RSCCD Trustee Solorio announces new Solorio Scholars

PRESS RELEASE, For Immediate Release: January 16, 2013
For More Information Contact: Maricela Taylor – mobile: (714) 794-8431

Community College Trustee Solorio Announces New Solorio Scholars, Urges High School Seniors to Explore Other Scholarship Opportunities

Outstanding seniors received financial help and additional writing tips for college application process

SANTA ANA – On a Saturday evening this past holiday season, 25 outstanding high school seniors were recognized as “Solorio Scholars” at the Santa Ana Police Officers Association Hall in Santa Ana. The evening capped an intense college application season made easier for the Solorio Scholars through personalized help with their college applications and up to $250 for college application fees. The Solorio Scholars program was created in 2009 to inspire more high school students in central Orange County to apply for college.

“The college application process can be intimidating, especially for students who will be the first in their family to attend college,” founder of the scholarship Community College Trustee Jose Solorio said at the event. “I developed the Solorio Scholars program because outstanding students should not be deterred by expensive application fees and the fear of writing personal statements.”

The Solorio Scholars Class of 2013 and their current high schools are:

Kenia Valeria Lopez, Anaheim High School; Julie Vi-Vi Nguyen, Bolsa Grande High School; Gabriela Pichardo, Century High School; Noemi Ruiz, Century High School; Henry Quach, Garden Grove High School; Hugh Dang, Garden Grove High School; Frank Cabada, Godinez Fundamental High School; Jesus Garcia, Godinez Fundamental High School; Bulmaro Vicente Godinez Fundamental High School; Roberto Carlos Lopez, Middle College High School; Natalie Ernst, Pacifica High School; Bryan Gonzalez, Saddleback High School; Miriam Salas, Saddleback High School; Vanessa Lopez, Saddleback High School; Estefania Itehua, Saddleback High School; Alan Nguyen, Saddleback High School; Cassandra Silvas, Saddleback High School; Jennifer Muñoz, Saddleback High School; Mario Lemus, Saddleback High School; Clara Ramirez, Valley High School; Selena Villalobos, Valley High School; Tuyet-Trinh Ho, Valley High School; Katherine Triviño, Garden Grove High School; Caitlin Shields, John F. Kennedy High School; Ana Serna, Santa Ana High School.

Other College Scholarship Opportunities:

The former Assemblyman and new Rancho Santiago Community College Board of Trustees vice president also urges the Solorio Scholars and their fellow students to apply for other scholarships as well. For example, the Disneyland Resort Scholarship Program announced that 10 Orange County high school seniors will receive a $7,500 scholarship. Those scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate excellence in volunteerism, exceptional leadership within their communities and academic merit. Applications are now being accepted through January 31, 2013 for the 2012-2013 school year. For more information, visit their website.

Also, the Hispanic Education Endowment Fund (HEEF) awards scholarships to students of low-income family background with academic achievement and involvement in extracurricular activities, community volunteer work, church service or work-employment. To learn more about qualifying for a HEEP scholarship, visit HEEF www.HEEF.org.

College-bound students can also apply for scholarships from the National Hispanic Business Women Association. Their awards are partially based on a student’s record of service to the Latino community. For more information, visit the Hispanic Business Women Association website. As is the case with all scholarship opportunities, applications should be submitted sooner rather than later. For guidance, Trustee Solorio suggests following Ten Killer Tips for Scholarship Applicants for sound advise on scholarship applications.

Community College Trustee Jose Solorio is Vice President of the Rancho Santiago Community College District Board of Trustees. The Board oversees Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College, and represents 700,000 residents in the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Irvine, Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin, and Villa Park. For more information about Community College Trustee Solorio, please find him at Facebook.com/Solorio4California, Twitter.com/JoseSolorio, Solorio4California.com or www.rsccd.edu/Trustees.