CAASSIE SPRING 2020 Scholarship Awards Announced

The CAASSIE Leadership Team is honored to introduce you to the recipients of our Spring 2020 CAASSIE Scholarships.

Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we were able to award scholarships from our invested scholarship fund to three Southwestern College students. Each scholarship award was $500.

We thank our volunteer scholarship readers, staff and faculty, who reviewed student applications, essays and references. Finally, we would like to thank our scholarship selection committee for taking time from their busy schedules, during finals week, to interview students and select our final scholarship winners.

Meet Our Spring 2020 CAASSIE Scholars

Ayona Hudson

Award: Black Alliance
Major: Political Science for Transfer - CSU - A.A
GPA: 3.49

Everything that I do at Southwestern College is to open the doors for me to obtain my Ph.D. and become a Congress Woman that will have a direct impact in whatever community I work in. Currently a homeless student. I live in an eighteen-month transitional housing program that will last just long enough for when I transfer to a university in Fall 2020.

I can only pray that whatever university accepts me will give me a high enough financial aid package to cover my housing, if not, I risk having to take out large loans or miss out on my four-year education. Every scholarship I receive I plan to put in my savings to help alleviate my anxiety towards the future. Right now, should be the most exciting part of being a transfer student, but unfortunately it has only brought more worries.

I am currently the VP of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for the ASO, an officer for three other clubs, and I am a direct liaison for South Bay Community Services for youth homelessness to help others find housing. Through my efforts I am working hard to improve the atmosphere at SWC, for example, I am establishing a mandatory micro-aggression training for campus positions. As a student leader I know this is the most important work to do; making sure everyone is comfortable with the school they attend.

I received the Umoja Student of the Year award, Equity Champion award and I am on the Vice-Presidential Honors List.

Despite being homeless and not being able to afford textbooks or groceries I am dedicated to continuing to make a positive impact on the Southwestern College community. These temporary struggles are helping me grow as a person and a scholar.

Lashaunte Brown

Award: Caassie Laverne Cumby Memorial Scholarship
Major: Nursing A.S.
GPA: 3.35

My educational objective is to obtain my associates degree in nursing and transfer to a 4-year university to pursue furthering my nursing education and obtaining my Bachelor’s in Nursing.

My transfer plan is to stay in California and go to a CSU or transfer to a HBCU to receive my Bachelor’s in Nursing.

My career plan is to continue my career as a Certified Nursing Assistant until I receive my associates in nursing and continue to work as a CNA at the hospital or my job at UCSD.

Once I receive my degree in Nursing; I will change my job title from CNA to RN. My need for scholarship/financial assistance is to help pay for school tuition, help with buying books, and supplies.

I am very active on campus from being in the Umoja learning community and the Ambassador of our cohort and being a part of A.S.O, AMSA, BSU, and soul sistahs.

In my journey of education, I have been homeless because I refused to give up on my education. Most of my income goes to taking care of my family to make sure they have a stable home. So, it was extremely hard to pay for my tuition and books for school and even gas to get to class.

Saleh Mohamed

Award: Close the Gap Award
Major: African American Studies - A.A.
GPA: 4.0

It is my first and sincerest goal to transfer from Southwestern College and move onto a four-year institution. I intend to attend San Diego State University, Howard University, or maybe both, and receive a bachelor’s, master’s and eventually a Ph.D. in English.

The career of my reality is to be a college professor in the liberal arts. More specifically, I want to teach English at Southwestern College with the intentions of adding more culture to the literary experiences of our students.

I need scholarships, even as a student worker, because my finances are proving to be huge stressors in my life. I need assistance to lift the financial burdens from my shoulders so that I can focus deeply on academics.

I struggle with managing the responsibilities of adulthood and being a scholar. Paying rent, paying for gas, utility bills, and food costs are just some of the responsibilities I ruminate over, daily. It is one thing to not have money to go out and play, but it is an entirely different dilemma when you face food insecurity and a grumbling stomach while you’re trying to study.

There have been days when I have slept on a hungry stomach because I did not have food at home, and months when I was not sure how I was going to manage to pay my rent. Still, I have been able to strive. Hardships aside,

nothing stops me from being involved with my campus, my community, and my family.

I am a student worker in the VPSA’s office, I am an officer for the Black Student Union, and I am a mentor for my peers in the Umoja Learning Community. I achieved a 4.0 GPA during Fall 2019 and successfully campaigned for a Student Senate position. Nothing will stop me!