Jasmine (second on the right and wearing a Bushnell sweatshirt) with a group of friends at a Bushnell University volleyball game.

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Jasmine Aguilar

Hometown and State: Springfield, OR
School or University Name: Bushnell University
Major: Communications: Public Relations
Minor: Creative Writing

Why was this scholarship meaningful to you?

I am honored to be a recipient of the PCC Structurals Scholarship. Thank you for supporting my education and investing in me. I am currently in my senior year at Bushnell University where I am studying communications and public relations. Without scholarships, I would not have been able to attend Bushnell University and work to achieve my professional goals.

After graduation, I plan to…

After graduation, I plan to attend Law School. I want to represent those who need legal help and give back to my city.

Why did you choose your college and major?

I chose Bushnell University because of the small class size and communications program. I love that the biggest class I have attended at Bushnell has been of 40 students and the average class has about 10-15 students. It has allowed me to get to know my professors more personally and build a community with my peers. I chose my major because I wanted to grow in my communication skills. It has allowed me to learn persuasion techniques, how to deal with conflicts, and how to effectively argue, give speeches and presentations, and have better interpersonal relationships.

William Byrd

Hometown and State: Roseburg, OR
School or University Name: George Fox University
Major: Civil Engineering

Why was this scholarship meaningful to you?

Receiving this scholarship meant a lot to me. This past year has been hard on everyone, and it truly is inspiring and encouraging to know that people are willing to support and help me finish my degree and begin my career. A simple “thank you” does not fully show how honored I am to receive this scholarship. I am truly grateful and appreciative for this generous gift to help me complete my education.

Why did you choose your college and major?

I chose to pursue civil engineering because I want to make an impact on society that could be visible in everyday life as well as suit my personality, hobbies, and outdoor lifestyle. I transferred to George Fox University for its robust civil engineering program, small class sizes, and excellent student-to-faculty ratio. I have enjoyed getting to know both my fellow classmates and professors throughout the past three years.

After graduation, I plan to…

After graduation, I plan to pursue a civil engineering position in a consulting firm. I am also choosing to relocate after graduation to the Rocky Mountain area, so whichever position I choose will be in a new city and state. This will provide me with new opportunities and allow me to expand my horizons.

My fiancé and me atop the summit of Table Mountain with Grand Teton looming in the background. This photo was taken shortly after I proposed.

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This is a selfie of me going hiking on the Tumalo Falls trail.

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Esaul Castillo Ochoa

Hometown and State: Salem, OR
School or University Name: University of Portland
Major: Mechanical Engineering

Why was this scholarship meaningful to you?

This scholarship is a great financial help to me. It reduces the load on my parents and helps my sister, who just graduated high school, to have more freedom when picking a college. Thank you for the scholarship. It is greatly appreciated.

After graduation, I plan to…

After graduation, I plan to work in the biomedical industry or automotive industry in the Pacific Northwest.

Why did you choose your college and major?

I chose my major because I have always been a curious person and I love figuring out how things work. I really like the way engineers help others and I wanted to help others through engineering.

Jaelene Diaz Chavez

Hometown and State: Gresham, OR
School or University Name: Corban University
Major: Biomedical Sciences

Why was this scholarship meaningful to you?

First and foremost, I want to thank PCC Structurals and The Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges and Universities for awarding me this scholarship. I had the opportunity to have such a hardworking role model in my mom. She has always worked hard to support my brother and me. From this experience, I learned that it is very important to work hard no matter what because things in life are not given, they are earned. This scholarship is meaningful to me because it proves to me that I have worked hard to get to where I am. I would work warehouse jobs during the summer to help save up for college. I still am working a warehouse job as a full-time bio-med student and to be offered this scholarship was truly a blessing. Thank you for putting your trust in me with this scholarship, I will not disappoint! I truly appreciate it, thank you.

Why did you choose your college and major?

I chose this college because I really liked the environment when I came for a visit my senior year of high school. Also, knowing that my class sizes are small are what really drew me in. I have the opportunity to really get to know my teachers and have one-on-one sessions to really understand the material in my classes. I chose to pursue a major in biomedical sciences because I want to make a difference in my future career and I believe the skills and knowledge I will get from this major will allow me to do just that. Everyone knows that one nurse or doctor that is an open outgoing person, who made you feel safe, and comfortable. That is my goal, to become "that" person that people will remember.

