Scholarship Award Announcement!

Hi Friends!

We are overjoyed to announce that the first ever Rodney James Pimentel Memorial Scholarship has officially been awarded!

In sorting through over 100+ applications, we collectively searched for someone who captured RJ’s passions for learning, giving back, and spreading knowledge and love to those around him. Though many candidates were exceptional, one stood out in particular.

The recipient of the inaugural Rodney James Pimentel Memorial Scholarship is Julianna Alderete!

Julianna’s essay conveyed a deep level of perseverance through hardship and exemplified RJ’s curiosity and kindheartedness. It also described her experiences mentoring younger students interested in CS, showing how she has already started giving back to her own community. Her application left a lasting impression on us — we all felt an immediate connection to her story and knew that she would be an ideal fit.

The $5,000 scholarship award will go towards Julianna’s next stage of education, as she enters UC Irvine in the fall, pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science.

As we reflect upon the work our community has done over this past several months, we are beyond excited to grow this scholarship in future years and continue our hands-on work with MESA. Further updates on our recent activities and future plans to come soon!

Thanks for all your support,

Friends of RJ