Leadership Scholarships
Rewarding Our Student Leaders
The UCR LGBTQIA Student Leadership Scholarships are awarded to undergraduate or graduate students who demonstrate exceptional student leadership in the UCR LGBTQIA community.
A scholarship selection committee comprised of UCR staff, faculty, and students selects at least one $1,000 scholarship recipient annually. Scholarship recipients are selected based on academic achievement, personal merit, and their contributions to the LGBTQIA community.
Application Process
- Applications will re-open in January.
- Complete the online application by the deadline in Winter Quarter. Note: it includes an essay of at least 750 words.
- A scholarship selection committee of UCR staff, faculty, and students will choose a scholarship recipient in Winter Quarter.
- Funds will be awarded as financial aid in Spring quarter.
Questions may be directed to Nancy Tubbs, director of the LGBT Resources Center, at nancy.tubbs@ucr.edu or (951) 827-2267.
Past Scholarship Winners
We salute our past scholarship awardees. Learn more about these standout leaders and their contributions to our campus community.
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2024: Abtin Shafie & Tempest Won
2024: Abtin Shafie & Tempest Won
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2022: Gee Pineda
2022: Gee Pineda
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2021: Azalea M. Corral
2021: Azalea M. Corral
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2020: Edward Legaspi, Kevin Rivas, Pablo Gutierrez
2020: Edward Legaspi, Kevin Rivas, Pablo Gutierrez
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2019:
Crescent Rose
Crescent Rose
Crescent Rose transferred into UCR and immediately made a mark on campus life by organizing a panel of people living with HIV for the CORE Presents Series; organizing and performing at Dragalicious Drag Ball to raise scholarship funds; and getting out the vote while in FULL DRAG to support the Highlander Empowerment Student Services Referendum.
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2018:
Lydia Brcak
Lydia Brcak
Lydia is active within multiple student organizations, especially with Queer Association for Asian Pacific Islanders. Through a student coordinator role within Asian Pacific Student Programs, Lydia expanded awareness and LGBTQ inclusion in APSP’s space and programming. Lydia’s goals are to do the same with a future career in public health.
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2017: Angela Olivares
Angela Olivares
Angela’s activism within the LGBTQIA community was inspired by the impact of Safe Schools Desert Cities had on her as a young queer, biracial person. Angela brought this same passion to give back at UCR through Community OUTreach Educators, giving time and energy to the ¡Presente! Conference, Asterisk Trans* Conference, Dragalicious Drag Ball, and educational events across campus.
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2016: Aian Mendoza
Aian Mendoza
Aian transferred to UCR already an activist for LGBTQ people at their community college. They took leadership roles with Queer Alliance of UCR and later the Queer Association for Asian Pacific Islanders. They are also active as a Community OUTreach Educator/CORE member and within QTPOC of UCR. Aian’s dedication to supporting LGBTQ youth shows in their outreach to high school GSA’s.
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2015: Silver Aceves Reyes
Silver Aceves Reyes
Silver Aceves Reyes is an UndocuQueer student of color who has shown tremendous leadership by educating and speaking out about the UndocuQueer experience. Silver has helped UndocuQueer voices to be heard at UCR, supporting an often invisible community.
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2015: Karina Hernandez
Karina Hernandez
Karina Hernandez has leadership roles in La Familia, Queer and Trans People of Color, and Gamma Rho Lambda, as well as serving as a Peer Mentor for Chicano Student Programs. Karina advocates for healthy masculinity, especially in the Queer community.
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2014: Ash Preston & Ashlee Turner
Ash Preston & Ashlee Turner
Ash Preston is the founder of Asterisk, a UCR organization for trans* students and their allies which contributes greatly to trans* visibility and education on campus. Ash served as a T*Camp student facilitator, and is also active in TruEvolution’s Commission on Campus Equality.
Ashlee Turner holds leadership roles in Gamma Rho Lambda, Queer People of Color, and Queer Alliance. Ashlee fosters the growth of her peers, with a focus on intersections of identity and empowerment.
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2013: Jo Montoya & Jason Yuen
Jo Montoya & Jason Yuen
Jo helped launch NAMES & Neighbors, an organization for students of diverse sexualities and genders with ties to North Africa, the Middle East and the Subcontinent. Jo is active in Queer People of Color and a La Familia officer.
Jason directs Queer Alliance's “The Coming Out Monologues” and is active in the Queer Association for Asian Pacific Islanders and the Condom Co-op.
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2011:Tim Grove
Tim Grove
Tim is a media and cultural studies/theatre double major with an LGBIT studies minor. As president of Queer Alliance, Tim is able to intertwine all of his passions into one: LGBTQIA issues, entertainment, education, advocacy, action and youth outreach. Tim also serves as an Associate Students Program board member and as the LGBIT Studies Minor Faculty Committee student representative.
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2011: Annette Pakhchian
Annette Pakhchian
Annette’s activism includes raising more than $4,500 for AIDS Walk LA, volunteering with Pierce VSA and Gay for Good and co-organizing a “Teach the Teachers” program where student panels discussed LGBTQIA inclusivity in the classroom. Her Queer & Middle Eastern Caucus facilitation at the 2011 Queer People of Color Conference led to an online community with a steadily growing membership.
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2010: Vincent La
Vincent La
ASPB Cultural Programs Director Vincent La serves on the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on the Status of LGBTs, is a peer mentor for Peer Connections and the Honors Program and co-chaired the 2011 Queer People of Color Conference. He helps provide support to students just coming out as well as campus-wide LGBT cultural programming.
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2010: Remie Rahman
Remie Rahman
Remie is a REACH peer educator and super Ally. She constantly seeks to learn about the LGBTQQ community and educate others around her. Remie grew up Muslim and is an "out” Ally in her community. She was the Volunteer Coordinator for the 2011 Queer People of Color Conference.