CSU Scholars go to Nicaragua for a Service trip
Our CSU Puksta Scholars went on a service trip to Nicaragua for 2 weeks. While in Nicaragua, they will be volunteering with Arms of Love Children’s Home and the Center for Development in Central America.
Follow their blogs day by day:
http://pukstascholarsnicaragua.wordpress.com/
Visit our facebook page to see more pictures
Highlighted Puksta Scholar – Esmeralda Rodriguez
Esmeralda Rodriguez is graduating with a degree in social work and a 3.5 GPA. She will also be the first person to graduate from college in her family. During her time at CSU, Rodiguez has participated in several clubs and events including the Lambda Theta Nu Sorority, The Matthews House, Key Academics, the President’s Leadership Program, CSU/UADY Leadership Program, El Centro First Year Peer Mentoring Program, Council for Opportunity in Education Leadership Program, Residence Hall Tour Guide, NASPA Undergraduate Felloes Program, Triunfo, Ram Welcome Leader, the Daniels Fund and the Puksta Scholar program.
She also studied abroad at the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom in the summer of 2009 and the University of Barcelona, Spain for the 2012 spring semester. Rodriguez has been recognized as the CSU Junior Leader of the Year, the 20120 Sorority Woman of the Year for Outstanding Campus Involvement and the 2012 Colorado TRIO student representative for the Council for Opportunity in Education’s 32nd Annual policy seminar in Washington D.C. After graduation, Rodriguez will search for jobs where she can help unrepresented students go to college as well as travel abroad while she has the time.
Puksta Scholars Welcome Back Event 2011-2012
Photo Gallery of the Puksta Scholar Welcome Back Event 11-12
Highlighted Puksta Scholar – Aminta Menjivar
Meet our first Puksta Highlighted Scholar!
Aminta Menjivar
University of Denver Puksta Scholar
Year: Junior
Major: International Business
Minor: Legal Studies
Community Partner Organization:
I work with high school counselors in the Denver area.
Social Justice Issue Area:
I care about making higher education more accessible for undocumented students. The current immigration system marginalizes undocumented students to the point that college can become unreachable for them. In fact, undocumented students often have to pay much higher tuition rates than traditional students, which often discourages them from pursuing their goals. In my experience, college is possible for undocumented students, but they have to be very strategic about how they raise the necessary funds for tuition. This experience is one of the reasons why I’m currently mentoring undocumented students. I mentor them because I want to show them that college is possible regardless of the high amount of money that they will have raise in order to attend it. This encouragement will keep talented undocumented students from giving up on their dreams.
Future Goals:
In the next few years, I want to further develop my mentoring program so I can reach more students who need advice about college access. This part, however, is only the early phase of my larger Puksta Project. I eventually want to start a foundation that will help undocumented students reach their goals of attending college by gifting scholarships. It is unjust to nurture undocumented students’ talent to later tell them that college is financially unreachable for them. My foundation will help bring justice to this issue. In essence, my foundation will help to alleviate the financial burden that young undocumented students have to deal with and will be a source of hope for them.
🎓✨ Congratulations to our amazing 2024 MSU Puksta Graduate, Gracie Leal! ✨🎓
Majoring in Social Work at MSU Denver, Gracie has made significant contributions through her Puksta project. She focused on providing awareness and resources for homelessness, sustainability, policy, and victim services through social media with CO Aware Denver 🌍❤️
As she embarks on her journey to pursue her MSW this fall, we celebrate all that she has achieved and look forward to her continued impact in the field of social work. Way to go Gracie we know you are looking at a bright future ahead! 🌟👏
@leal.graciie
@coawaredenver
@msudenverc2hub
#PukstaFoundation #MSUDenver #SocialWork #Classof2024 #CommunityImpact #HomelessnessAwareness #Sustainability #DenverResources
🎓✨ Congratulations to our 2024 CU Denver Puksta Graduate, Guinevere Vigil-Goltermann! 🎓✨
Majoring in Geography and Urban Planning at CU Denver, Guinevere worked on an incredible project focused on educational access. They created a comprehensive database of historical resources that often go overlooked in traditional history education. 📚🌟
"Puksta has given me a community on campus I did not have before." 💙
Join us in celebrating Guinevere`s achievements and the impactful work they have done to bring lesser-known history to light! 🎉👏 #PukstaFoundation #PukstaGraduates2024 #EducationalAccess #HiddenHistory #CUdenver #Community #Pukstaalumni #Classof2024
@guinny.actually
Wow, the DU Puksta Passage on Wednesday night gave us a lot to celebrate:
🎓 Christy Vo, Dhiona Carter Jaramillo, Marissa Martinez Suarez, and Sunjoi Gandhi are graduating;
💬 DU Alumni `23, Camilla Rodriguez, joined us to share her reflections on the program and what she`s been up to since graduating;
🙌 Several other alumni are actively involved in our community and joined our event! Great to see you @Oliver Martinez-Reyes, @Oscar Saenz, and @Aaquil Anwar!