After graduation, I plan to…

After graduation, I plan to attend an accelerated nursing program and earn a bachelor's in nursing. I will then continue my studies and transition into a PhD of nursing so I am able to open my own clinic and have my own practice.

This is a photo of me from my media day for track/field.

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Just a picture of me!

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Victor Nieves-Garcia

Hometown and State: St Helens, OR
School or University Name: Linfield University
Major: Computer science

Why was this scholarship meaningful to you?

This scholarship is meaningful to me because it allows me to focus more on school and focus less on the cost. Thank you!

After graduation, I plan to…

I plan on finding a job in the software engineering field and putting my knowledge to the test by working on solutions to problems only computers can handle. I also plan to travel and visit places I've never been to before.

Why did you choose your college and major?

I fell in love with the campus at Linfield and the small class sizes made me look forward to getting to know my professors and ask questions without worrying if the professor will even know my name. Computer science was the choice for me as I've always been interested in working and learning about computers.

Kristian Peev

Hometown and State: Portland, OR
School or University Name: Lewis & Clark College
Majors: Economics, Classics

Why was this scholarship meaningful to you?

I am very thankful to be chosen for this scholarship because my family is trying their best to support me financially and this award will help me continue my academic goals at Lewis & Clark College.

After graduation, I plan to…

Go to grad school and get a master’s degree in finance and then get a job at a sportswear company.

Why did you choose your college and major?

I want finance to be my master’s degree, and I want to eventually work at Nike or Adidas. I chose Classics because I have a passion for ancient history since childhood, so I am studying both during my time at L&C.

This is a photo of me (left) and my doubles partner (right) on the tennis team during the 2020/21 year. We had a great season! This was taken after our win over George Fox during our end of year conference tournament (only me and him won our doubles match from our entire team).

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This is one of my recent pictures of me modeling.

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Dorian Robinson

Hometown and State: Mobile, AL
School or University Name: Multnomah University
Major: Business management

Why was this scholarship meaningful to you?

First, thank you for the scholarship. It means a lot to me. Sometimes in life, you struggle so much, and you never know what could happen. Then, you become blessed, and I believe that I’ve been blessed with this scholarship. It might not pay all my tuition, but it does help me, and I can use all the help I can get. I really appreciate PCC Structurals support.

Why did you choose your college and major?

I chose my major in high school. I was looking to be a model, but my college didn’t have fashion as a major option, so I chose business management because I also want to own my own company and work for myself.

After graduation, I plan to…

After graduation, I plan to either play soccer or become a fashion model or just really dig deep into fashion and see what can become of it.

Mang Suum

Hometown and State: Portland, OR
School or University Name: Willamette University
Major: Physics
Minor: Math

Why was this scholarship meaningful to you?

Receiving this scholarship was a blessing for me. Knowing that this scholarship would lessen my family’s financial worries means a lot to me. In addition, I can focus on my classes more and not worry about loans as much. Thank you for giving me this opportunity through your support of the PCC Structurals Scholarship.

Why did you choose your college and major?

I chose Willamette University because it was close to where I lived, and the financial aid package was one of the best. Physics was a topic that I was really fascinated with since high school. I chose to major in physics so I can become an Aerospace Engineer.

After graduation, I plan to…

Work as an Aerospace Engineer. It would be a dream come true if I could work for NASA and/or SpaceX.

Group picture of my younger brother and me hanging out with our uncles in Portland. I’m the person at the top right (wearing a grey shirt with a black jacket).

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I took this photo when I was participating in an internship on Oahu.

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Ashley Swafford

Hometown and State: Athena, OR
School or University Name: Pacific University
Major: Biology

Why was this scholarship meaningful to you?

With the help of this scholarship, I can focus more on my academics rather than worrying about being able to work enough to pay for school as a first-generation college student. I am very thankful to receive this scholarship and have the opportunity to follow my goals and pursue education. Thank you for allowing me to follow my dreams by helping pay for my tuition.

After graduation, I plan to…

I plan to attend graduate school to get a PhD in zoology, so I can research different animals.

Why did you choose your college and major?

I chose Pacific because I was always drawn to how welcoming and friendly everyone was. As a child, I always knew that I wanted to attend college so that I would be able to pursue my dream of working with and studying animals. I chose to study biology at Pacific over other universities because the staff seemed very knowledgeable and passionate about teaching and helping students succeed.