State student senate president wins big bucks

Richael Young found herself $62,375 richer May 7, when she hit a college student's dream of winning five scholarships.Young, 20, environmental engineering major, received four CSM scholarships and a Jack Kent Cooke Foundation scholarship at the May 7 Scholarship Awards Reception.

Young is the president of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, and has also been CSM's student body president and the district student trustee, all while maintaining a 3.68 GPA. Young's selection is recognition of her academic achievement and contributions to community colleges at the local, district and state levels, Michael Habeeb, communications manager, wrote in an e-mail.

"Winning the Jack Kent scholarship renewed a dream of mine, because I've wanted to double major for so long," said Young.

The Jack Kent Cooke scholarship funds students up to two years, with $30,000 each academic year.

Young always knew she loved the architecture of buildings and bridges. As a high school graduation gift, Young's parents took her for an aptitude test, which measures a person's natural gifts. As they were waiting in the lobby for her results, Young said she was intrigued by the framed floor plans of the building. Not surprisingly, her top two suggestions were civil engineering and architecture.

"My mom and I just looked at each other and started laughing," said Young.

After taking Professor David Danielson's philosophy class, she realized it was also something she wanted to protect.

"Because of Danielson's class, I changed my major," she said. "I realized science affects us at a social level."

Danielson was the first person who told her she had the potential to do both engineering and philosophy.

Laura Demsetz, an engineering professor, counseled Young on what classes to take.

"(Demsetz) set me on the right path," Young said.

Now, because of her scholarship wins, Young can fulfill her plans of double majoring in environmental engineering and philosophy.

Young initially applied to three colleges -- Yale, Cornell, and CSM -- but CSM was her first choice.

"If I had gone to either Yale or Cornell, I would have gotten lost in the crowd," she said.

"CSM pushes you to a potential you never knew you had."

Former students Patrick Burns and Lindsay Moore pushed her to get involved in student government. Now as president, she represents 2.7 million students. She had a large part in planning the "March in March," with a 5,000 student turn-out.

"We're working on getting students involved in advocacy," Young said. "Teaching other students skills is like passing a baton."

Young visited her future school, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in late April, which only added to the passion for her majors.

"There were block and blocks of engineering buildings . it was just what I imagined a college to be," said Young.

"Now I'm coming full circle," Young said. "CSM was my best option at the time, and now I am going to my first choice college."

When school starts in August, Young will be away from home for the first time.

"It'll be great because I need to experience a new way of life," she said.

Mach, Danielson, and Philosophy Professor Jeremy Ball "have been some of the most influential teachers," Young said.

Young plans to be a hydrologist. She wants to tackle California's water policy, agriculture and irrigation problems in her career.

"I want to make California more efficient and sustainable," she said. "I really think hydrology is going to play a huge role in California."
"God has really orchestrated my life in really great ways," Young said. "I've learned if you take opportunities, be self-motivated and say yes . you can't not succeed."

Nearly 170 CSM and high school students received $230,000 in scholarship money at the Scholarship reception on May 7.

Political Science major Olen Mykalicheuko received $20,000 through the Karl S. Pister Leadership Opportunity Program, which is given to community college students transferring to UC Santa Cruz.

This year there was an increase in applicants for scholarships, said Nancy Pendergast, program services coordinator of scholarships and special services.