index
New Leader
Scholarship

We encourage New Leader Scholarship recipients to maintain contact with fellow recipients, mentors and board members.

Click on any recipient or scroll down to see all bios.

2006 Recipients
·  Lanice Avery ·  Hong Cao
·  Ashley Dunn ·  Armando Lara
·  Felicia Moore-Jordan ·  Melissa Laura San Miguel
·  Samorn Selim ·  Sarah Thibault
·  Amia Trigg ·  Arezo Yazd


2006 Recipients (current as of fall, 2009)


Lanice Avery

LANICE AVERY, See 2008 entry (awarded a third New Leader Scholarship)
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Hong Cao

HONG CAO, See 2007 entry (awarded a second New Leader Scholarship)
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Ashley Dunn

ASHLEY DUNN, 26, graduated from U.C., Berkeley, having majored in History and Molecular and Cell Biology. She is the first in her family to attend college, coming from a single parent, economically disadvantaged background. Due to a severe cranio-facial birth defect, Ashley has undergone many painful surgeries, leading to a lifelong interest in helping medically indigent youngsters with surgically correctible deformities. Her interests in public health and public policy led to a six week internship in three European countries, studying the impact of the AIDS epidemic. Ashley chose to write an honors thesis in her junior year on the history of genetics at Berkeley, for which she received high honors. Additionally, she was elected to be the Premedical Liaison to the National Health Policy Action Committee while at UCB... Working in the Surgical Research Department of UCSF, she has been studying the potential for embryonic stem cells to improve rates of wound healing in diabetic patients. She is applying to medical school this spring. Ashley was awarded two New Leader Scholarships.
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Armando Lara

ARMANDO LARA, 30, completed his Master’s Program in Educational Leadership and Preliminary Administrator Credential Program at San Jose State University. He is a graduate of San Jose State University with a major in child and adolescent development. As an adolescent, who emigrated from Mexico, he is devoted to working with low income Latino youngsters. He completed his multiple subject BCLAD-Spanish teaching credential and has been working as an educator in a low income school in San Jose. Following in the footsteps of an early mentor of his, Armando is passionate about his work with the families of low income Hispanic immigrants and is engaged in a variety of outreach projects. In his seventh year of teaching, he is now preparing to become a school administrator. Armando is the first in his family to attend college and this was his second New Leader Scholarship.
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Felicia Moore-Jordan

FELICIA MOORE-JORDAN, See 2007 entry (awarded a fourth New Leader Scholarship)
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Melissa Laura San Miguel

MELISSA LAURA SAN MIGUEL, 23, graduated from U.C. Berkeley, with a degree in Political Science. In 2008, she gave the valedictory address to political science majors. This past year, she was awarded an education fellowship by the state of California and has been working for the Department of Education in Sacramento. She hopes ultimately to create a Women’s Center for low-income women needing legal services. Through both her work and volunteer activities with nonprofits, such as Hispanics in Philanthropy, she has gained experience in learning what is needed to develop such a center. Two years ago, Melissa was awarded a summer fellowship at Berkeley’s Goldman Institute in Public Policy and International Affairs. Her current plans are to apply for a Master’s Degree in public policy at both Harvard and Princeton. Melissa is fluent in several languages, speaking Spanish at home with her Peruvian parents, and hopes ultimately to master seven languages with fluency. As an avid musician, she spends her free time playing the piano, guitar and violin.
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Samorn Selim

SAMORN SELIM, See 2008 entry (awarded a fourth New Leader Scholarship)
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Sarah Thibault

SARAH THIBAULT, See 2009 entry (awarded a third New Leader Scholarship)
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Amia Trigg

AMIA TRIGG, 24, graduated from U.C., Berkeley with a double major in Psychology and African American Studies. Being raised by her grandparents in Las Vegas has deeply shaped her concept of how to help others. Her grandfather became heroic in her eyes through his capacity to overcome great poverty and discrimination while encouraging her to pursue her dreams. She was the president of the Black Pre-Law Society on campus and volunteered for Alameda County Pre-Trial Services. Her emphasis is on remedying inherent discriminatory practices within the legal system. Amia is now entering her third year at Harvard Law School and has also been accepted into the Master’s of Public Policy Program at the Kennedy School. She is co-chair of the Black Law Student’s Mentorship Program which encourages high school students to continue their education.
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Arezo Yazd

AREZO YAZD, See 2008 entry (awarded a fifth New Leader Scholarship)
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