UCSC Educational Awards Recipients 2022

Each year, members of the University Classified Staff Council (UCSC) show support of full-time classified staff by raising funds for Educational Awards presented to dependents who are seniors in high school and pursuing a higher education. This competitive award ranks students based on schoolwork, difficulty of courses taken, and having a well-rounded high school career. Students are scored on their grade point average and ACT or SAT score. Community service and extracurricular activities, making them good citizens, leaders and team players is also considered. Lastly, they are scored on letters of recommendation provided by teachers or school administration. Since 2006 the program has granted awards to 203 students and issued over $222,000!

On July 28, 2022 the UCSC Educational Awards Committee hosted the annual ceremony via WebEx honoring the 2022 recipients and their parents. Kevin Banks, Education Awards Committee Co-Chair, welcomed and congratulated the winners and all who have supported the awards through contributions and participating in events. There was a wonderful presentation featuring each recipient. Closing congratulatory remarks from Telisha Green, 2022 Educational Awards Committee Member, included a poem by Edgar Guest, “It Couldn’t Be Done” for inspiration to “buckle in with a bit of a grin…and you’ll do it.” This fiscal year, 30 qualified applicants were selected. Through donations from generous individuals like you, pop-up bake sales, and online silent auctions, the UCSC was able to provide $32,500 in awards!

The UCSC Educational Awards Program provides various amounts of awards each year based on scoring from a select group of UTHealth employees. The Program receives remarkable applications every year and this year was no exception! Recipients will enter a college or university in the coming fall. The UCSC is delighted to contribute financially in support of a higher education for these deserving scholars. They are the leaders of tomorrow who will carry forward our pursuit of excellence and impact the positive change in our communities.

On behalf of the Educational Awards Committee, the Selection Committee and the UCSC, congratulations to all of the winners.

Fiscal Year 2022 UCSC Education Awards winners:

Nicole Alexander - child of Laura Carranza - Medical School - NAIP UTP Victory

Abdulkadar Almosa - child of Ahmad Almosa - Medical School- MS- Mgmt-Info Services

Radiya Almosa - child of Ahmad Almosa - Medical School- MS- Mgmt-Info Services

Cha'Liyah Atkins - child of Shantel Hamilton - Public Health- Environ & Occup Health Science

Anaya Brown - child of Danette Spencer - Administration- CIO Office

Neha Chandran - child of Anitha Chandran - Medical School- Epic Operating

Bryson Dawson - child of Tamatha Guillen - Medical School- Neurobiology & Anatomy

Ramy Elerian - child of Naglaa Elboghdady - Medical School- MNA MSO Operations

Claire Evers - child of Deborah Evers - Medical School- Urogynecology Center - Sugar Land

Julia Evers - child of Deborah Evers - Medical School- Urogynecology Center - Sugar Land

Amy Gao - child of Zhanguo Gao - Medical School- IMM Metabolic & Degen Dis

Hanna Gutierrez - child of Ines Gutierrez - Medical School- UTP - Memorial City OB/GYN

Daniel Hu - child of Tong Gao - Medical School- Neurology

Egypt Jones - child of Kristy Gomez - Medical School- Epic Operating

Yusuf Khan - child of Salman Khan - Administration- Info Technology Security

Allison Lew - child of Cynthia Lew - Medical School- UTP Sienna Clinic DSRIP

Nicholas Mathew - child of Sibi Mathew - Public Health- Coord Center Clinical Trials

Nicholas McClintic - child of Thomas McClintic - Administration- IT Infrastructures

Noah Merrill - child of Aurelia Merrill - Public Health- SW Center Occup & Environ Health

Owen Parker - child of Stephanie Parker - Medical School- Neurology

Simone Peterson - child of Felecia Peterson - Medical School- DSRIP UTPB OB-GYN

Aaly Rahimtoola - child of Salim Rahimtoola - Medical School- Epic Operating

Sofia Rocha - child of Holly Rocha - Medical School- Pediatrics- Developmental

Bailey Smith - child of Tracy Smith - Medical School- UTP- Memorial City OB/GYN

Amir Tahanan - child of Amirali Tahanan - Administration- Center Clin & Translation Science

Mariah Thomas - child of Tricia Hill-Thomas - Administration- Center Clin & Translation Science

Abigail Trevino - child of Angela Trevino - Medical School- Pediatrics- Developmental

Hailey Trinh - child of Linh Trinh - Medical School- MS Research Training

Disha Udtha - child of Malini Udtha - Public Health- HGC Community Outreach

Tatiana Abigail Valdez - child of Norma Valdez - Public Health- San Antonio Regional Campus MPCH

The winners will be attending the following colleges and universities:

University of Houston, Texas A&M - College Station, University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at San Antonio, University of North Texas, East Texas Baptist University, Northeastern University, Waynesburg University, University of Maryland College Park, University of Notre Dame, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Southern University, Rice University, Texas State University, and University of Southern California

This year’s UCSC Educational Awards committee members were: Kevin Banks, Brittany Dyer, Jacqueline Brooks, Dennie Clemons, Chasisty Cooper (Gilder), Carolyn Eli, Regina Gallardo, Ashley Galvan, Tara Green, Telisha Green, Catherine March, LaKeesha Minor, John Rizkallah and Daphne Sigaran