SFHC Welcomes its 24th Cohort of Scholars
Today marks two full weeks since the President Scholar’s Welcome Reception, where University President Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, Provost Dr. Xuanning Fu, and SFHC Director Dr. Saeed Attar welcomed the new cohort of 50 President’s Honors Scholars to Fresno State and the Smittcamp Family Honors College. It was the first time since 2019 that the event has been held in-person.
Fresno State News: SMITTCAMP FAMILY HONORS COLLEGE WELCOMES 24TH CLASS OF SCHOLARS
Get to Know the 24th Cohort of Scholars
Mina Abdelmessih is from Clovis West High School in Fresno, CA. At Fresno State, he will be majoring in chemistry with the goal of pursuing a career in the field of chemistry. In high school, Mina was involved in varsity boys tennis, Math Team, History Day, the Rho Kappa Society, and the National Honors Society. In addition, he was a lifetime member of the California Scholarship Federation, President of Chess Club, and the Vice President of Science Olympiad. Mina enjoys playing video games, watching sports and meeting new people.
Ali Ahmed is a native of the Central Valley, born and raised in Fresno, CA. He attended Central High School East Campus (Go Grizzlies!). He plans to major in mechanical engineering with a focus in automotive engineering and manufacturing. His interests include technology used in fuel efficient vehicles (while carbon based fuels are prevalent), electric vehicles, and safety features (ABS, breaking systems, etc). He hopes to intern for an automotive company like Ford, General Motors, or Tesla while in college to gain experience in the field. His extracurriculars and hobbies include volunteering with the Fresno food bank, remodeling homes, and working on cars.
Alyssa Askins attended San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno, CA. At San Joaquin Memorial, Alyssa played four years of volleyball and softball, which has been her passion for many years. She enjoys going to the gym, going on runs, and staying active. Outside of school and athletics, Alyssa is passionate about her Catholic faith and loves Jesus. She plans on getting involved with the Newman Center and other organizations in order to continue to practice her Catholic faith. At Fresno State, Alyssa will be majoring in Pre-Health with the intent of becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner.
Caleb Bahne is a freshman from Kingsburg, CA. While at Kingsburg High School, Caleb was an active member of the band program, where he played trumpet and marimba. He is passionate about serving others through his church. He isƒ also an avid disc golf player! Caleb enjoys being creative and has spent the last two years designing a board game. This experience, along with his time in the MESA Program, led him to pursue a career in mechanical engineering. Through this field of study, he is excited to combine physics and math with discovery and invention.
Devynn Brown is a 2022 Redwood High School graduate from Visalia, CA. She was involved with numerous clubs that incorporated her passions of helping others, writing creative pieces, and reading trending books. She is involved in her community through Neighborhood Church by serving the youth and volunteering at community service events. She enjoys meeting new people and listening to their stories. Devynn plans to attend Fresno State under the Communication major and is looking for a career in publishing. She is very excited to begin and collaborate with people that also share a love of books.
Andres Cardenas is a recent graduate of Dinuba High School in Dinuba, CA. At Dinuba High, Andres was a colorguard commander for the school's nationally acclaimed NJROTC program. He was also a gold finalist for the SkillsUSA welding sculpture competition at the state and regional levels. Outside of the class environment, Andres loves to go to the mountains. He is an inexperienced carpenter, an adequate welder, and an obsessive player of city-building games. By majoring in Electrical Engineering, Andres aims to work for a local utility company in the Central Valley or a firm specializing in electronic systems. Although he doesn't see it, people say his artistic skills are impressive.
Makayla Cawley attended Sierra Pacific High School in Hanford, CA. At Sierra, she was co-captain and two time Defensive Player of the Year on the varsity soccer team, a four year member of varsity golf, an active member in ASB, and competed and placed on her school’s Academic Decathlon team. Makayla also volunteered and eventually was employed at ImagineU Children’s Museum in Visalia, CA, where she interacted with kids and helped maintain the museum. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, watching movies, and spending time with her friends and family. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Makayla plans on attending UC Davis to pursue a master’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Makayla hopes to inspire young women to pursue STEM related fields.
