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This is a proud time of year for us at Pacific as we celebrate those children of Team Orange employees who are graduating from high school and college. We are especially proud of those pictured above who have participated in our scholarship program. Eight years ago, we started a scholarship program for children of employees who will be the first in their family to attend college. When an employee (who had not graduated from high school himself) approached us asking about help for his daughter who wanted to go to college, we became motivated to provide financial and planning assistance. The program has grown, and we are excited to help many of our employees who do not understand the college preparation and financial aid process work through that process to help their children achieve that goal.
Over the years, we have seen six graduates from our scholarship program.
This year, we just granted six more $5,000 scholarships for this coming school year and are excited to see the program continue to grow. We look forward to celebrating graduates again for many years to come
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Our recipients this coming year are:
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Mayra E. Marin, daughter of Maria Villaverde (Sherwood Branch) – Mayra will be finishing her third year of college at the University of Oregon. She is double majoring in Psychology and Planning, Public Policy & Management (PPPM). She is very engaged outside of classes as she is the finance director for a student organization called UO Muxeres. “Once I graduate, I want to work in the public sector, giving back to my communities.”
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Bacillio Marcos Lorenzo, son of Bacillio Marcos Miguel Pedro (Hillsboro Branch) – Throughout his education, his academic interests and career goals have undergone a profound evolution, shaped by his unique experiences and unwavering determination to overcome challenges. Growing up in Guatemala, he was immersed in a multicultural environment where fluency in multiple languages was celebrated. His upbringing in a household where Q’anjob’al was spoken, alongside his acquisition of Spanish, laid the foundation for his linguistic journey. In school, the presence of multilingual educators fostered an inclusive learning environment where students felt empowered to engage and excel. Inspired by these experiences, he aspires to become a trilingual educator, dedicated to supporting students from diverse backgrounds and preserving their cultural heritage. During his high school years, he undertook comprehensive preparations for college, recognizing the importance of laying a strong foundation for his future academic pursuits. Despite the unique challenges he encountered as an immigrant, he remained steadfast in his commitment to education and pursued various avenues to ensure his readiness for higher education.
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Violeta Peña Andrade, daughter of Ramon Peña Becerra (Mukilteo Branch) – Violeta is entering her sophomore year at the University of Washington, where she is majoring in Biology. She is currently deciding between PA (physician assistant) school or medical school. She says she will certainly pursue a career in medicine because, as a first-generation Latina, she’s often seen how language barriers and cultural disconnects can lead to inadequate care for her community. Pursuing medicine allows her to not only represent her community in spaces where they’re underrepresented, but also to provide competent care for the health disparities they face.
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Marissa Mandujano Romero, daughter of Andres Romero Garcia (Tacoma Branch) – Marissa will be entering her third year of university at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. As she is part of the Joint Degree Programme, she will continue her studies abroad at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Marissa is an International Relations major and Psychology minor and will graduate with international honors. At William and Mary, she was an executive member for the immigrant advocacy organization (WMFIRE) and the Latin American Student Union. This past year at St Andrews, she was an executive member in the Women in Politics society and will be the International Relations Degree Representative for the Joint Degree Program this upcoming school year. Currently, she is a research assistant for William and Mary’s policy research team and an environmental policy research intern. Marissa is pursuing law school with the goal of working in Washington State’s government to advocate for immigrants, students, and low-income communities. She is extremely thankful to Pacific Landscape Management for helping her continue her education and goals.
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Emily Aguilar Santiago, daughter of Mario Aguilar Chavez (Sherwood Branch) – Emily is graduating from Aloha High School and attending Portland State University to major in Architecture. In the process of determining her career choice, she decided that an architect’s main focus should be putting people's needs before their own. That is how she will start her journey in college—by working off small and working her way up to help the people who need support. She has dedicated her entire studies and goals to her family because they have been there for her since the beginning. One of her greatest strengths is the values her parents have taught her: empathy, honesty, a sense of responsibility, and compassion.
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Brianna Tello Velasco, daughter of Felimon Tello Lopez (Parkrose Branch) – Brianna is currently heading into her second year at George Fox University, majoring in Elementary Education, with the goal of pursuing a career in teaching. This year has been full of growth and discovery, both academically and personally. She is especially passionate about teaching and being able to make a difference in her community, not only for students but also for parents. Outside of school, she volunteers at a local after-school program where she helps tutor elementary students in math and reading. Outside of the classroom, she has been involved in the school community, such as the IRC (Intercultural Resources Center) at George Fox, and clubs including Latinx Heritage, WOCC (Women of Color Collective), Global Village, and First Generation. These have helped her build valuable skills and connect with a supportive community. She says this scholarship has played a key role in making that possible by easing the financial burden and allowing her to focus more on her studies.
In addition to the scholarships, we have helped our employees and their families with college preparation through getting them aligned with several programs designed to assist Latino students and their families with college preparation. These programs include:
We look forward to continuing our assistance and motivation for our employees to help their children who are interested in setting a goal to attend college and properly prepare.
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