Felicidades Mariana, Yvonna, Christine and Marta!

Congratulations once again to Mariana Hernandez, Yvonna Wade, Christine Nguyen and Marta Aparicio for being selected as part of this semester's scholarship recipients! We're proud to have them on the Hilltop! Below are biographies and photos of our recipients.

Mariana Hernandez (COL ’14) is in the Georgetown College and plans to major in Mathematics and minor in Science, Technology, and International Affairs within the Walsh School of Foreign Service. Mariana is involved in several activities at Georgetown, including the Georgetown Meyers Institute for College Preparation and the Living Learning Community of Justice, Diversity and Action. She is also a founding member of Hermanas Unidas de Georgetown, a student organization that focuses on building healthy relationships among the Latino women and men on campus, as well as advocating for issues, such as immigration, civil rights, and the importance of being bi-cultural. Recently, Mariana was selected for membership in the Carroll Fellow Initiative at Georgetown University. The University describes the program as a “flagship opportunity for Georgetown’s most academically talented and ambitious undergraduates.” In her spare time, Mariana enjoys dancing and engaging in activities on campus that reflect her multicultural values. She participated in Reventon Latino during the fall of 2010 and is currently working on the Asia Fest 2011 showcase, where she will perform a traditional dance.

Yvonna Wade (COL ‘12) is pursuing a degree in Government and a minor in Theology. A native of East Orange, New Jersey, Yvonna developed a passion for serving inner city communities. Recently, Yvonna was awarded the Young Leaders for Change Award, commending her on her outstanding commitment to serving her community. In December 2009, Yvonna was selected to participate in an exchange program sponsored by the Republic of China’s Ministry of Education, where she participated in language programs as well as cultural activities. Yvonna has an interest in politics and international affairs, which inspired her to study abroad during the fall 2010 semester at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. In Cape Town, Yvonna volunteered at a local charter school for students in Cape Town. Yvonna founded a mentoring program, Sisters of the Cape, which was created to cultivate dialogue among young women from local townships, while building lifelong friendships and support systems. While in the Washington, D.C., Yvonna has coupled her interest in politics with invaluable work experience. Yvonna has interned with political analyst and Georgetown University professor Donna Brazile, as well as Congressman Donald Payne of New Jersey. After graduation, Yvonna plans to attend law school and is interested in pursuing a career in public office.

Christine Nguyen (MSB’12) is a junior in the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. She is pursuing a degree in marketing with a minor in English. Christine was born in Guam, but she and her siblings spent most of their lives in Houma, Louisiana. She is the proud daughter to Steve and Mary Nguyen, both immigrants of Vietnam. At Georgetown, Christine works in the Undergraduate Admissions Office as a student assistant. She is active in campus life and participates in the Georgetown University Vietnamese Student Association and in the Dahlgren Chapel Community Choir. In the fall 2010 semester, Christine studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark. Her major accomplishments include being selected for and participating in the Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America Program in 2007. With her passion for diversity concerns and community building, she hopes to one day become the director and/or founder of a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing leadership and educational opportunities for students of underrepresented backgrounds.

Marta Aparicio (COL ’14) was born and raised in Guatemala before coming to the United States at age 11. In high school, Marta managed to deftly juggle two part-time jobs while staying on top of her studies. Marta graduated from high school as the class valedictorian and received the Providence Mayor David Cicilline Youth Excellence Award at the Rhode Island 2010 Hispanic American banquet. Marta plans to pursue a career as an immigration attorney and has an interest in juvenile justice issues. At Georgetown, Marta has been a great role model to the students that she works with through the D.C. Schools Project.