Gurmannat Chalotra is a graduate of Lemoore Middle College High School in Lemoore, CA. At LMCHS, Gurmannat was actively involved in Interact, Girl Up, Yearbook, Leadership, and Academic Decathlon, where she competed at the national level with her team. She also enjoys reading (with a different favorite book every week), photography, trying new foods, and spending time with friends. Gurmannat will be majoring in chemistry with aspirations of attending graduate school after college. She looks forward to her time at Fresno State and meeting new people!
Christopher Court attended Golden West High School in Visalia. He has a passion for creating projects that require critical thinking, innovation, and a hands on approach to get the desired result. He appreciates the practice of agriculture and has been very involved in his high school’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter. Christopher seeks to further the agricultural methods by using his bachelor's degree in Industrial Technology - Agriculture Systems Management to pursue a career of innovation to produce more efficient systems for farming and ranching.
Dakota Dean hails from Fresno, CA and graduated from Clovis High School. He plans on studying video production while at Fresno State. With the knowledge and experience gained from his studies, Dakota hopes to tell stories that encourage and inspire others through the eye of a lens. During his free time, Dakota enjoys learning video production, graphic design, and audio production; he also loves to serve at his church. On a less serious note, he is often preoccupied with finding typefaces in the wild.
Eduardo Garcia is a graduate from Edison High School in Fresno, CA. During his time at Edison, he was involved in the Biomedical Pathway, where he explored his medical interests with the help of amazing teachers and peers. He continually participated in the Golden Brigade and played the clarinet during football games, parades, and concerts. Eduardo is majoring in biology and hopes to attend medical school to become an orthopedic surgeon.
Emily Gonzalez is a recent graduate of Dinuba High School. In her free time, Emily enjoys reading, baking, spending time with friends and family, and hiking. She was involved in many activities at Dinuba High including FFA, Academic Decathlon, National History Day, SkillsUSA, and the California Scholarship Federation. After completing a 200+ hour internship at her local elementary school and volunteering for her church’s religious education program, she discovered her love for teaching. Emily plans on majoring in Liberal Studies with the goal of becoming an elementary school teacher or education specialist.
Andrew Gray graduated from Central High School in June of 2022. He currently lives in Fresno and plans to major in Civil Engineering at Fresno State. His goal is to become a civil engineer to make his community a better place. Andrew played water polo for all four years of high school and was awarded the Outstanding Achievement award for AP Chemistry and AP Calculus, signifying the best in the class. Andrew also volunteers at his local church. In his free time, he likes reading, playing video games, and working out.
Padouachi Heu is a graduate of Clovis East High School in Fresno, CA. Throughout high school, she was a varsity badminton player for four years and a CSF lifetime member. She also played in Jazz Band and participated in Robotics. Padouachi is majoring in biology at Fresno State with plans to attend medical school after graduation. Outside of school, she likes to read, write, play badminton and the piano, and hang out with her friends.
Conor Hustedde graduated as an IB diploma candidate from Fresno High School in Fresno, CA. At Fresno High, he was president of the Mock Trial club, the Fresno High Senate, the Science Fair club, and he started the Language Learners club which helped students better learn foreign languages. He is fluent in Japanese and proficient in Spanish. He plans to major in Philosophy and minor in Peace and Conflict Studies, and hopes to be a diplomat in the future.
Cameron Ivy attended Golden Valley High School in Merced, CA. He will be majoring in agricultural education at Fresno State with the goal of becoming a high school agriculture teacher. At Golden Valley, he kept himself occupied with the Future Farmers of America club, where he served as the chapter president and worked on local farms and ranches in order to gain more experience within the industry. On top of this, he also played on the varsity golf team. Outside of school, Cameron loves spending his time in the outdoors hiking and fly fishing.
