WHITTIER – Seventy-six exceptional Rio Hondo College students received scholarship awards totaling nearly $64,000 from the Rio Hondo College Foundation at the Fall 2016 Scholarship Awards Reception on Jan. 27.

In all, the students received 104 separate awards that will provide assistance as they pursue their higher education journeys.

“This is a tremendous outpouring of support for our students,” Superintendent/President Teresa Dreyfuss said. “I thank the Rio Hondo College Foundation and its many generous patrons from our community who have made possible these gifts and the promise they offer to our students.”

Dreyfuss participated in the ceremony, as did Vice President of Student Services Henry Gee, Foundation Board President John Peel and Foundation Executive Director Howard Kummerman. The event was attended by College leaders, donors, family members and friends.

The Rio Hondo College Foundation oversees the scholarship awards process, and accepts gifts from generous donors throughout the community, including many faculty and staff at Rio Hondo. Additional funds are raised through the Foundation’s annual Taste of Rio event in April.

“These gifts are a heart-warming reminder of how strongly our community values the efforts of Rio Hondo and the courage and conviction of our students,” Board of Trustees President Norma Edith Garcia said. “Scholarships programs like this really highlight the strengths of our students and inspire us all with their commitment to academic success.”

Student awards include:

Achieving the Dream Scholarship: Faustino Gonzalez Barrales; The Assistance League of Whittier Scholarship: Oralia Alcorta, Charlotte Banister, Tyerra Boyd, Natalie Dovales-Flores, Jacqueline Hernandez; The Assistance League of Whittier/Quaker Chemical EPMAR Scholarship: Marlinda Gallardo, Melody Greer, Cathy Perez, Dat Trang; BVR Scholarship: Oralia Alcorta, Jacqueline Hernandez, Christopher John Palmer Nicoll Scholarship: Brandon Leon; Claudia Arrevillaga Guerrero Memorial Fall Scholarship: Adriana Ortega; Diane & Maurice Meysenburg Scholarship: Matthew Keels; Greg Garza Memorial Scholarship: Calette Garcia, Ashley Keasey.

HJ Construction Scholarship: Sing Kit Truman Hua; Isabelle Brown Gonthier Scholarship: Oralia Alcorta, Peter Camacho, Jesse Carmona, Anthony Contrado, Marlinda Gallardo, Matthew Keels; Healthcare Scholarship: Saphira Nguyen; The Helene and Jolene Amaya Memorial Scholarship: Leah Nolden; Joe Olmos Humanitarian Scholarship: Dat Trang; Osher Initiative for California Community Colleges Scholarship: Oralia Alcorta, Norma Alvidrez, Rosalva Arroyo, Vinit Bhayani, Tyerra Boyd, Jesse Carmona, Jacinda Castellanos, Fred Chang, Vincent Chung, Melissa De Leon, Andrew Diaz, Jorge Espinoza, Lee Esten, Marlinda Gallardo, Calette Garcia, Faustino Gonzalez Barrales, Erikka Granados, Melody Greer, Jacqueline Hernandez, Ngoc Hua, Maral Kalayci, Ashley Keasey, Daniel Laughlin, Yvette Lopez, Niura Madruga Fernandez, Sha Mie Maralit, Christina Martinez, Alice Miramontes, Portia Njoroge, Leah Nolden, Miroslava Ortuno, Cathy Perez, Paula Pinto, Arely Rodriguez, Joshua Ruiz, Dianne Saldana, Hillary Torrence, Kiet Tran, Dat Trang, Marilyn Vazquez; Rio Hondo College Follett Bookstore Scholarship: Fred Chang, Jasmine Reyes; Rio Hondo College Management and Confidential Council Scholarship: Brandon Leon, Leah Nolden; Wetsman Family Anthropology Scholarship: Adrian Morales; Yoshio C. Nakamura Art Scholarship: Joshua Ruiz, Hillary Torrence.

PHOTOS

RHC_SCHOLAR_1: Rio Hondo College Foundation President John Peel addresses students, College leaders, families and community members at the Foundation’s Fall 2016 Scholarship Reception. Some 76 students received nearly $64,000 in scholarships.

RHC_SCHOLAR_2: Student scholarship winners received nearly $64,000 in aid during the Rio Hondo College Foundation’s Fall 2016 Scholarship Reception, thanks to donations from faculty, staff and community supporters.