CSU Trustees to Honor 23 Top Student Scholars for Outstanding Achievement

The California State University (CSU) will honor 23 students, one from each CSU campus, who have been selected to receive the 2021 Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. The students will be acknowledged for their talent, determination and drive during a ceremony as part of the CSU Board of Trustees virtual meeting to be held on Tuesday, September 14.

The Trustees’ Award is the university’s highest recognition of student achievement. Each award provides a donor-funded scholarship to students who demonstrate superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service and financial need. Awardees have all demonstrated inspirational resolve along the path to college success and many are the first in their families to attend college.

“These 23 scholars wonderfully exemplify the ideals of the California State University,” said CSU Chancellor Joseph I. Castro. “Every year, and especially this year, our Trustees’ Award honorees demonstrate resilience, tenacity and resolve—together with a keen intellect—while making an indelible, positive impact on their families and their communities. They are truly an inspiration.”

More than 400 students have been honored with the Trustees’ Award since the scholarship program was established in 1984 by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. In 1999, the Hearst Foundation partnered with the CSU Board of Trustees to supplement the endowment with contributions from CSU Trustees, CSU Foundation board members and private donors. Each student scholarship bears the name of a donor.

Ali C. Razi, a CSU Trustee Emeritus and CSU Foundation Board of Governor, endowed a scholarship fund to recognize the top CSU Trustees’ Award recipient annually. Stanislaus State student Tonya Hensley was named this year’s Trustee Emeritus Ali C. Razi Scholar and will receive a $15,000 scholarship. 

The awardees will be recognized for their superior achievements during the Committee on Institutional Advancement portion of the CSU Board of Trustees meeting.

Visit the CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement website for bios on all 23 scholars as well as donor information.

The 2021 CSU Trustees’ Scholars are:​​

• Elaine Anne E. Araneta, Cal State Long Beach
  Steinhauser Family Scholar
• Erika Baron, CSUN
  William Randolph Hearst Scholar
• Jazmin Araceli Barrita Barrita, CSU Bakersfield
  Michael A. and Debe Lucki Scholar
• Hannah Bittar, San José State
  Trustee Emeritus William Hauck and Padget Kaiser Scholar
• Janelle Chojnacki, Humboldt State
  William Randolph Hearst Scholar
• Doshia Dodd, Sonoma State
  Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation Scholar
• Firozeh Farahmand, Cal Poly Pomona
  Trustee Emeritus Kenneth Fong Scholar
• Ivan Gonzalez, CSU San Marcos
  Chancellor Emeritus Timothy P. White Scholar
• Angelica Gurrola, Cal State East Bay
  William Randolph Hearst Scholar
• Lawson Hardrick III, San Diego State
  Trustee Emeritus Murray L. Galinson Scholar
• Tonya Hensley, Stanislaus State
  Trustee Emeritus Ali C. Razi Scholar
• Vivian Hernandez, Chico State
  SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Scholar
• Dillon Herrick, CSU Monterey Bay
  Wells Fargo Veteran Scholar
• Maram Kiran, Fresno State
  Trustee Emerita Claudia H. Hampton Scholar
• Christine Lam, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
  Trustee Wenda Fong and Daniel Fetterly Scholar
• Mauricio Gomez Lopez, Cal State Fullerton
  TELACU Scholar
• Margaret Malmquist-West, Cal Maritime Academy
  Trustee Jack McGrory Scholar
• Alexandra Martin, Cal State LA
  Stauffer Foundation Scholar
• Carla Cruz Medina, Sacramento State
  CSU Foundation President Emeritus Garrett P. Ashley Scholar
• Aurelia Nahue, CSU Channel Islands
  Santé Health System Scholar
• J Patterson, San Francisco State
  Chancellor Emeritus Charles B. and Catherine Reed Scholar
• Berenice Rojas, CSU Dominguez Hills
  Edison International Scholar
• Bipulanda Sraman, Cal State San Bernardino
  Ron and Mitzi Barhorst Scholar ​