Emma Jensen is from Sierra High School in Tollhouse, CA. She was involved in her school’s ASB Student Body, and she is a lifetime member of CSF. She also helps with her school’s on site store called Swap for Good, as well as being a part of the NAMI club, which focuses on the importance of mental health for students. She played volleyball at Sierra and competed in various high school rodeo associations throughout high school. Emma enjoys going to the lake, spending time with friends, and watching rom-coms. She has decided to major in Pre-Health with the goal to attend nursing school and become a Registered Nurse.
Eliana Kahn is a Bullard High School graduate from Fresno, CA. She is majoring in biochemistry with plans to pursue a career in pharmaceutical research and development. At Bullard, she competed on the varsity water polo and swim teams for four years. She was also CSF secretary and volunteered as an AP Ambassador to tutor fellow AP students. Outside of school, Eliana loves listening to music, photography, and spending time outdoors.
Catherine Laserna attended Sierra Pacific High School in Hanford, CA. Catherine is a self-taught programmer interested in computer science and software engineering. She loves playing games and coding, leading her own program teaching others to code for some time during her sophomore year. In her junior year, she landed a paid internship at Accenture Tech Consulting. Currently, Catherine is a paid student intern at 1DF, a national nonprofit focused on supporting women. As a low-income immigrant passionate about computer science, she hopes to bring about more tech and resources to underserved communities.
Guadalupe Lopez Trejo is a Parlier High School graduate from Parlier, CA. Outside of school he enjoys reading, spending time with friends, and helping out his community. He has taken multiple courses on web development and programming, which has become a big passion of his. This passion has led him to pursue a major in Computer Science and a minor in Business Administration at Fresno State in hopes of becoming a software engineer.
Brenda Manyvanh is from El Diamanté High School in Visalia, CA. At Fresno State, she will be majoring in Pre-Health to pursue a career in nursing. Brenda held leadership roles in Key Club and Interact Club in high school; she also co-founded the Asian American Pacific Islander Club! Brenda is a big advocate for the Asian American Pacific Islander community in her hometown, and she hopes to remain an advocate for the AAPI community throughout her future endeavors. In her spare time, she loves to read, go on walks, and volunteer.
Emily Medina-Delgado is a freshman from Reedley High School. At Reedley High, Emily was involved in multiple service clubs and took on various leadership roles. She was President of Leo Club, division leadership spirit coordinator for Key Club, two year ambassador for the Know More Club with the Marjaree Mason Center, and a CFS life member. She was also an active member in R-Voice Club and ASB, and she worked at the student snack bar on campus for four years. Outside of school, Emily was a youth representative for the City of Reedley’s Community Services Commission for two years and member of the Greater Reedley Chamber of Commerce Junior Board. In 2021, she was selected as Reedley’s Junior Citizen of the Year!
As a first generation college student, Emily plans to major in Liberal Studies in hopes of going back to Kings Canyon Unified as an 8th grade history/English teacher. She enjoys hiking and taking her cat on walks.
Alyssa Melton is a graduate from University High School at Fresno State. She enjoys reading, writing, cats, youth group, and going for walks—but her favorite thing of all is to spontaneously break out into a jam session with others. She plays a little bit of the piano but mostly sings for school, the Fresno Choral Artists program, and around the house (to the dismay of her brother). Alyssa is majoring in biochemistry to develop Earth-preserving technologies so that future peoples can live healthy lives with their loved ones.
Hannah Mettee is a graduate of Kingsburg High School in Kingsburg, CA. Hannah is majoring in Pre-Health with plans to attend a DPT school to obtain a doctorate’s degree in physical therapy following her time at Fresno State. With her degree, she hopes to work as a physical therapist, specializing in the use of prosthetics. She was a member of the KHS band and swim team. At Kingsburg Community Church, Hannah volunteers at Vacation Bible School and as a Junior High Youth Group Leader. She also enjoys skiing and spending time with friends.
