2008 Karl S. Pister Leadership Award Recipient

 

Frances Soto, a Gavilan College student, has been named the 2008 Karl S. Pister Leadership Award recipient by the University of California Santa Cruz.  The Karl S. Pister Leadership Award Program provides a $20,000 scholarship to attend the University of California, Santa Cruz. 

Established to help the most promising students from 13 regional community colleges transfer to UC Santa Cruz, the Pister Leadership Award provides transfer students with a a $10,000 scholarship for two years, as well as provide support from a strong academic networking program and assistance finding paid summer work experience in a field that complements their studies. The program, designed by former UCSC Chancellor Karl S.  Pister, recognizes students who have made a demonstrated commitment to assisting and improving the lives of others, who have overcome adverse socioeconomic circumstances, and who might not otherwise be able to attend UCSC for financial reasons. Candidates are nominated by the presidents of each of 13 regional community colleges, and recipients are selected by the UCSC chancellor in consultation with the Leadership Opportunity Awards Program Screening Committee.

As a re-entry student at Gavilan College, Frances has been on the President’s List and has earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.6 after completing six semesters.  Other accomplishments include volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity helping build homes for low-income families in Alviso as well as raising a family as a single parent while working full time. 

Frances will be majoring in legal studies at UC Santa Cruz in the fall and plans on giving back to the community by providing pro bono legal services to underrepresented groups in the area. Soto states, “It is sad to see people who are unable to understand legal documents, not only because they can be very complex and confusing, but because they cannot read them or do no understand their legal right, plus they are too poor to pay an attorney to help them interpret the information.  I see this basic need here in Hollister and wish I could help out right now.”  Frances plans on giving back to the community, after she graduates from UC Santa Cruz!