🤩 Our DU scholars are making significant contributions on and off campus addressing issues of importance to them;
🎉 We got to meet Eva Martinez-Reyes, one of our new scholars and Oliver`s sister - welcome to our Puksta family, Eva!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful reflections seniors, we are thrilled to welcome you into our alumni community and are cheering you on as you take your next steps on your journey!
#puksta #pukstafamily #alumnicommunity #graduating #celebrate #journey #classof2024
🎓✨ Meet Fernanda Cerros, a CU Boulder Puksta Scholar `24 grad in International Affairs & Political Science! 🌟 Fernanda has dedicated her time to advocating for immigrant rights, mentoring students, and pushing for ethnic studies in schools. As a Puksta Scholar and key member of CU Engage, she won the President’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion award this spring. Her journey is all about revolutionary love and making a real difference. Congrats, Fernanda! 💪❤️ #Graduation2024 #CUBoulder #CollegeGrad #PukstaScholar #Inspiration #ChangeMaker #SocialJustice #CommunityLeader #YouthEmpowerment #Diversity #Inclusion #Education #StudentLife
We had a wonderful evening at the Metropolitan State University Puksta Passage. Not only did we congratulate 🎓 Graciela Leal on her graduation (whoo hoo! 🎉 ), we also got to hear about the fabulous ongoing community engagement endeavors of our current scholars, and meet our five incoming Puksta scholars! We are thrilled to welcome you to our community, Artemis Douglas, Alexa Madrid, Brazil McNeal, Arbay Mohammad, and Edwin Sigala-Nunez 💞
This event was also bittersweet as we said goodbye to our dear MSU Puksta Coordinator, Kaila Russel, who who is moving to Connecticut after spending two years with us. Thank you for the love and dedication you have put into the Puksta program, Kaila! We wish you and Graciela the best on the next steps of your journey, and remember your Puksta family is always here for you!
Wow, there were some water works at the CSU Puksta Passage, hearing the heartfelt and vulnerable reflections of our five graduating seniors - 🎉 Congratulations 🎓 Melanin Armendariz, 🎓 Ahn Bui, 🎓 Josie Duenas, 🎓 Joel Ibarra, and 🎓 Pastor Niyogusengwa! Of course, we are not actually saying goodbye, as we welcome all of these scholars into our flourishing Alumni network. Once a Puksta, always a Puksta! 💞
This spring, Yosii Rivera, Andrea Pereida, Josie Duenas, Miguel Lopez, Anh Bui, Lensa Wako, and Pastor Niyogusengwa (CSU Puksta Scholars) participated in the Multicultural Undergraduate Research Art and Leadership Symposium (MURALS). A special congratulations to 🎉 Anh 🎉, who took the Rising Star Award for Service Learning and Leadership, and to 🎉 Yosii 🎉, who took 1st place in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at this event! We hope you all felt recognized and appreciated for your amazing work. 🤩🤩🤩
CSU MURALS is an undergraduate research and artistry symposium that provides a platform for undergraduate students with marginalized identities to showcase their scholarly work. MURALS is inclusive, rigorous, and culturally relevant. We highly recommend attending next year!
There was a lot to celebrate at the CU Denver Puksta passage on Thursday evening:
🎓 Maddie Kessley & Guinevere Vigil Golterman are graduating;
💬 CU Denver Puksta Alumni `19, Rob Hatcher, joined us to share some amazing spoken word poetry;
🤩 Our other scholars have accomplished amazing work in their communities; and
🎉 Karina De Jesus officially stepped into her role as a new Puksta Coordinator!
