Each May, Aurora AAUW awards at least one $1,000 scholarship to an Aurora resident for their junior or senior year at a Colorado college or university with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Because of the generosity of our members and community, we often award more than one scholarship for $2,000. All scholarship winners are awarded student membership in AAUW. This year we awarded five $2500 scholarships.
Our Local Scholarship is supported by a fall fundraiser. Additionally, friends and family have donated to the scholarship in honor of long time AAUW members who have passed.
We greatly appreciate your support.
If you would like a scholarship application. Or please contact aauwscholarships24@gmail.com.
2024 Scholarship Winners
Gianna Garcia will be a senior at Colorado Christian University, majoring in elementary education. With 125 hours spent in the classroom teaching and observing following graduation, she plans to teach kindergarten immediately. Gianna currently works full-time for her university under the Residence Life Branch. Her hearing loss has not stopped her from supporting others in the ways she is most able. She has led Street Church in Denver, the local church in Arvada, and most recently Cross Bar X in Durango, serving and leading programs for socially and economically disadvantaged youth.
Jessica Hawkins will be completing her Bachelor in Dental Hygiene at the Community College of Denver. As a first generation student, she understands the value of community outreach and the importance of giving back to society. She has participated in several health fairs, the most recent being the Community College of Aurora Health Fair in April. She has a strong desire to connect with the people around her, and is planning on pursuing a career in Public Health. In her spare time, Jessie also moderates an international writer’s group and enjoys building paper craft miniatures.
Thu Nguyễn will be a senior at Community College of Denver, majoring in Dental Hygiene. Her dream career is to become a dentist, volunteering at Community to Provide Dental Cares. Her plan is that after getting licensed as a dental hygienist, she will take some of the course requirements for dental school and work toward that goal. She currently works part-time as a dental assistant at Trust Dental Family.
Caroline Smith will be a senior at MSU Denver this fall, majoring in exercise science. She is planning to apply to a physical therapy program, where she would obtain a doctorate in physical therapy and work in a hospital. Caroline is currently working for a local baker, helping bake and sell at local markets. She loves her three dogs, hiking, and running.
Josselin Chavez recently graduated with an associate degree in General Studies from the Community College of Aurora. She’s excited to begin her junior year at CU College of Nursing. Currently she works part-tine as a medical assistant and plans to continue volunteering as a Spanish medical interpreter at a local Aurora hospital. Enhancing cultural competency is one of her passions. She believes healthcare in one’s preferred language is essential for person-centered care. After completing her BSN degree, she wants to work on a reservation or in a rural area of Colorado and give back to the community that has enbraced her.
2023 Scholarship Winners
Jessica Navarro will be a senior at the University of Colorado at Boulder, majoring in Biomedical Engineering and minoring in Electrical Engineering. She is a second year recipient of the scholarship and plans to honor her family next year upon graduation. Jessica plans to go on to graduate school, but currently is focusing on finishing her undergraduate program. Yet, she still does a work study program, Pre-Collegiate Development Program, and helping those students with resources to pursue options for their future. Jessica is a member of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, as well as the Biomedical Engineering Society.
Emma Lehman will be a junior at the University of Denver, majoring in Pre-Art Conservation at a Museum. She plans to attend graduate school to complete Art Conservation. She currently works part-time as an optician at Smokey Hill Eye Care in Aurora to support herself in college. At the University of Denver, she is involved in the art club and is an adult supervisor for the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls.
Kimberly Blanco will be entering the University of Colorado College of Nursing at Anschutz, having attended the Community College of Aurora and University of Colorado. “Her dream is to be: Kimberly Blanco, BSN-helping to save lives every day.” As a first generation student, she knows of the need to mentor elementary, middle, and high school students. She has given back to her community through multiple services, like toy drives, Boys and Girls Hope organizations, and mentoring. Recently, she tutored refugee students in mathematics at Aurora Central High School. She is currently employed part-time at Fashion Q at the Town Center of Aurora.
2022 Scholarship Winners
Malia Jimerson, is the recipient of the AAUW Helen Ames Memorial Scholarship and will be a junior at the University of Northern Colorado, majoring in Elementary Education with a math emphasis. She is a graduate of Gateway High School.
