprofit Cooperation Act as well as a private math tutor.

 

As a Korean American, I’ve grown up embracing and balancing the different aspects of each culture. This has allowed me to recognize the importance of communication, tolerance and diversity. When individuals from different backgrounds and viewpoints collaborate, they are able to empower each other and create the best possible solutions for society. Through medicine, I hope to provide an inclusive environment for underprivileged communities. I am truly honored to have received this generous scholarship.

Rebekah Song,
UC Berkeley Class of 2025
HOME OF HOPE SCHOLAR

My name is Rebekah Song, and I am from Los Angeles, California. This fall, I will be attending UC Berkeley with a major in mechanical engineering. I come from an inner-city, low-income neighborhood where resources, including quality healthcare were out of reach for my family.

 

Experiences and struggles within my community inspired me to become a strong advocate for public health. I believe there is much that I can learn from healthcare systems and incorporate this knowledge into my future career as an engineer. My love for engineering will complement the efforts of the research in the healthcare field by improving the wellbeing of everyone. Beyond being successful in engineering, I hope to be a model to others by sharing such a perspective and highlighting healthcare issues. As ambitious as this may be, I hope to contribute to the groundbreaking discoveries of new technology, being at the forefront of designing medical equipment.

Yên Jada Ngô,
UC Irvine Class of 2025
HOME OF HOPE SCHOLAR

My name is Yến Jada Ngô and I am a daughter of Vietnamese refugees. I grew up in Salinas, California and will be attending UC Irvine as a Global Cultures major with a pre-health track. My education in Global Cultures will help me gain different perspectives of the many people in this world and I plan to use that knowledge along with basic health skills to provide patients with individualized and holistic care.

 

With the diversity of race and ethnicity in the United States, I believe it is essential to learn as much as possible about social, political, and cultural challenges and history of different ethnic groups. Through education and the act of acceptance, diversity will soon not come hand-in-hand with racisim and discrimination, but with respect and love.

2020 Recipients

Kayla Walton,
UC Davis Class of 2024

My name is Kayla Walton and I am from Los Angeles, California. I graduated from Alliance Health Services Academy High School with the class of 2020. Through high school I always felt very marginalized because my school wasn’t very diverse, so for this reason I took it upon myself to make a Black Student Union but this organization wasn’t only for African Americans it was for anyone who felt like an outsider. This club made students come together and feel more included in an approachable environment to where they can thrive. 

 

This fall I will be attending UC Davis as an incoming freshman with the major of animal sciences and management. I am thankful to be chosen for this scholarship and I believe that diversity is a keen factor in education today. Diversity gives others the ability to have cultural sensitivity, communication skills, and a variety of perspectives. Diversity has helped me become the woman and student I am today.

Fionna Lim,
UCLA Class of 2024

My name is Fionna Lim from Union City, CA. I am currently attending UCLA and majoring in Chemical Engineering with a possible minor in Chinese. I want to use my degree to help communities get the food and water that they need. Through chemical engineering, I can help design chemical reactions to create products that are more accessible. 

 

I believe that diversity is an essential component to any professional workspace. Because, especially in STEM fields, there is never one solution, it is imperative to have multiple voices, demographics, which each bring their own perspective. When school starts, I plan on volunteering through clubs that advocate for spreading STEM education. I like to watch new dramas on Netflix, as well as bake cookies, in my spare time.