Of course, this is bitter sweet as it means saying farewell to Jaimie Carrington, who has served as Puksta Coordinator for the last two years. We wish Maddie, Guinevere, and Jaimie the best in the next steps of each of their journeys!
We attended the CU Boulder Puksta Passage Tuesday night to celebrate these fabulous scholars, and congratulate our graduate, Fernanda Cerros! It was powerful to hear about all of your work to increase access to higher education as well as financial literacy for young people.
Fernanda, you certainly did teach us something! We are so proud of you and grateful Puksta was such an integral part of your journey.
This past Monday we visited our scholars at the University of Colorado Boulder. Skoo Buffs!
#PukstaFoundation #CommunityImpact #HigherEdAccess #FinancialAid #EducationFunding #ScholarshipOpportunity #Grants #ScholarshipSearch #EducationGrants #TuitionAssistance #Puksta #CommunityLeadership #SocialChange #ServiceLearning #Empowerment #SocialJustice #CommunityService #Activism #makingadifference
This past Friday the University of Colorado Boulder Cohort had their team bonding day attending Boondocks, Seoul Korean BBQ, and Ay Guey Mexican snacks.
For incoming scholars this is just one of the many days full of activities and memories Puksta has to offer.
#PukstaFoundation #CommunityImpact #HigherEdAccess #FinancialAid #EducationFunding #ScholarshipOpportunity #Grants #ScholarshipSearch #EducationGrants #TuitionAssistance #Puksta #CommunityLeadership #SocialChange #ServiceLearning #Empowerment #SocialJustice #CommunityService #Activism #makingadifference
The gateway to solve your social justice and community change begins with Puksta!!
#PukstaFoundation #CommunityImpact #HigherEdAccess #FinancialAid #EducationFunding #ScholarshipOpportunity #Grants #ScholarshipSearch #EducationGrants #TuitionAssistance #Puksta #CommunityLeadership #SocialChange #ServiceLearning #Empowerment #SocialJustice #CommunityService #Activism #makingadifference
Join the community of bright and young scholars to make a difference.
https://loom.ly/6Q3qpMw
#PukstaFoundation #CommunityImpact #HigherEdAccess #FinancialAid #EducationFunding #ScholarshipOpportunity #Grants #ScholarshipSearch #EducationGrants #TuitionAssistance #Puksta #CommunityLeadership #SocialChange #ServiceLearning #Empowerment #SocialJustice #CommunityService #Activism #makingadifference
CU Denver Puksta Alum `16, Will Mundo was just featured in the Denver Post as a Denver doctor making a difference! We`re proud of you, Will! Needing some inspiration today? Read his story!
https://www.denverpost.com/2024/01/29/will-mundo-denver-health-doctor-health-equity-cu-denver-latino-health/
Our Puksta Scholars at Metropolitan State University visited the Denver Center for Visual Art last night to see an exhibit right up Puksta`s alley - Pressing for Change!
Artists in this exhibition critically confront contemporary social issues. As printmakers, they provide an accessible voice for change. Through a variety of approaches, these print makers inspire action while exploring relationships of community, land, and the environment. We highly recommend going to see it if you live in the area!
Applications are OPEN for Fall 2024!
Each year, Puksta scholars collectively contribute more than 6,000 hours to projects that affect social change in in our state. Incredibly, they perform this work while also pursuing degrees at Colorado`s finest institutions. That`s nearly a full day every day, all year round when Puksta Scholars are involved in supporting their communities!
Metropolitan State University is accepting applications through March 31st! Please share with anyone planning to attend this fall!
Applications are OPEN for Fall 2024!
The Puksta Foundation promotes civic engagement among students at five of Colorado`s top universities. How? By offering scholarships to students ready to get involved in causes on and beyond their campuses. Human rights. Impacts of music education on at-risk students. Get-out-the-votes efforts. If you`ve got a desire to make a difference in your community, you may qualify for a Puksta scholarship.
University of Denver is accepting applications through March 24th! Please share with anyone planning to attend this Fall!
Applications are OPEN for Fall 2024!
The college years are about something more, something special, something significant, something we at the Puksta Foundation call civic engagement and social impact. Wanting to make a difference in your community?? Apply now!
Colorado State University is accepting applications through March 24th! Please share with anyone planning to attend this Fall!