Itzel Michel-Carrillo is a Hanford High School graduate from Hanford, CA. She is majoring in mathematics and seeks to become a high school math teacher. She became treasurer of Salad Bowl Multicultural Club her junior year and president her senior year. During her senior year, she also began tutoring students at Hanford High. Throughout her four years in high school, she participated in many community service events. As a first generation student, Itzel hopes to inspire others to pursue their education and continue to follow their dreams.
Noah Miranda is a graduate of University High School in Fresno, CA. He is an English Literature major with an interest in education and academic writing, and plans to further their skills in graduate school. At UHS, Noah had a focus on the fine arts as the first chair trombonist, a member of the Chamber Choir, and the head of the Improv Team. Outside of school, they perform with various theatre companies and do work as a costumer. He is working on learning to bake and cook better, and makes very nice scones.
Praise Okoli graduated from University High School in Fresno, CA. She plans to major in Computer Science and wishes to study abroad during her time at Fresno State. At UHS, Praise was heavily involved in Black Student Union Club, Life Club, and Advanced Percussion Ensemble; she hopes to continue participating in similar activities at Fresno State. Her hobbies include reading Scripture, watching lots of Youtube, and spending time with her family and friends.
Evelyn Ornelas attended Dinuba High School in Dinuba, CA. Some of her hobbies include reading, hiking, and baking. After school, she volunteered in the Big Brother Big Sister program and at her aunt’s small business. She is a first-generation student majoring in political science, and her dream is to become an immigration lawyer. At Fresno State, she hopes to make many unforgettable memories and succeed in her goals.
Paige Ounesavath attended Edison High School in Fresno, CA. She loves the outdoors, playing sports, reading, and spending time with family and friends. Throughout high school, Paige was a part of the Biomedical Pathway, was the founder and president of Book Club, participated in Key Club, and played lacrosse as a four-year varsity athlete and two-time team captain. Additionally, she helped lead the Edison lacrosse team to become Valley Champions in 2022! At Fresno State, Paige will be majoring in Human Nutrition Sciences in hopes of going to medical school, where she plans to pursue a career as a dermatologist.
Zachary Patton grew up in Sanger, CA, graduating from Sanger High School. He worked in the cattle industry throughout high school, but in his free time he enjoys the outdoors and cars. Zachary spent a formative summer volunteering in Chang Rai, Thailand developing the groundwork for future volunteer initiatives focused on supporting students through conversational English lessons and medical care. His time there illuminated the positive changes that come with leadership skills, compassion, and responsibility. At Fresno State, Zachary is majoring in Business Administration - Real Estate & Urban Land Economics in hopes of forming a brokerage. He is looking forward to the new learning opportunities that will come as being a part of the Smittcamp Family Honors College.
Daniel Remington graduated from Edison High School in Fresno, CA. He is pursuing a computer engineering major through the Smittcamp Family Honors College and Fresno State. Daniel’s career goal is to enter the medical field as a tech/software developer, with the hope that his programs are used to discover cures for illnesses. His achievements include Summa Cum Laude, a seal of Biliteracy, and entrance into the National Society of High School Scholars. He has volunteered around town for Habitat for Humanity and Beautify Fresno. Daniel enjoys collecting comic books, reading, Wikipedia Speedrunning, and listening to Coldplay and Kendrick Lamar. He also likes to play golf, when he finds the chance.
Kate Richardson is a freshman who graduated from University High School at Fresno State. She is majoring in political science and hopes to go to law school to get her Juris Doctorate and pursue a career in criminal justice. She has done an unpaid internship with the city attorney in Visalia. Outside of school, Kate plays the harp at weddings and at a hospice, and she enjoys spending time with her service dog Lola! She is also a figure skating instructor with the skating school at Gateway Ice Center.
Daniela Rodriguez Arellano is a graduate of Woodlake High School. Daniela played soccer and tennis at Woodlake High and participated in many community service projects. Outside of school, she enjoys being active, listening to music, and spending time watching the sky. Here at Fresno State, Daniela plans on majoring in psychology. She hopes to pursue a career as a high school counselor and return to her hometown of Woodlake.
