Two Students Receive Prestigious UC Pister Scholarship
by Public Information Office on Jul 14, 2026
From left to right are Dr. Pedro Avila, Superintendent/President of Gavilan College; Paula Pacheco; Mia Abonce; and Anna Quinones, Director of the Gavilan College Foundation.
Gavilan College students Paula Pacheco and Mia Abonce have been awarded $20,000 each through the UC Pister Scholarship, a highly competitive scholarship that recognizes outstanding California Community College transfer students for their academic achievement, leadership, and perseverance.
Both students will receive scholarship support as they transfer to UC Santa Cruz this fall.
Though their paths to higher education were very different, both students credit Gavilan College with helping them discover what was possible.
Pacheco returned to college after years away from the classroom. A first-generation college student, she briefly attended college following high school but left to help support her family after her father's death. As a working parent in her mid-30s, she enrolled at Gavilan through the CalWORKs program.
"I found my voice and I found my purpose at Gavilan," Pacheco said.
What began as a single class quickly became a love of learning. With support from counselors, faculty, and student support programs, Pacheco earned spots on the Dean's List and President's List while pursuing degrees in Communication Studies and Administration of Justice.
During her time at Gavilan, Pacheco faced a serious neurological health challenge that threatened to derail her education. She credits the encouragement she received from counselors, faculty, and staff with helping her continue toward her goals.
This fall, Pacheco will transfer to UC Santa Cruz to study Community Studies, combining her interests in communication, social work, and justice. Her long-term goal is to earn a Master of Social Work degree and create a nonprofit organization serving teenage girls in San Benito County who have experienced abuse or trauma.
Receiving the scholarship, she said, felt like recognition of both her hard work and her goals.
"It's like someone said, 'We see you. We see your hard work, and we believe in everything you're trying to do.'"
Abonce's journey began with uncertainty about whether a university education was financially attainable. A first-generation college student from San Benito County, she dreamed of attending a four-year university but wasn't sure it would be possible.
After enrolling at Gavilan, she discovered a passion for biology, neuroscience, and mental health through coursework, faculty mentorship, and STEM programs.
"Gavilan opened so many doors for me," Abonce said.
Through STEM coursework, MESA, and friendships with fellow science students, Abonce found a community that helped build her confidence and sense of belonging.
This fall, she will transfer to UC Santa Cruz to study neuroscience.
"I couldn't believe it," Abonce said of receiving the scholarship. "I had the same reaction I had when I found out I got into UC Santa Cruz."
The scholarship will help make it possible for Abonce to continue her education and pursue a career in neuroscience.
While their journeys were different, both students said they found the same thing at Gavilan: people who believed in them.
"My favorite part of Gavilan was that my kids were always welcome," Pacheco said. "The support programs always made space for them. They were part of the journey, too."
The two scholarship recipients also shared something more personal: both had small rituals at the Student Center to celebrate academic wins. For Abonce, that meant a piece of tiramisu after doing well on a test. For Pacheco, it meant a meal and a brownie after earning a good grade on a major paper or project, or as finals approached.
"Even if I didn’t have any classes at the Gilroy campus, I’d go," Pacheco said.
"This scholarship is proof that I’m on the right track," Pacheco said. "Gavilan has allowed me to turn my past into a future that is going to help others through advocacy, storytelling, and systemic change."
"Don't overlook community college," Abonce said. "The teachers, the support, the community—it can open doors you never expected."
The UC Pister Scholarship recognizes California Community College students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement, leadership potential, and a commitment to their communities as they transfer to a University of California campus.