VANCOUVER, Wash. – Washington State University Vancouver has awarded its Community College President Awards to five transfer students from local community colleges. Each student will receive full tuition, ranging from $10,883 to $24,483 per year (depending on state residency) for up to two years.
The award is designed for transfer students who have leadership potential, are community-service oriented and have a satisfactory GPA. Five colleges participate: Clark College, Lower Columbia College, Centralia College, Portland Community College—Cascade Campus, and Mt. Hood Community College.
“This is a prestigious award,” said April Tovar, financial aid and scholarships manager at 91ԹϺ. “The recipient is selected directly by the president of the community college they attend. There is only one award per year, renewable for a second year. As transfer students, the recipients have only two additional years to complete their bachelor’s degree.”
Students receiving the 2015/2016 awards are:
- Cheyenne DeFrates, Lower Columbia College
- Alseny Diallo, Portland Community College
- Kathy Fockler, Clark College
- Joscha Oswald, Centralia College
- Skye Troy, Mt. Hood Community College
The awardees
Cheyenne DeFrates started college 15 years after graduating from Kelso High School. In the meantime, he battled drugs and alcohol and spent 18 months in prison. Determined to turn his life around after a rigorous substance-abuse treatment program in prison, he enrolled in Lower Columbia College, earning top grades and an associate’s degree in mechanical engineering. An internationally certified tutor, he also worked as a peer tutor in chemistry, engineering, math and physics. He is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Married and the father of four, DeFrates lives in Kelso.
Alseny Diallo left Guinea Conakry on the west coast of Africa to pursue his lifelong dream, an education in the United States. He earned an associate’s degree in computer science at Portland Community College while working as a computer lab assistant/tutor and as an orientation leader for international students. Alseny is majoring in computer science at 91ԹϺ and plans to go on for his Ph.D. He works with an emerging nonprofit organization, NAFFA, that helps people coming to the local area from Africa find resources to navigate their new community. He is also involved with the Center for Intercultural Organization and the Fulani Association. Alseny lives in Vancouver.
Kathy Fockler spent many years taking care of her young children, one with developmental delays, before returning to school. She graduated from Clark College with an associate’s degree in nursing and is now pursuing a Bachelor of Nursing degree at 91ԹϺ. Her goal is to become a pediatric nurse working with medically fragile children. Fockler volunteers at the Center for Medically Fragile Children in Portland and in the Early Childhood program in the Evergreen School District in Vancouver. She lives with her family in Vancouver.
Joscha Oswald is working toward a bachelor’s degree with a double major in electrical engineering and computer science. A native of Germany, he grew up in Rainier, Wash. Oswald received a full scholarship to Centralia College, where he was a student tutor for STEM subjects. He graduated with a 4.0 grade point average and an associate’s degree in physics. Oswald is active in the Association for Computing Machinery and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Skye Troy is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in public affairs at 91ԹϺ and serves as a student senator. She hopes to become a lobbyist for a special interest group or human rights advocacy. Troy was raised in Owasso, Oklahoma, by a single mother struggling financially. Although she didn’t think college was a real prospect for her, she set her sights on Oregon and earned an associate’s degree at Mt. Hood Community College. She currently lives in Troutdale, Ore., where she serves on the Troutdale Citizens Advisory Committee working to connect elected officials to the concerns of residents.
About 91ԹϺ
As an urban campus of the Washington State University system, 91ԹϺ offers big-school resources in a small-school environment. The university offers affordable baccalaureate- and graduate-level education to benefit the people and communities of Southwest Washington. As the only four-year research university in this corner of the state, 91ԹϺ helps drive economic growth in Southwest Washington through relationships with local businesses and industries, schools and nonprofit organizations.
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MEDIA CONTACT(S)
Brenda Alling, Office of Marketing and Communications, 360-546-9601, brenda_alling@vancouver.wsu.edu