ABOUT THE SF STATE PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM
San Francisco State University provides an outstanding mix of access and excellence for the approximately 25,000 students it enrolls. Distinguished by its record of serving low-income students, first-generation college students, and underrepresented ethnic minorities, SF State strives to create pathways of opportunity for students from California, the nation and the globe in order to make their educational and occupational dreams become a reality. The SF State Presidential Scholars Program, with the support and oversight of the Division of Student Life, promotes exceptional learning and adheres to the highest standards of academic quality in the spirit of inclusive excellence.
Each year, four to six scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit to an entering freshman cohort of four SF State Presidential Scholars. Awarding criteria is based on academic performance and leadership contributions and service activities while in high school; continuation criteria is based on academic performance and participation in cohort-based activities. An emphasis on first generation, low income students from the San Francisco Bay Area is a hallmark of the program. In addition to a four-year scholarship covering tuition/fees, housing and books, students participate in cohort-building co-curricular activities that are planned, implemented, and coordinated by a faculty coordinator, with developmentally appropriate programs designed specifically for the cohort of students. Graduating scholars are also recognized at Commencement.
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Our SF State Presidential Scholars:
Da'janique Crosley: Public Health major (Class of 2025)
John O'Connell High School, San Francisco
Naseem Driadr: Public Health major (Class of 2028)
Lincoln High School, Stockton
Estefani Flores: Anthropology major (Class of 2025)
Oakland High School, Oakland
Ian Gaerlan: Education major (Class of 2027)
Oakland School for the Arts, Oakland
Mohammed Ibrahim: Dietetics and Nutrition Sciences major (Class of 2027)
Milpitas High School, Milpitas
Lorrina Jimenez: Race & Resistance Studies major (Class of 2025)
San Leandro High School, San Leandro
Tiffany Medrano Martinez: Cinema major (Class of 2028)
Summit Everest Public High School, Redwood City
Hosna Mohd Zaman: Psychology major (Class of 2027)
Vacaville High School, Vacaville
Louis Que: Business Accounting major (Class of 2026)
San Mateo High School, San Mateo
Brenda Rivera: Pre-psychology major (Class of 2026)
Menlo-Atherton High School, San Mateo
Denis Sakanovic: Computer Science major (Class of 2026)
Eden Area ROP, San Leandro
Chey Tam: Chinese major (Class of 2028)
Oceana High School, Pacifica
Miriam Uriostegui: Art major (Class of 2026)
Marin School of the Arts, Vallejo
FACULTY COORDINATOR
Dr. Cristina L. Azocar (she/her/hers) is a member of the Upper Mattaponi Tribe. She is a professor of journalism at San Francisco State University where her research focuses on the intersection of race and journalistic practice, particularly in the area of news coverage of Indigenous people. Azocar earned her doctorate in Communication Studies at the University of Michigan. She has master's degree in Ethnic Studies and a bachelor's degree in Journalism, both from San Francisco State University. Her interest in diversity in the news media spans more than 30 years, and began with her concern about negative news media representations of Indigenous people. Dr. Azocar served as a past president of the Native American Journalists Association, directed the Center for Integration and Improvement of Journalism for 10 years, was a former editor of American Indian Issues for the Media Diversity Forum, and was an inaugural board member of the Women’s Media Center. She is the author of News Media and the Indigenous Fight for Federal Recognition. Follow her on Twitter: @drsugah
For any questions or request more information about the Presidential Scholars Program at SF State, please contact Faculty Coordinator Dr. Cristina Azocar at cazocar@sfsu.edu or the Division of Student Life at dos@sfsu.edu.
Photo in banner above: Presidential Scholar Martin Luther King Day Celebration at Rosa Parks Elementary School
Presidential Scholars
