作者：辛西娅·休伯特

2021年9月13日

Carla Cruz Medina’s pursuit of a science education has been fraught with obstacles. 她是家里第一个上大学的人。 作为一名来自墨西哥的有色人种女性，她在大多数课程中都是少数族裔。 她的经济状况一直很紧张。

但她坚持了下来，并且表现出色。

This month, the 博彩平台 recognized Cruz Medina’s efforts with the highest student recognition of student academic accomplishment in the CSU system, the Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement.

The CSU each year recognizes one student from each of the system’s 23 campuses with the awards, which honor scholars who overcome adversity, have financial need, demonstrate superior academic performance, and participate in community service. 奖学金从6000美元到15000美元不等。

• 见见2021年科罗拉多州立大学受托人奖的获得者

2005年，8岁的生物学研究生克鲁兹·梅迪纳全家从墨西哥瓜纳华托搬到萨克拉门托。

“My mother always encouraged us to get an education,” she said. “She realized how important education and financial independence can be, especially for a woman. I wanted to be capable of making my own way in the world.”

After graduating from Grant Union High School, Cruz Medina attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Biology. “There weren’t many people who looked like me” in her program, she said, which “made me question whether I belonged.”

She chose 萨克拉门托 State to pursue her master’s and at first felt a bit lost.

“I didn’t really know anyone from my background who had entered a master’s program,” she said. “I didn’t even know what questions to ask of an advisor.”

但很快，克鲁兹·梅迪纳就适应了黄蜂队的身份。

“Even though there aren’t a lot of people of color in my program, I still feel a sense of community,” she said. “It’s such a nurturing environment. The University and the professors really care about you and your education.”

克鲁兹·梅迪纳不仅在课堂上表现出色，在课外也表现出色。 她成立了一个组织，步行者联盟，帮助她高中母校的高年级学生申请大学和经济援助。 她还担任环境研究教授米歇尔·史蒂文斯（Michelle Stevens）的研究助理，负责恢复美国河下游布什湖（Bushy Lake）的湿地和河岸面积。

“Carla is a shining example of what it means to be a Hornet,” President Robert S. Nelsen said. “She is an excellent scholar with a big heart.”

Biology Professor Timothy Davidson, who served as Cruz Medina’s advisor, called her highly motivated, curious, and enthusiastic about advancing her own goals and helping others.

“She is among the most collaborative, positive, and community-minded students I’ve worked with,” Davidson said. “She genuinely cares about others and our community, which explains why she is so well-regarded by her classmates and professors.”

As she advances in her education, Cruz Medina’s focuses are on ecology, conservation, and biostatistics. 她希望将自己的知识运用到促进环境法规和政策的制定和实施中对所有人的公平待遇的职业生涯中。

“My dream job would be an intersection of conservation and environmental justice,” she said. “I’m very passionate about those things.”

她相信，科罗拉多州立大学受托人奖将帮助她实现自己的目标。

“As a first-generation college student, a woman, and a person of color, I know that finances are a huge barrier to earning a degree,” Cruz Medina said. “It’s something we don’t talk about enough. 这笔奖学金将帮助我接受教育，而不必背负巨额债务。 这将有助于减轻我的经济负担。 That means a lot.”