March 25, 2023 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

SMC Student Accepted Into Columbia University, Handpicked For Full Tuition Scholarship:

Recent Santa Monica College graduate Grace Sandoval, 26, who was accepted into Columbia University School of General Studies (GS), has been handpicked to receive the Ivy League university’s full tuition Program for Academic Leadership and Service (PALS) scholarship.

“PALS Scholars embody the very best of the School of General Studies—academic accomplishment coupled with a commitment to leadership that, as nontraditional students, was nurtured and developed while overcoming many obstacles in their personal and professional lives,” said Peter J. Awn, Dean of Columbia University School of GS. PALS Scholars are typically first-generation college students, members of historically underrepresented groups with high financial need and a demonstrated ability to succeed in a competitive academic environment.

When Sandoval received a FedEx envelope, she thought it was a Jilian Michaels exercise DVD she had ordered – until she saw the return address. The envelope contained her acceptance letter from Columbia University and a few weeks later, Sandoval was informed that she had been selected for the university’s PALS scholarship.

“I started bawling on the phone,” said Sandoval. “I thought it was a joke!” Recipients do not apply for this scholarship – which was created in 1999 – but are selected by a committee comprised of admissions officials at Columbia University School of GS.

Born in Las Vegas, Nevada to immigrant parents, Sandoval lost her father to AIDS when she was four and was raised by her mother – a housekeeper at a hotel and casino – who instilled in her the importance of education. In high school, Sandoval, who was in the top eleven percent of her class, shared with a counselor her dream to go to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); she was told that it was not a viable dream “due to cost” and was advised to remain in Nevada.

She dropped out of high school but later joined the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) as a non-matriculated student, where she excelled and found her passion for social justice and her love for the performing arts. Sandoval presented at academic conferences including the National Women’s Studies Association and Living Without Borders and became an active social organizer and a spoken word artist.

She translated her experiences as a survivor of poverty, childhood sexual assault and homophobia into poetry that she describes as “both political and personal, opening what society taught me to mask,” writing about topics like migrant mothers and survival economies, working multiple jobs while in school, and wearing safety pins on ripped backpacks to keep them from falling apart.

While at UNLV, Sandoval decided to postpone her education for financial and personal reasons, which included being diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; she spent subsequent years working at the Las Vegas Rape Crisis Center and during this time she also co-produced and co-directed a Spanish version of The Vagina Monologues in Las Vegas.

In 2011, Sandoval decided to continue her education, so that she could make an even bigger impact – she chose SMC because she had heard about the college’s reputation as California’s Number One transfer institution.

At SMC, Sandoval majored in Women’s Studies and won academic achievement awards from the college’s Extended Opportunity Programs and Services and Disabled Students Programs and Services, three scholarships and maintained a 3.53 GPA despite housing and economic hardships.

Here, Sandoval rediscovered her interest in Biology – she will be majoring in both Women’s Studies and Biology at Columbia University School of GS.

“This wasn’t a one-woman show, it was a full production,” says Sandoval. When the time came to apply to universities, Sandoval felt “debilitating fear” but her support network at SMC – counselors, professors, and staff – ensured she dreamt even bigger than UCLA. Sandoval was accepted into 10 out of the 12 schools she applied to, including UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Loyola Marymount University.

“Grace’s humanity fuels her efforts for social justice and makes her a force for social change,” says Christina Preciado, SMC Sociology professor. “She will leave the world a better place than she found it.”

Sandoval’s future plans include participating in biological research – specifically immunology – and combining her strengths in social justice and life science to transform communities, especially the marginalized. And one more thing: “Someday, I am going to buy my mom a house,” declares Sandoval.

in News
Related Posts

Santa Monica Pet Hotel Hosts Puppy-Friendly St. Patty’s Day Party

March 24, 2023

March 24, 2023

A new pet hotel in Santa Monica recently hosted a St. Patrick’s Day party for local dogs. Check out all...

Santa Monica Mountains Largest Ever Restoration Project Nears Completion After 7,000 Hours of Volunteer Work

March 24, 2023

March 24, 2023

Final planting event will be held Saturday, March 25 at 9 a.m. for the park’s largest ever restoration project After...

California Appeals Court Rules Uber and Lyft Can Classify Drivers as Independent Contractors

March 24, 2023

March 24, 2023

Proposition 22 exempted ride-share companies from certain labor laws, court rules in favor of the companies By Sam Catanzaro ​​A...

Film Review – Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre

March 24, 2023

March 24, 2023

FILM REVIEWOPERATION FORTUNE: Ruse de GuerreRated R114 MinutesReleased March 3rd Now that the season of weighty Oscar contender films is...

Santa Monica Uses Innovative Water Recycling Facility to Capture and Store Rainwater

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

City’s Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project reducing reliance on imported water and sets a model for future projects Santa Monica has...

Shuttered Santa Monica Loews Hotel to Rebrand and Reopen as a Regent Hotel

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

Hotel’s new operator announces plans for $4 million renovation, including rebranding and upgrading accessibility for guests with disabilities By Dolores...

Three Arrested for Identity Theft, Possession of Stolen Property, and Grand Theft in Santa Monica

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

Suspects found with over 20 stolen cellphones, credit cards, and identification Three individuals were arrested in Santa Monica for identity...

Proposal for Improved Communication With Street Vendors Sparks Contentious Debate in City Council Meeting

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

Councilmembers divided over proposal calling for City Manager to engage in meaningful consultation with authorized vendors regarding sidewalk vending policies...

Former Bank Building in Santa Monica Becomes a Food Destination with Addition of Katsu Bar

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

Katsu Bar joins Paderia and Oakberry in the transformation of the 3032 Wilshire building By Dolores Quintana Katsu Bar has...

Survey: Should Officials Remove Barriers to Outdoor Dining?

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed the way we live our lives, and one of the most significant impacts has been...

Gasolina Cafe Owner, Sandra Cordero, to Open New Tapas Bar in Santa Monica

March 23, 2023

March 23, 2023

Tapas bar expected to open late spring in former Heroic Italian space at 516 Santa Monica Boulevard  Sandra Cordero, the...

California’s AB 1217 Could Supersede Costly Outdoor Dining Permits Proposed by Municipalities

March 22, 2023

March 22, 2023

Legislation would preempt local ordinances and preserve regulatory flexibility for struggling neighborhood restaurants By Sam Catanzaro A new bill proposed...

Emerging Artist Jesse Liu Opens First-Ever Exhibition in Venice Gallery

March 22, 2023

March 22, 2023

“Spring Fever” currently on display at Yiwei Gallery By Keemia Zhang Local artist Jesse Liu has opened her first solo...

Santa Monica Place Invites LGBTQIA+ Artisans to Apply for Made With PRIDE Marketplace

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Partnering with Streetlet, the marketplace will take place each weekend in June and showcase local goods made in Southern California....

Santa Monica Councilmember Phil Brock Appointed to National League of Cities Council on Youth, Education, and Families

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Brock to collaborate with group of local leaders to develop and guide programs for communities across the country Santa Monica...