Stockton students awarded Women in California Leadership Minerva Scholarships – Stocktonia
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Stockton teenagers Alejandra Garibay Ordaz and Julissa Nuñez were announced as recipients of the Women in California Leadership (WiCL) Minerva Scholarship, in an announcement from Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom.
The Minerva scholarship was established by WiCL and provides scholarship funds to select “women of promise,” to help achieve educational objectives. This year, 126 scholarships of $3,000 were awarded.
“I’m really honored to be a recipient of the Minerva scholarship. It’s all about empowering and enhancing the lives of females in California,” Nuñez told Stocktonia. “I’m grateful for the assemblymember and all the sponsors for investing in our youth.”
Ransom’s release highlights the girls’ extensive volunteer work and community leadership. Ordaz volunteered for a local animal shelter and a friend’s church food pantry. Nuñez volunteered with various organizations, including a campus ministry and currently serves on the Stockton Service Corps Youth Council.
“I’ve seen firsthand how advocacy, community involvement, and adequate funding can make a real difference in a student’s ability to learn and thrive,” Ransom said in the press release. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to help provide these opportunities for our rising leaders.”
Ordaz, a recent graduate of Edison High School, is attending the University of California, Berkeley, this fall, and Nuñez, a graduate of St. Mary’s High School, will attend Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. Both say they are grateful for the opportunity.
“It’s a huge weight lifted,” Ordaz told Stocktonia. “As for my mom, she’s like really proud of me.”
Ordaz said knowing that someone believes in her hard work and future makes her feel seen. She sees the scholarship as an opportunity to focus on her education and alleviate the financial stressors of college on her family, which has faced significant hardships.
Ordaz spent part of her youth in Mexico and later moved to the United States. She said it was difficult to find a home. Her mom and two brothers lived in tight spaces and sometimes took turns sleeping on the floor. The houses they lived in were noisy, making homework challenging.
“I was able to be grateful throughout the process and work with what I had,” Ordaz said. “Seeing my mom struggle, work very long schedules and not being able to be there presently all the time really hurt. We kept moving into other people’s homes and had to kind of bear with that for a while.”
Ordaz will major in integrative biology at Cal this fall. She dreams of becoming a doctor in family medicine. Nuñez, on the other hand, is majoring in theology, justice and peace. She is pursuing a career in public policy or community advocacy.
“I feel I’ve been blessed with so many opportunities in my life that I feel like it’s my God-given calling to pour out and give into others,” Nuñez said.
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Nuñez serves on the Stockton Service Corps Youth Council and describes it as a “wonderful opportunity.” The group met twice a month to network, learn about local businesses and enhance leadership skills.
“I hope through my life, my education and my experiences to foster other opportunities where I can pour into others similarly,” Nuñez said. “I don’t know, maybe even host my own scholarship one day.”
Ransom (D-Tracy) represents District 13, which encompasses western San Joaquin County, including Stockton. Her Minerva scholarship picks will be recognized by the county on July 29 at the next Board of Supervisors meeting, according to Karlos Marquez, her communications representative. More information about the Minerva scholarship can be found on the WiCL website.
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