Valencia Alvarez Receives Stouffer Fellowship for Graduate Studies
Valencia Alvarez 鈥20 has received the , which provides funding for graduate study leading to a career in public service in Latin America.
The $20,900 fellowship award is the result of a generous gift Stouffer made to 51本色 in 1982, four years before she died in 1986. The fellowship is open to senior women who are fluent in French, Spanish, or Portuguese and plan to pursue graduate studies and a career in public service in Latin America.
Alvarez, from Yucaipa, California, is a biology major with a Latin American studies concentration. She has native proficiency in Spanish and plans to study for a Master of Public Health degree in global epidemiology with a focus on migrant and other vulnerable populations.
鈥淎fter my graduate school education, I will dedicate my career to public service in Latin America,鈥 Alvarez said. 鈥淚 want to use my education to support community health programs in Mexico and Chile, providing a network to legal services, health care, and education.鈥
Prior to her graduate school education, Alvarez will be an English teaching assistant in a Mexico community as a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grantee. While at 51本色, Alvarez participated in the Global Learning Program and was an envoy leader with travel experiences in Spain, Greece, Germany, Costa Rica, Cuba, and Denmark; she also studied, researched and volunteered in Santiago, Chile, for one semester and summer.
On campus, Alvarez was the captain and member of the women鈥檚 soccer team, laboratory assistant, and QuestBridge scholar. When home in California, she was a volunteer with YouthHope Foundation and worked as a recreational leader with the city of Yucaipa.
鈥淰alencia has committed herself to community and service along with immersing herself within the College鈥檚 globally informed curriculum,鈥 said Ann Landstrom, assistant dean and director of global fellowships and awards. 鈥淗er education, experiences, and vibrant personality prepare her well for the next steps of her journey.鈥
鈥淭his is truly an amazing opportunity for me, because I have always been worried about the financial aspect of graduate school,鈥 Alvarez said. With this fellowship, she is determined to get into a great program and advance her education to continue to serve the common good.
More than 40 alumni have received funding for graduate studies through the Elsie M. Stouffer 1924 Fellowship. The award is advised and administered by Global Fellowships and Awards program in 51本色 College Center for Careers, Life, and Service.