May 5, 2006 Recipient

Cesar Ortiz

Cesar Ortiz is the inaugural recipient of the Gustavo Ipiña Memorial Scholarship.  In high school, Cesar was a good student and a standout on the varsity soccer team.  His teachers described him as a highly motivated individual who had mastered a sense of self-discipline.  What stood out to us during Cesar’s interview was his quiet self-confidence.  He was honest and unwavering in his determination to succeed.  Qualities that continue to this day.

Cesar has been attending a Dallas County Community College while maintaining steady employment.  He dreams of becoming a psychologist and the first of his family to graduate from college.



May 5, 2007 Recipient

Lizeth Olvera

Lizeth is the 2^nd youngest of seven children. She was born and raised in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, where she attended elementary and middle school. She moved to Dallas, TX in 2003 and enrolled in Woodrow Wilson High School.  At Woodrow, she participated in several extracurricular organizations such as Woodrow Ballet Folklorico, ROTC, Woodrow’s yearbook staff, and managed the varsity soccer team. Meanwhile, Lizeth remained accomplished academically and was a member of the National Honor Society. Lizeth was also an active volunteer outside of school.

Lizeth is currently attending Richland College in Dallas.  She is taking core classes and has joined a student business management team.  Upon completion of her core classes, she plans on attending the University of Texas at Dallas and majoring in International Business.

In addition to GIMS assistance, Lizeth is currently working at Chase Bank as a teller to further pay her way through college.  She has become a valuable member at Chase due to her work ethic and ability to speak English and Spanish fluently.

Lizeth dreams of being a bank executive or owning her own professional photography business some day. 



May 5, 2008 Recipient

Yichuan Lu

Yichuan has just completed his freshman year at the University of Texas at Dallas. He is majoring in Electrical Engineering. Due to his several Advanced Placement credits and ambitious enrollment, Yichuan has completed 42 hours towards his degree. Additionally, Yichuan has found a job on campus with a program called the Academic Bridge Program. He is working as a Calculus/Mechanics tutor.

Yichuan loves sports, such as swimming, basketball and table tennis and plays as often as he can. More than anything, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends.

The Gustavo Ipina Scholarship has helped pay Yichuan’s tuition in furtherance of his goal of being a college graduate.

May 5, 2008 Recipient
Elsa Olvera

Elsa Olvera is 19 years old and the youngest of seven kids. She is currently enrolled at Eastfield College in Dallas. She is majoring in Education, but is considering a change to Psychology. Elsa is interested in possibly becoming a psychologist because she loves to help people of all ages.

 

After completing her core courses, Elsa intends to transfer to the University of North Texas.  There, she will work towards a bachelor’s degree and possibly a master’s degree in Psychology.  Elsa is currently searching for employment as a teacher’s assistant at local schools or for a part time job in retail.

 

 Elsa enjoys spending time with her family in her free time and has a lot of fun with her many cousins. She and her family are always doing fun activities together like going to soccer games or having cook-outs.

Elsa says “the Gustavo Ipina Memorial Scholarship has helped me not only financially but also morally. Although I did not have the pleasure to meet Gustavo, I’ve heard so much of him. I think he was a role model for students; he was always positive and enthusiastic. He inspired me to continue my education and having this scholarship is something I am proud of because I have the opportunity he didn’t have and I am getting the best from it.”  

May 5, 2009 Recipient

Oscar Milan

The 2009 scholarship winner, Oscar Milan, shares many characteristics with Gustavo Ipiña. Oscar came to the United States with his family when he was in the seventh grade. He is the son of hardworking parents and has two young brothers who look up to him. He wants not only to make them proud, but he wants to inspire other students in the Hispanic community by reaching the "American dream…no matter what," as he wrote in his scholarship application.

 

Oscar has made the Honor Roll at Woodrow on several occasions and has been an outstanding member of the Wildcat varsity soccer team for all four years of high school.  His teachers gave him glowing recommendations.

 

Oscar is enrolled at El Centro Community College this Fall and ultimately intends on majoring in Engineering.

August  4, 2009 Recipient

Abel Cuevas

Abel Cuevas achieved so much as a graduating senior from the English as a Second Language program at Woodrow Wilson High School that we could not pass up the opportunity of awarding a second scholarship in 2009.  Throughout his career at Woodrow, Abeld maintained exceptional grades and played varsity soccer for three years.  While maintaining high marks in academics and excelling in sports, Abel helped to support his family by working at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. 

Abel is enrolled at El Centro Community College.  Much like Gustavo, Abel dreams of one day becoming an architect.

May 5, 2010 Recipient 

Leticia Vargas

We first learned about Leticia after she was profiled in the Lakewood Advocate.  She was featured as a local student overcoming adversity.  Meeting Leticia was truly a joy.  Volunteering and helping others are priorities to her.  Leticia was born with one leg shorter than the other and has had issues with her hip and leg since the age of six.  Her family came to Texas from Mexico several years ago to seek medical help from Texas Scottish Rite Hospital.  After receiving amazing treatment from the doctors and nurses at Scottish Rite, Leticia had an epiphany.  She looked around and saw that many children around her were much worse off than she was and right then and there, decided she needed to help.  While in high school, Leticia would travel, by bus, two nights a week from East Dallas to Scottish Rite to volunteer – all while maintaining an excellent GPA.  Leticia is studying to be a nurse.  One of eight children, she will be the first in her family to go to college. 

May 5, 2011 Recipient

Edith Rodriguez

Edith is an exceptional young woman. She came to the United States when she was 13 years old from Mexico. Although she and her family encountered many obstacles during this transition, Edith’s ambition, wit, and keen intellect allowed her to shine both inside and outside of the classroom. Edith was the highest ranked student in her second and third years of the ESL program, served on the Woodrow Wilson Student Council, and worked part-time at a restaurant in high school. Her childhood story and subsequent successes at Woodrow were so remarkable that the Lakewood Advocate featured her in an article about “High Schoolers who have Overcome.” Edith aspires to become an attorney and help victims of domestic violence. Edith’s compassion and intelligence will make her an outstanding leader in our community someday. She is a most welcome addition to the GIMS family.

May 5, 2011 Recipient

Kevin Gómez

Kevin instantly impressed the GIMS board with his long list of academic and personal achievements. He is a member of the Woodrow Wilson A/B Honor Roll and has been nominated by his teachers for many awards. He is the Historian of the National Honor Society, a member of the Woodrow Wilson Golf Team and Student Council, and enjoys doing community service at Juliette Fowler Homes. Kevin has already been accepted to two four-year universities. He wants to major in business so that he can eventually own a store that benefits the Latino community. His ambitious nature, affable personality, and genuine kindheartedness are not only characteristics similar to those of Gustavo Ipiňa, but also those of a successful business man. He is most deserving of a GIMS scholarship.

May 5, 2011 Recipient

Yadira León

Yadira’s quiet confidence impresses all who meet her. She maintained a spot on the Woodrow Wilson A Honor Roll throughout high school, attended the Dallas Hispanic Youth Symposium, took several AP courses, and worked at a restaurant simultaneously. She is clearly determined to do whatever it takes to fulfill her dreams of becoming a nurse. Yadira is considered a leader among her peers. She is particularly noted for her willingness to explain difficult concepts in class (in both English and Spanish) and for her ever-present concern for the well-being of others. Yadira is clearly a high achiever and hard worker with her eyes on the bright future that lays ahead of her.  She is a valuable asset to the GIMS family and poised for success in college.