The Rise Program is excited to announce a new scholarship for Rise Program seniors attending college in Fall 2018. This inaugural scholarship was established with the Tom M. Apostol Fund for Science and Math Outreach in honor of Tom Apostol, a Caltech Mathematics professor, recognized for the clarity of his exposition of mathematical and scientific concepts. He was passionate about mathematics education and founded Project MATHEMATICS!, which produced videos, illustrating key mathematical concepts, used in high school and community college classrooms. Scholarship recipients were selected based on demonstration of outstanding academic and personal growth. This year the committee selected four recipients to receive the Rise Program Scholarship.
Nina Kasparian | Award Amount: $1,000 | Attending: Cal State Northridge
“Before joining the program, I was intimidated by what my high school classes would entail and the challenges they would pose. Working with tutors who are so dedicated in their studies gave me the motivation to work hard and overcome any difficulties. I thought to myself, ‘I could do this, too.’ My tutors at Caltech helped me realize that I was simply limiting myself when, in reality, I had the potential to do much better. If you compare my grades from my freshman year to sophomore year to junior year and now to senior year you can see an increase in my grades and overall GPA. I definitely think it had to do with my tutors’ help. I took my classes and grades seriously and even started taking more challenging classes. I became more and more enthusiastic about my future in college.”
Blair Wright | Award Amount: $1,000 | Attending: San Francisco State University
“The most important quality that I gained from the Rise Program that impacted my life the most would definitely have to be my confidence. I wasn’t always a confident person, but that changed due to my experiences. Thanks to my tutors, I was encouraged to try my best and was assured that I was able to do whatever I wanted. No task would prove to be too difficult. Whether it was wrapping my head around homework assignments, or doubting myself over a poor test grade, I learned to have the mentality that I can overcome any doubt I have in myself. The Rise program has been one of the best opportunities I could have received. I am very grateful to have been a part of the program.”
Chris Flores | Award Amount: $500 | Attending: Pasadena City College
“My tutors that I’ve worked with have fortunately been super helpful as they prepare me for tests, help me with my homework, and give tips as to how to have a good work ethic. They also provide a safe, relaxing environment and give good examples of people skills which is something that I feel will be very important in the future. I thank Rise for giving me the courage to know that I can do anything I set my mind to and for helping me see the big picture as I set goals in my life.”
Michael Magrdchian | Award Amount: $500 | Attending: Cal Poly Pomona
“Everybody has an event that shapes them into who they are today, for me it would be my mother pushing me to join the Rise Program. Upon arrival, I never truly got my head around the opportunities one can come across trying in school. I would listen and take in all this knowledge of biological cycles and trigonometry problems, but what I lacked was the self - confidence and determination to actually apply what I’ve learned in my classwork. I carried a middle school mentality, not seeing the bigger picture of what an education can do for you, until the end of my second year at Rise. During my sophomore year, I came to the realization that with hard work and dedication one can achieve success in any path one desires.”
