It is with great pleasure to announce that EOPS Student, Leopoldine P. Matialeu, was selected as Cañada College’s 2008 valedictorian and  recipient of the 2008-09 CCCEOPSA  Scholarship. Though the decision in selecting a winner for the CCCEOPSA Scholarship was a difficult one as many of our students are met with adversity and challenges,  Leopoldine has truly demonstrated through her academic success that she has embraced the philosophy and mission of the EOPS program.  Leopoldine was accepted into UC Davis for Fall 2008 where she plans to major in biochemistry with a minor in Spanish. She maintains a 4.0 GPA and a career goal of  becoming a medical doctor. She came from Cameroon, Africa where “life was a daily struggle” and education  suffers with constant teacher strikes and lack of student resources. She immigrated to the U.S. and she quickly overcame the challenge of learning a new language. Her mother struggled financially and as a result they became homeless, living in hotel and shelters; Leopoldine studied very hard, in spite of having unstable housing.  Her efforts resulted in maintaining a 4.0 GPA,  becoming a member of Phi Theta Kappa, and making the Dean’s list four times in a row. She  maintains a leadership role at Cañada College as the VP of Pre-med/health club where she led her peers to raise $500 in three hours to help refugees in Darfur. Leopoldine is committed to giving back to the community and she demonstrates this through her tutoring efforts where she helps other students understand chemistry.
Leopoldine is an exemplary role model for other EOPS students who also face barriers and obstacles, and the message her success sends is that they, too, may overcome hardships to achieve their educational goals.