GCSA is proud to announce…

…our Spring 2010 scholarship recipients!

Carlos C. Mercado

Compton, California

Carlos is a freshman at Georgetown University from Compton, California. He comes to the Hilltop with extensive work experience and a focus in finance and entrepreneurship. Carlos graduated from Verbum Dei High School with numerous distinctions and quickly settled in at Georgetown by participating in the Georgetown University Student Investment Fund. Through his bold initiative and what Carlos calls “vital relationships,” he secured an internship with the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Despite his busy schedule, Carlos still found time to give back by tutoring students at a D.C. area high school that is part of Verbum Dei’s network. Carlos “found this community experience enriching, serving as a role model for younger students.”

Jennifer A. Osei

Buffalo, New York

Jennifer is a freshman and comes to Georgetown from Buffalo, New York. In her home state, Jennifer was actively involved in her community through participation in Town of Amherst Youth Court, where she was an advocate for local youth in the juvenile justice system. Consistent with her desire to pursue a profession in the medical field, Jennifer volunteered at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, where she interacted with patients and observed medical professionals in action. On the Hilltop, Jennifer continued that commitment to comunidad early on through her involvement with First Year Orientation for Community Involvement (FOCI). Feeling more than a sense of gratification when volunteering, Jennifer believes the following: “I have contributed significantly to my community in my past and will continue to contribute to my comunidad here at Georgetown in my future, as I deeply understand how it feels to be helped by someone; therefore I will continue helping others as they have helped me.”

We would like to extend a heartfelt “thank you” to this semester’s Selection Committee: Scott Thomas ('98), Joseph Saucedo ('00), Vicente Garcia ('05), Hugo Tzec ('02), Mark Murphy ('06), Tanya Olmos ('07) and Luis Torres ('05). The Committee had the difficult task of reading outstanding application materials, interviewing stellar applicants and making final recipient decisions.

Applications are in!

Thank you to all the students who submitted applications for the GCSA Spring 2010 scholarship! A committee of alumni volunteers is evaluating each application and we will be announcing the two recipients on Monday, March 8. Stay tuned for the results!

Scholarship Application Deadline Coming Soon!

We've received many emails from Georgetown freshmen requesting applications and information on the Spring 2010 GCSA Scholarship. We can't wait to review students' application materials! If you are a freshman at Georgetown University and are thinking of applying, remember that the scholarship deadline will be upon us very soon! All applications with accompanying materials need to be submitted electronically to georgetown.comunidad@gmail.com by Monday, February 22, 2010 at 9:00PM ET. If you have any questions, shoot us an email. Good luck to all those students applying and stay tuned for the results!

New Semester, New Round of Scholarships...

The Spring 2010 semester is in full swing at Georgetown and we are pleased to announce that we will be accepting applications for two more Georgetown Comunidad Scholarships for the Spring 2010 semester! Applicants must demonstrate financial need, show a commitment to the Georgetown community and be a member of the Class of 2013. Applications are due on February 22 by 9PM ET and we will announce the spring 2010 scholarship recipients on March 8, 2010. Applications are available by emailing georgetown.comunidad@gmail.com. Previous applicants are encouraged to apply again! Good luck and Hoya Saxa!

Congratulations to the GCSA's first scholarship recipients, Mayra Jaimes and Rachel Hochstetler!

Rachel Hochstetler

Valley Center, California

Rachel comes to the Hilltop from Valley Center, California where she graduated at the top of her high school class. As a member of her local 4-H Club, Rachel founded a community service group dedicated to teaching English as a second language to migrant adult workers. “I recruited teen volunteers, planned curriculum and taught in Spanish… [we] needed texts and there was no money to buy them. I wrote a grant proposal and was awarded two state grants…to buy books for the classes.” Like in her hometown community, Rachel continues to give back to her new Georgetown community. At Georgetown, Rachel is involved in YLEAD (Young Leaders Educating About Diversity), the ASK (After School Kids) program, and Best Buddies, where she volunteers as a tutor for individuals with Down’s syndrome.

Mayra Jaimes

Chicago, Illinois

Mayra comes to Georgetown from the Southside of Chicago. While in high school, Mayra was highly involved in various leadership activities. Mayra has extensive experience in the professional world, having worked for the law firm Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon, the CNA Insurance Company and Mesirow Financial, all in Chicago. Mayra is in the School of Nursing and Health Studies and intends to major in nursing. Although Mayra hasn’t even finished her first semester, she is already looking to give back after she graduates from Georgetown: “I plan to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing… As a nurse, I want to dedicate my time to a clinic that works to heal Latino immigrant women affected by trauma...domestic violence, economic instability, sexual assault, and emotional instability…”

Drumroll Please... And the Fall 2009 Scholarship Recipients Are...

The Georgetown Comunidad Scholarship Association is proud to announce the recipients of the fall 2009 Comunidad Scholarship are Mayra Jaimes of Chicago, Illinois and Rachel Hochstetler of Valley Center, California! Both are members of Georgetown University’s Class of 2013. Bios and pictures of our first scholarship recipients will be posted soon.

We would like to thank the many applicants who submitted applications for the inaugural scholarship. This was an impressive group of candidates. We would also like to take a moment to thank the volunteer alumni who reviewed the submitted scholarship applications and conducted interviews with the finalists. The following are the members of the GCSA Scholarship Selection Committee:

Joseph Saucedo, 2000

Juan Venegas, 2001

Jennifer Hernandez, 2002

Christian Lozano, 2003

JR Ramirez, 2004

Vicente Garcia, 2005

Octavio Gonzalez, 2006

Tanya Olmos, 2007

Jason Resendez, 2008

To these alumni, thank you for your contribution, your time and your commitment to the Georgetown comunidad! A special word of thanks goes to Irma Perez and the GCSA Board for organizing the fall 2009 application materials and for organizing the logistics of selecting, interviewing and notifying scholarship recipients. Finally, thank you to all the donors that have made this initiative possible. ¡GRACIAS!

I almost forgot that I could actually slow down and enjoy this part - reading scholarship applications!

With all the planning that went into this scholarship initiative, I almost forgot that I could actually slow down and enjoy this part - reading scholarship applications. As expected, all applicants come to us with rich experiences and a hunger for education. It's going to be difficult for the Selection Committee to make its decision, however it's important that GCSA has made it to this point. Alumni are giving back and current freshmen Hoyas have a scholarship opportunity that was unexpected, but nonetheless welcome. The scholarship is GCSA's ultimate product, so I have to send out a special ¡gracias! to the members of the Selection Committee making it possible. They've all been generous with their time and are integral to the pioneering of this effort.

Irma Perez (COL '04)
Selection Commitee Chair