Anneliese Roth is a freshman from El Diamante High School in Visalia, CA. She plans on majoring in Psychology and minoring in Biology in hopes of pursuing a career in the neuroscience field. Outside of school, Anneliese is working towards achieving her 2nd degree black belt in martial arts! She also enjoys Netflix marathons, drawing, and music. She lives by the law that tobasco is the duct tape of food categories.
Aran Saini graduated from Buchanan High School in Clovis, CA. He is planning on majoring in psychology and pursuing a pre-med pathway to eventually become a doctor. Aran has several hobbies including playing tennis, playing chess, and hiking. In high school, he loved participating in science-based extracurriculars such as Science Bowl and Science Olympiad. He also served as the senior class secretary and the chess club president in his senior year at Buchanan. Aran is looking forward to starting his school year at Fresno State in the fall.
Camalah Saleh is a freshman from Sanger High School in Sanger, CA. She immigrated to Sanger when she was three years old. In high school, Camalah participated in extracurriculars like Feminist club, Student Government, School Site Council, and Speech & Debate. She also held numerous leadership positions in these clubs. In addition, she qualified for Speech & Debate at the State level multiple times, plus Nationals this year! Camalah plans to major in political science and minor in communications at Fresno State. With this degree, she plans to go to law school in hopes of becoming an immigration lawyer.
Alina Sheikh attended Buchanan High School in Clovis, CA. In high school, she was on the Varsity tennis team, involved with the Medical Careers Club, and participated in her school’s chamber orchestra. In her free time, Alina loves to paint and enjoys spending time coaching tennis to little kids on the weekends. She is planning on majoring in neuroscience with hopes of furthering her education in medical school.
Kavan Singh is a recent graduate of Buchanan High School in Clovis, CA. He is majoring in Computer Science. Kavan loves to program and has been programming since elementary school. Post-college, he hopes to have a career in data analytics. Kavan works at a teaching center in Clovis and spends his free time with the Buchanan Robotics team, where he previously served as programming director. At the SFHC and Fresno State, he hopes to land an internship that will allow him to better serve his community and make an impact using his statistics and programming skills.
Isabella Soto attended Selma High School. Throughout her schooling, Isabella played many roles in her high school. She was Varsity Cheerleading Captain for 2 years and was awarded All-American Cheerleader. She also participated in Link Crew, the Doctors Academy Program, and Key Club. As a tutor, she helped many students with math, chemistry, and history. Isabella also volunteered as a Cheerleading Coach for a youth program in her town. Between these tasks, she has also kept a stable job at Wingstop since the age of 16. Isabella will be majoring in kinesiology at Fresno State. She has a set goal to become a physical therapist.
Mallory Sutherland attended Frontier High School in Bakersfield, CA and is majoring in agricultural business in hopes of pursuing a career in the agricultural management field. Throughout high school, Mallory was active in clubs such as FFA, Spanish Honors Society, National Honors Society, California Scholarship Federation, and Interact Club. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time with family, creating stained glass art, and going to the movies.
Emma Tripp attended North High School in Bakersfield, CA. Throughout high school, Emma spent her time competing in FFA competitions and volunteering with the Got the Dot Club, a JJ’s Legacy leadership program that educates students and community members about the need and importance of becoming an organ, eye, and tissue registered donor. She also volunteered through the Ford Dream Builders program to put on sporting clinics for the local Boys and Girls Club. Outside of school, Emma likes spending time outdoors, building things, and socializing with friends. She appreciates education and plans to major in agricultural education to become a teacher.
Allison Vang is a freshman from University High School in Fresno, CA. During high school, Allison participated in Interact Club, Pre-Med Club, ASB Publicity Committee, and California Honor Choirs. She served as the Vice President of Cooking Club for three years and peer-mentored for two years. In addition, she was involved with TeensVolunteer as an ambassador and Director of Volunteer Opportunities for two years. Allison enjoys singing, cooking & eating (they go hand in hand), catching up on K-dramas, and playing video games. She is majoring in psychology and hopes to work with children in the future.