Jennifer Martinez Gomez will be a senior at the University of Colorado, Denver, with a major in Psychology and a minor in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience. She is a graduate of Gateway High School and also a recipient in 2021.
Jessica Navarro will be a junior at the University of Colorado in Boulder and is majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Electrical Engineering. She is a graduate of Aurora Central High School.
Luz Rivera will be a junior at the University of Colorado College of Nursing. She graduated from Hinkley High School.
Lauren Sassier will be a senior at the University of Colorado, Denver, majoring in Nursing. She is a graduate of Vista PEAK Preparatory and was also a scholarship recipient last year.
2021 Scholarship Winners
This year the scholarship committee was able to award five $2000 scholarships. Following are the winners:
Victoria Kaufman at the University of Denver, majoring in Electrical Engineering.
Jennifer Martinez Gomez at the University of Colorado Denver, majoring in. Psychology-Public Health.
Mi Nai San (Minnie) at the University of Denver, majoring in Criminology and Political Science.
Lauren Sassier-junior at the University of Colorado School of Nursing.
Sarah Thomson-Senior at the University of Denver, majoring in Biology and Psychology.
2020 Scholarship Winners
This has been a challenging and rewarding year for the scholarship committee. It has been equally challenging for the students who’ve applied. We have selected five recipients and will give them full recognition in September via a Zoom meeting. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT Betty Anne BUDY AT dbudy@comcast.net.
Briana Aguilar- will be majoring in Psychology/Criminology at the University of Denver and has a GPA of 3.71. She describes herself as a first generation Latina daughter of immigrant parents and a low-income family who is in need of assistance to pay for college. She wants to become a psychologist or mental health counselor working in marginalized communities. Currently, she is a research assistant in trauma studies at the university. She holds leadership positions as the Treasurer of the Psychology Club and is in the Psi Chi National Honor Society. She is also a student Liaison and on the E-Board for the Latinx Student Alliance club. She is also a work study student.
Victoria Kauman– is majoring in electrical engineering at the University of Denver with a 3.50 GPA. Victoria describes herself as a low-socioeconomic, first-generation student whose parents are immigrants from Belarus. her parents have stressed education as a way to a better life. She is active in E-Stem and 1GenU. Before the virus, she worked at Prairie Middle School twice a week teaching STEM enrichment class to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade girls in a program called Latinas in STEM. She is an assistant coordinator for Excelling Leaders Institute. She has a work study position in the program, Voluntees in Partnership. She is part of Colorado Women’s College Scholars program and is dedicated to helping under-representated students.
Angel Lozano-Santoyo- will attend Metropolitan State University and had a 3.02 GPA at Community College of Aurora (CCA). His major will be Business Management. Angel is not eligible for Federal loans, but he is proud of his responsibilities and leadership role at McDonalds. In high school, (New America School-Lowry), he took concurrent classes to gain his Associate degree at CCA. While a student there, he was President of Brother2Brother, a program that empowers male students of color to be successful in life. He also completed the Quest Leadership Program and received the CCA Leadership Certificate. He was awarded the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship.
Connor Rodenbeck-attends the University of Denver with a 3.94 GPA, majoring in English. ” I am passionate about the art and craft of writing”, says Connor. Without family support, he works two part-time jobs-student administrative assistant in DU’s Department of English and Literary Arts and sales associate at Urban Outfitters. Connor is a first generation student and member of 1GenU. he is a Prose Intern for the Denver Quarterly and is the Poetry Editor at DU’s Literary Magazine, Foorhills. Last summer, he interned with Lighthouse Writers Workshop and served as editor for their annual youth anthology. Currently, he has two poems that have been accepted for the University of Alabama’s Literary Journal, Call Me.
Miriam Romero-attends the University of Dever and majors in Spanish/Real Estate with a 3.47 GPA. Her degree will be a B.S. in Business Administration. Her family is also low-income and enormously supportive of her goals. She aspires to create a business with her father. She is part of the 1GenU and Volunteers in Partnership. Miriam has worked at DU vocalizing minority concerns to administrators. She prepared a paper with suggestions to make DU more inclusive and this was passed on to the senior Diversity Officer. These suggestions are now being discussed and making an impact. Outside of school, she mentors with INSPIRE.
