50 Years. 50 Stories., Community Stories
Story 39: Eden’s Scholars Across All Regions
July 9, 2018
Alexiss lives in San Ysidro at Vista Terrace Hills, home to 262 families. She is pursuing a degree in Social Work at San Diego State University, with a minor in American Sign Language. “Both of these careers provide a service. I want to help deaf citizens achieve their goals and also help end the deaf and dumb stereotype,” she says.
Anna (middle), who lives at the historic Altenheim Apartments in Oakland, proves that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams. She suffered a stroke in 2011 and had to stop working. Now she is pursuing a degree in Construction Management. “Eden has given me the chance to heal and envision a bright and productive future for myself once again.”
Cindia, who lives in East Palo Alto, has recently started a master’s program in Social Work at CSU Northridge. “Getting my Master’s will go hand in hand with my career goal of working in Law Enforcement to help the lives of troubled children.”
Daniel, our youngest recipient this year, dreams of attending Stanford and continuing towards a PhD in orthopedic surgery. “I want to be a surgeon because of the time I have spent in hospitals with my mom who has acute arthritis. I saw the precision and focus of the doctors. I would love to be able to help someone feel better.”
Daje, pictured with her mother, fills her time doing volunteer work with her church, a local nursing home and Give Every Child a Chance. “My most important goal is to get an education so I don’t have to struggle through any more hardships and so my mother will know her struggle was worth it.”
Leydy, who lives in Santa Rosa at Del Nido Apartments, is focused on her family. “My dream is to reach my goals, help my family, and be a role model for my daughter.” Leydy attends Santa Rosa Junior College where she is studying Child Development & Chicano & Latino Studies.
Bryan has called Eden Palms in San Jose home for his whole life before venturing off to UCLA. He’s knows he’s crazy about math and wants to pursue mechanical engineering. “I simply want to improve machinery, technology, quality of life, and anything I can for as many people as possible,” he says.
Meredithe lost her eyesight in a tragic accident, but this didn’t stop her! She is pursuing a double major in Art & English Literature. “I would like to work with at-risk youth, seniors, and disabled persons teaching them art and writing to help them better express themselves in a safe, nurturing environment.”
Zena is off to a great start at UC Davis this year. One day she aspires to help find cures for cancer and Alzheimer’s, after she gets her degree in neurobiology. Zena lives at University Village in Marina.
With a goal of opening a clinic in her native village in Nigeria, Victory is hard at work at UC Irvine. She’ll graduate in 2020 with a degree in Public Health Science. She plans to continue on to UCSF Medical School after that.
Eden Housing scholarship winners include residents from various cities and counties throughout California, and reflect our diverse communities. Awards are granted to applicants of all ages who are pursuing various types of academic endeavors from trade school certificates to advanced degrees. Yet they all have something important in common: they all want to give back!
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