Scholar: Annette Elizaldi
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Scholar: Stacy In
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Scholar: Ju Youn Lee
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Scholar: Danny Lopez
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Scholar: Julian Macias
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
About Scholarship Recipient: Julian grew up in a small town called Valley Springs in Northern California with his mother, father, and sister. Both of his parents are naturalized citizens that immigrated from different areas of Mexico. Julian moved to Southern California in 2003 to attend Vanguard University in Costa Mesa. He now lives in the Redondo Beach area.
Julian is a nursing major who was drawn to the accelerated program at CSUN. He is thankful to Mr. Sipma and the opportunity to have his aspirations validated by a panel of experienced healthcare professionals and instructors. He said this validation has given him a boost in his resolve to move through the rigorous nursing program. He is very grateful for Mr. Sipma’s generosity and interest in helping future nurses. After graduating, Julian would like to own and operate his own clinic as a mental health nurse practitioner and be able to offer therapy, medication, and support to those afflicted with common mental health disorders.
Scholar: Jessica Mo
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
About Scholarship Recipient: Jessica’s mother and father immigrated to the United States from China in 2001 and 2003, respectively. She grew up in San Gabriel Valley; Jessica currently resides with her parents, three younger siblings, and two German Shepherds.
In 2019, she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Health Sciences from University of California, Irvine, graduating Summa Cum Laude. After she graduated, Jessica researched nursing programs and was drawn to CSUN’s accelerated program and outstanding NCLEX exam pass rates. She also plans to move back to Los Angeles after she completes her Bachelor of Science Nursing and Registered Nursing license, therefore the location of CSUN and the nearby hospitals that she is performing her clinical rotations is extremely favorable. She also appreciates the mentorship she receives at CSUN that helped her navigate through her first semester.
Jessica said the gratitude that she has for Mr. Dale Sipma for creating this scholarship is beyond words. She comes from a low-income household and is a first-generation college student. Her extremely hard-working parents have sacrificed so much to put her through higher education not once, but twice. Being a recipient of this scholarship allows her to be less dependent on her parents’ financial sacrifices and allows her to channel her focus more into her academics.
In the future, Jessica hopes to specialize in pediatrics because she has found value and satisfaction in watching her three younger siblings overcome obstacles while growing into healthy individuals. She would like to work as a nurse practitioner and clinical preceptor in the pediatrics department of a teaching hospital.
Scholar: Michelle Park
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Scholar: Maurice Santiago
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
About Scholarship Recipient: Maurice is a Southern California native, but spent the last 15 years living in San Jose, California where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from San Jose State. Throughout his undergraduate education he was employed at UCSF Medical Center as a pulmonary research assistant and phlebotomist. He was also an emergency department registrar at Stanford University Medical Center. Maurice said that his combined medical and professional experiences have shaped the way he thinks about patient care and community health and that both facets of healthcare are inextricably related.
Maurice is grateful for having been given the opportunity to enroll in CSUN’s accelerated nursing program and for receiving this scholarship. He cannot express in words how much these achievements mean to him and the impact that they have had on his educational journey and life. After graduating from nursing school, he plans to work as a practicing registered nurse for an organization that prioritizes excellence in clinical care and community engagement. Maurice said that in his spare time he enjoys cooking, hiking, traveling, and spending time with loves ones, including his hero, his mother Maria who is also a practicing registered nurse.
Scholar: Siqi Shao
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
About Scholarship Recipient: Siqi was born in China and moved to California with her family during middle school. She said she chose to study nursing at CSUN because she had heard of many amazing accomplishments by the students and faculty. She said the confidence she feels in the program continues to inspire her to reach her highest level of proficiency and work ethic and she is extremely grateful for her entire experience. Siqi said this feeling has been reinforced by the generosity of Mr. Dale Sipma and the scholarship that assists students in reaching their educational goals. She said the scholarship will help her achieve her goals and mitigate stress. After graduating, she would like to continue working on her end goal of becoming a nurse practitioner and being a contributing member of the healthcare community.
Scholar: Tova Tomasi
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
About the scholarship: The Sipma Family Scholarship is made possible due to a generous contribution from friend of the university, Dale Sipma. Mr. Sipma sees the importance of nurses and therefore donated scholarships to students studying in the Nursing program at CSUN.