国产传媒

Members of the Mount community gathered on Friday, Feb. 25, for the virtual President鈥檚 Scholarship Celebration to honor scholarship donors and student recipients.

鈥淎t the Mount, we pride ourselves on preparing students to be brave, ethical, resilient leaders,鈥� said President Ann McElaney-Johnson. 鈥淎nd our scholarship donors help us make this vision a reality.鈥� This year, the Mount awarded 508 scholarships to 308 students and established 10 new scholarships.

Alicia Mercado 鈥�22 received the Unstoppable Scholar award. Mercado, a biochemistry major, plans to pursue an MD/PhD in molecular biology. 鈥淢y professors empowered me to become the person I am today,鈥� she said. 鈥淭heir support opened doors to research opportunities like the 国产传媒/USC Geopaths Catalina Scholar Program and the WAVE Fellowship at the California Institute of Technology. I鈥檝e learned that research can have a tremendous and lasting impact on patients. I am grateful to the donors who contributed to the Le Puy Scholarship, which made my education possible.鈥�

The Unstoppable Supporter Award was given to Margaret Darmody 鈥�58 for her sixty years of dedication to Mount students. Darmody worked as a children鈥檚 librarian for 37 years in the Los Angeles Public Library system. In addition to being a Mount Regent, she established two scholarships for Mount students. 鈥淪cholarships are important because they help students who otherwise wouldn鈥檛 be able to attend the Mount,鈥� she said. 鈥淥nce you are in a financial situation where you can give back, it brings you great joy to do something that鈥檚 important to you.鈥�

The event also highlighted the Peer Wellness Advocate program. Alison Halpern, RD, CHES, associate director of wellness, led a conversation with PWAs trained to work with fellow students on their health and wellness goals.

鈥淚 work as a resilience coach, and I've been fortunate to help students develop healthier mindsets when facing common adversities,鈥� said Andrea Cortave 鈥�23. 鈥淪tudents learn to recognize negative self-talk and realize how beneficial it is to set goals. These small changes grow into bigger changes that will impact their lives in a positive way.鈥�

The event closed with a chorus of students thanking donors, which touched Krishauna Hines-Gaither PhD, the new vice president for equity, diversity and justice. 鈥淚t鈥檚 powerful for students to have the opportunity to speak from their own experience and their own heart,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was proud that we provided space for their voices to be heard.鈥�

As a first-time attendee, Hines-Gaither says the event truly reflects Mount values. 鈥淵ou know what people value by where they put their resources,鈥� she said. 鈥淭o see so many resources poured into our students, it gave me a glimpse of what we value.鈥�

Alumna, trustee, and donor Nzinga Graham 鈥�04, MD, was reminded of her experience as a President鈥檚 Award recipient. 鈥淚 came from a single parent home, and my scholarship made all the difference,鈥� she said. 鈥淪tudying at the Mount changed my life 鈥� I spent one summer at Caltech and the following summer at Harvard doing research.鈥�

The program was followed by a Meet and Greet between donors and their scholarship recipients, which Graham remembers from her undergraduate years. 鈥淢eeting donors instilled in me a sense of gratitude that so many people were invested in my success,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 wanted to give back because of that investment. It brings so much joy to my heart now to see the Mount鈥檚 success and its bright future.鈥�

Watch the President鈥檚 Scholarship Virtual Celebration .

Read about Unstoppable Scholar Alicia Mercado 鈥�22

Read about Unstoppable Supporter Margaret Darmody 鈥�58