Alan Llavore | Office of Marketing and Communications | (909) 537-5007 | allavore@csusb.edu
Two Cal State San Bernardino students’ academic achievements have been recognized with scholarships from the Ramos Family Endowed Scholarship Fund.
The scholarship recipients – Caroleena Santana, a psychology major, and Zachary Perez, a business analytics major – were honored at a luncheon at San Bernardino Valley College on Oct. 25. Santana, who will graduate in December, and Perez, who will graduate in June 2026, each received a $2,500 award from the Ramos Family Endowed Scholarship Fund.
The CSUSB Office of Government, Tribal and Community Relations sponsored the event and supports partnerships that help CSUSB students meet basic needs vital to their academic success.
Santana expressed gratitude for the scholarship’s support.
“I have been able to use the funds to complete my junior year, and now I’m in my senior year,” she said. “I’m closer to receiving my bachelor’s degree and achieving my goal of becoming a voice for marginalized youth.”
Perez also shared his appreciation.
“One of my aspirations is to make a difference in my life, my family’s lives, and in different communities,” he said. “The Ramos Family Endowed Scholarship has helped me afford college and the associated expenses. It has brought me closer to my educational goal of completing my degree, allowing me to focus on schoolwork and internships without financial worry.”
The Ramos Family Endowed Scholarship supports youth in foster care, those who are homeless or have experienced homelessness, and youth from Indigenous communities across San Bernardino County.
In 2018, Assemblymember Ramos, an alumnus of CSUSB, and his family donated $50,000 to establish the endowed scholarship at Children’s Fund, a San Bernardino nonprofit dedicated to breaking destructive cycles and offering vulnerable children support, opportunity and hope through community partnerships.
The Ramos Family Endowed Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance to homeless, transitional, unaccompanied, foster, former foster, extended foster, or other vulnerable youth ages 17-24 who are enrolled or accepted at a community college, university, or accredited vocational school in San Bernardino County. Specifically, the scholarship funds can be used for transportation, housing, food and books. Since its creation, the fund has awarded 31 scholarships.