Scholarship Recipients 2011
Maria Renee Frye
Maria Renee Frye is an incredibly accomplished graduate student currently attending Fresno State where she intends to receive her masters in Nutrition and afterwards, pursue her PhD. She completed her undergraduate degree in Natural Science at Loyola Marymount University where she graduated Suma Cum Laude and with the highest GPA in her department. Miss Frye was a Presidential Scholar and on the Dean’s List all four years.
Along with these phenomenal academic accomplishments, Maria was involved in Greek honor societies: Alpha Zeta, Alpha Epsilon Delta, Order of Omega, Sigma Xi, and Alpha Nu; She was a member of the Student Dietetic Association, Natural Science Society, and Delta Zeta Sorority; A volunteer at Fit for Life and ICAN junior triathlon club. As well as having been a Study Abroad Ambassador, Maria sings in her church’s choir. As if that weren’t enough, along with these activities, Maria is also a published writer in the magazine
Today’s Dietitian.
During her four years at LMU along with her straight “As” and extensive extra curricular activities, Maria worked all year long, and even now in a graduate program she continues to work in her desired field as a Nutrition Assistant at Madera Community Hospital. Needless to say, this young woman exemplifies the hard work, wise associations, and composure that the Fresno Women’s Network stands for.
Maria has a passion for nutrition and aspires to be a registered dietitian, in this position she hopes to impact the lives of others in making healthier decisions, and to help persons of all kinds strive for optimal health. And with this scholarship we hope to impact her educational experience to help her pursue these extraordinary goals.
Ana Belen Lazcano
Ana Belen Lazcano is certainly familiar with the words sharing and caring as she is one of 14 children in her family. She learned about dedication, commitment, and hard work at an early age as she watched her mother raise all of her siblings as a single mom. Ana moved from Mexico to the United States and now resides in Tulare. She worked hard to learn the English language and now dreams of attending dental school after she graduates from California State University, Fresno (Fresno State).
So why dental school? Early on Ana learned that, in her family, dental care could only be afforded for the younger children in her family. It wasn’t just her family that had this issue, but there are so many families where dental care is simply non-existent. Her goal is to put beautiful smiles on all children’s faces and ensure that children are free from disease and other medical issues that stem from poor dental health. She has promised her family that one day she will fix their teeth and they, too, will have beautiful smiles.
Ana is fortunate to have a wonderful mentor to follow. Her sister Esperanza will be graduating soon from Fresno State with a Bachelor’s degree in Business. She has inspired Ana to dream big and not let anything stand in the way of achieving her goals.
Ana has been the recipient of many scholarships and awards including the Chicano Alumni Scholarship, 2010; Alliance/Mereck Ciencia (Science) Hispanic Scholarship, 2010; CSU Fresno Community Service Scholarship, 2010; Tulare Sunrise Rotary Scholarship, 2009; Tulare Soroptimist Club Woman of the Month Award, 2009; and 1st place Science Olympiad Award, 2009. In her spare time she is active with her church, volunteers with the Mexican Consulate, volunteered with the American Cancer Society from 2009-2010 and volunteered tutoring elementary school children in math with Grandma’s House in 2009. She is a current member of the Pre-Dental Club and participates in the Fresno State Health Careers Opportunity Program.
As Anna relates, “Wanting to become someone in life and someday being able to provide a better life to my family is the key motivator in becoming an ambitious person. An important lesson I have learned is that each new day brings its own challenges, but along with those challenges, there are also solutions, happiness, and more importantly, new opportunities.”
The Fresno Women’s Network is pleased to present a scholarship award to this outstanding young woman who will make a difference in our world.
Genevieve Mayhew
Genevieve Mayhew is a young woman who is passionate about education, research, sports and raising awareness and involvement in the political process. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in English from the University of Miami. Ms. Mayhew served as a research assistant for Dr. Christopher Mann; together they published several scholarly papers on the vote by mail mobilization process. Ms. Mayhew presented her research at the 2011 Midwest Political Science Association and the 2011 American Political Science Association conferences.
Ms. Mayhew served as a committee member with the Student Athlete Advisory Committee where she organized community charity events such as Women in Sports Day, Habitat for Humanity, and Relay for Life. Additionally, Ms. Mayhew founded the Student-Athlete Political Awareness Campaign, where she educated and registered to vote 75 percent of eligible student-athletes. Ms. Mayhew served as a volunteer with the League of Women Voters and plans to return to Fresno in summer 2012 to assist with an early register voting project.
Ms. Mayhew will attend the University of Maryland in fall 2011, where she will pursue a Master’s degree in Political Science with a concentration in political behavior, elections, and representation. Upon completion of her master’s degree, Ms. Mayhew plans to pursue a doctorate in Political Science. Her career objective is to secure a teaching position at a top research university. She would also like to travel and learn to play the guitar.
Haley Hanse
Haley Hanse is preparing to start her senior year at Fresno State, where she studies for a future as an Agricultural Educator. Haley is very involved on campus with Sigma Alpha, and is President of the chapter this year after holding most other Board positions. She has also created several professional development events for her sorority sisters to attend, including time management training, professional dress, and resume’ building.
Haley is also on the Kings County Junior Fair Board, is a past Dairy Princess, and has participated in numerous volunteer opportunities. She is also an active volunteer for the Red Wave Classic and Ag Ambassadors, where she gives farm tours to prospective students and works the farm show at Fresno State.
Haley is passionate about the need for agricultural education in our schools, especially in the Central Valley. She has worked actively throughout her life to support and promote agriculture to people of all ages.
Although she has faced personal and family struggles while in college, Haley is on track to graduate this year. Her hope that one day she will be able to influence others’ lives just as much as the organizations and people she has encountered along the way have influenced hers will surely come true.
DeAnna Salas - 2011 Susan Melkonian Scholarship Recipient
We believe that DeAnna truly embodies the special spirit of the Melkonian award expressed in the Network mission statement: to support each other in business, personal, and professional growth...to build relationships, mentor one another, and give back to the community.
DeAnna knew early on that she wanted to be a banker. She went straight from a high school banking program in San Luis Obispo to a teller position with Sanwa Bank. She married her high school sweetheart at 18 and started a family while he served our country in the Marines in Desert Storm. Upon his discharge, the family, now with baby Kylee, moved to Fresno. DeAnna joined a bank in Fresno and moved from the operations side to the lending side, realizing that was where her advancement opportunities lay. Her second child, Jordyn was born in Fresno.
DeAnna reports that she worked hard to learn and progress in her job. She recognizes the invaluable support and mentoring she received to grow in responsibilities and position. She now serves as a commercial loan officer, negotiating and underwriting commercial loans, without a college degree. She is a real anomaly in this technical field for her lack of a degree.
She delayed her desire for higher education while raising her children. Her family expanded when she re-married and gained a son, Kylie. So with a new husband, three kids, a full-time job, and active participation in a variety of community and professional organizations, DeAnna returned to school.
DeAnna recognized that in spite of her experience and position, she was at risk for lacking a college degree in the current recession. She immediately set out to rectify this by enrolling in an accelerated program with one our members, the University of Phoenix. She is well on her way to her goal of a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and loves school so much that she's now investigating the Executive MBA program at CSU, Fresno.
DeAnna has been active in a number of community and professional organizations, including the Marjaree Mason Center and the Girl Scouts. Last year she was instrumental in providing for an Exceptional Parents Unlimited (EPU) family at the holidays on behalf of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), where she is a board member.
The Scholarship committee was overwhelmed by DeAnna's unfailingly positive outlook and clear goals and priorities. She sees things as opportunities to grow, and her values are family, education, and community.