Emily Vang attended Sanger High in Sanger, CA. Emily will be majoring in Biology and minoring in Creative Writing and Psychology. She hopes to become a psychiatrist and professor. Emily loves reading, writing, crocheting, and watching horror films. At Sanger High, she was in the medical pathway, where she earned her CNA certification. Emily was also the treasurer of Asian Club and a past member of Apache Closet. She is highly passionate about education and provides free tutoring services to students in LA county. She also enjoys writing essays and poetry for various online magazines.
Liana Vangyi graduated from Buchanan High School in Clovis, CA. She plans to major in biology and later pursue medical school to become a pediatrician. During high school, she was on the robotics team as the Outreach Director and was the President of both the Asian Club and K-Force Dance Club. She and her robotics team won the prestigious chairman’s award this year and went to the World Championships! She enjoys volunteering at Clovis Botanical Garden and at robotics-related events with her robotics team. Liana’s hobbies include dancing and painting.
Shireen Virk is a freshman from Clovis, CA and a former Timberwolf at Clovis East High School. She will be majoring in Pre-Health/Public Health. Shireen aspires to attend medical school after her years at Fresno State and enter the medical field as a Pediatrician or a Clinical Geneticist. Shireen partakes in hobbies such as drawing and painting, and she has recently taken up crocheting! She also enjoys playing tennis, watching K-Dramas, raising her plants, and meditating. Shireen is a volunteer at Valley Children's Hospital as well.
Danielle Vu was born and raised under the majestic sky of Modesto, CA. She graduated from Enochs High School with commendations for CSF, Outstanding Character, Perfect CAASPP Score, Golden State Seal, and Civic Engagement. With leadership in two student advisory councils, Danielle was recognized as a voice for student advocacy. She qualified for state championships two years in a row as a competitor in varsity speech. At Fresno State, Danielle is majoring in sociology with an emphasis on medical sociology and healthcare. She aspires to obtain her M.D. or Ph.D. Her interests include swimming, biking, crocheting, reading contemporary fiction, and watching old movies with her family.
Lily Wilkin attended Kingsburg High School in Kingsburg, CA. While in high school, Lily played the flute in the Wind Ensemble and acted as class secretary each year. She also volunteered her time as a leader in her home church’s children’s ministry program, sang on multiple worship teams, volunteered as a barista in hopes to raise support for the church, and participated in many missions trips. This summer, she traveled to Europe to teach English. Lily hopes to major in Psychology and enter the medical field.
Lilian Yang is a freshman from Sanger High School in Sanger, CA. Throughout high school, Lilian was involved in extracurriculars such as Sanger High’s theatre department, California Scholarship Federation, and Art Club. Lilian also played on the varsity girls tennis team for all four years. As a completer of the Health Science pathway at Sanger High, Lilian plans on majoring in Biology at Fresno State. Her hope is to attend medical school and further specialize in gynecology. Outside of education, Lilian enjoys fashion, film, and eating out with friends. Lilian is beyond grateful for having this opportunity in the Smittcamp Family Honors College and cannot wait to unlock this new chapter of her life!
Joshua Young is a freshman from Central High School in Fresno, CA. Animal science (pre-veterinary) is the major of this young man. Throughout high school, Joshua was very active in FFA — whether it be raising animals, helping with the chapter, or participating in AG-Mechanic events. Because of his time raising animals in FFA, Joshua decided that he wanted to become a veterinarian, own his own practice, and work within the agricultural industry.
Mia Zamora graduated from Clovis North High School in Fresno, CA. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and riding horses. During high school, she was the president of her school's book club and participated in the Interscholastic Equestrian Association. She is also a swim instructor at Bullfrog Swim School. Mia is majoring in Political Science and exploring minoring in either Philosophy or English Literature. After attaining her undergraduate degree, she hopes to attend law school and one day become a lawyer.