Seven Cañada Students Receive Scholarships to Transfer to Four-Year Universities

Cañada College student Chris Rodriguez, 20, has lived in Redwood City his entire life. But this fall, he’s leaving to attend a four-year university to study mechanical engineering. And he says he’s not at all concerned, he’ll be leaving with at least $10,500 to alleviate the steep cost of a four-year college tuition.

Rodriguez and six other Cañada College students will also receive the same handsome parting gifts from the National Science Foundation. Cañada College received more Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) scholarships than any community college in the state this year.

Of 44 students who received the transfer scholarships, the seven from Cañada were selected from a pool of 160. Typically, only one student from Cañada is chosen, said Cathy Lipe, coordinator for Cañada’s MESA program.

“I was stunned,” Lipe said. “It’s phenomenal that as they’re leaving they’re going to have everything they need.”

“It feels great,” said recipient Alex Ramos, 26. “This year has been really good to me.”

Ramos was in the Marine Corps for six years working as a jet electrician before he was honorably discharged. He began attending a junior college in Valencia in Southern California but eventually transferred to Cañada College as an electrical engineering major.

“It was the best decision I ever made,” the 4.0 student said of the transfer to Cañada. “They have the best teachers in the math and sciences departments. And the scholarship counselors, like [Lipe], always make sure students know about opportunities.”

Lipe added that transfer students are more likely to graduate because “they know why they’re there.”

The biggest challenge for transfer students, she said, is obtaining financial stability once they’re at a four-year university. Attending a community college allows students to live at home and often work a part-time job. The tuition is often only a fraction of what four-year universities cost.

“Scholarships are one of the most important things to me,” Ramos said. “Being an engineering major means business, and students trying to work even a part-time job end up slipping.”

Lipe said this was a common concern amongst most transfer students.

“The big issue and the scary part is the money,” she said. “Attending a four-year university requires being a full-time student, something that many students can’t afford.”

In these tough economic times, Lipe said many parents and families have more needs and have to be financially conservative. Often a four-year college tuition is an astronomical payment.

“At first I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to afford a four-year university after high school,” Rodriguez said. “But now I’m more mature and knew I needed to raise funds for college because my parents won’t be able to pay for everything.”

Rodriguez and Ramos are both interested in electric vehicles that would reduce drivers’ carbon footprint, a hot technology whose industry is booming.

“I’ve always been good at taking things apart and looking at the mechanics,” Rodriguez said of his interest in designing more environmentally safe planes or cars.

Ramos added that he wants to attend Graduate School and get a Masters degree to work with power systems in electric plants or provide new ways to implement the smart grid.

Since Cañada College received its first grant in 1999, Cañada students have received more than $800,000 to continue a higher education to pursue career paths like Rodriguez’ and Ramos’.

Once students finally head to UC Berkeley or San Jose State University or San Cal Poly Luis Obispo, there will also be four-year MESA programs as well. Counselors will help students acquire internships and other advice, such as establishing savings accounts.

“If students can keep their grades up, there’s still a fair amount of resources for students," Lipe said.

A list of the recipients:

• Alexander Ramos, an electrical engineering major from Redwood City who is planning to transfer to U.C. Berkeley.
• Chris Rodriguez, a mechanical engineering major from Redwood City who will transfer to either San Jose State University or U.C. San Diego.
• Marjorie Martinez, a mathematics major from Redwood City who will transfer to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
• Jenna Murphy, a mathematics major from Redwood City who will transfer to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
• Moises Quiroz, a mechanical engineering major from East Palo Alto who will transfer to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
• Joy Franco, a mechanical engineering major from Fremont who will transfer to either San Jose State University or U.C. Berkeley.
• Ian Scott, an electrical engineering major from Pacifica who will transfer to San Francisco State University.