Edison scholarship lights up opportunities for La Sierra STEM students

Hernandez, who graduated in June with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, was among eight students at the Seventh-day Adventist university recognized as Edison STEM Scholars during spring quarter. Each received a $2,500 allotment from the energy conglomerate which provides grant funding toward furthering students’ interests and careers in STEM fields. The scholarship recipients are computer science and mathematics majors––six graduated in June and two will graduate next year. 

“Their generosity has opened doors that will allow me to continue growing as an educator and better serve my students.” – Aaron Hernandez, Edison STEM Scholar, mathematics graduate

Hernandez’s scholarship helps pave the way for his pursuit of a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction in La Sierra’s School of Education this fall. He wants to enroll in the graduate program toward expanding his knowledge base, refining his instructional practices and preparing for future leadership opportunities through which he can support fellow educators and contribute to improving educational outcomes, he said.

“Receiving the Edison Scholarship has been a life-changing opportunity,” Hernandez said. “It has made it possible for me to continue investing in my future as an educator. Beyond the financial support, the scholarship has provided encouragement and confidence, motivating me to pursue this goal sooner than I had anticipated.”

Hernandez received the Math for Secondary Teaching Senior of the Year award this spring. He states in his bio his belief that with the right guidance, every student can master math.  His goal is to inspire confidence in students and help them achieve their full potential, he says.

A resident of Eastvale, Calif., Hernandez comes from a long line of teachers and is the first in his family to teach math. When not engaged in school, his interests revolve around family activities and during the summer, involvement in young adult ministry. He said he enrolled at La Sierra due to its “strong commitment to academic excellence, community, and preparing educators who lead with purpose and integrity.”

Other recipients of this year’s Edison scholarship awards were Marikit Diane Tio, Gabriel Cabansal, Oswal Amado, Joseph Diaz, Sean Sullivan, Noah McMillian, and Destiny Olivares.

“Edison STEM Scholarship has been a huge help that I simply cannot fully express in words." – Sean Sullivan, Edison STEM Scholar, computer science graduate

Sullivan, who graduated in June with a computer science degree, received the Computer Science Senior of the Year award for his work in software development, IT operations and machine learning research, and for his co-publication while an undergraduate researcher of a paper on network traffic classification for edge computing devices that was accepted through an IEEE computing conference. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the world’s largest technical professional organization. The paper was produced under the guidance of assistant professor Dr. Fuhao Li and with fellow student Ankit Tiwari.

Sullivan has also worked at the university as an IT assistant and a peer tutor at the Collaborative Learning Center.

“Edison STEM Scholarship has been a huge help that I simply cannot fully express in words,” Sullivan said. “The $2,500 means a lot for me as it is a massive support for the financial burden and was a major help in giving me the time I needed to further advance my career,” aiding in the search for a job and housing, he said.

“I came to the decision to go straight into the workforce after talking with colleagues, peers, friends, and teachers, as the field that I am going for, enterprise application and software engineer along with some database management, prioritizes experience over a higher degree, though I may decide to get a master's degree later down the line once life steads out a bit more,” he said.

The Edison International STEM scholarship is awarded to students who have demonstrated dedication in their field of study with a minimum GPA of 3.0, as well as involvement and reputable citizenship in the La Sierra community. La Sierra has received Edison STEM Scholars grants each year since 2014, awarding a total $157,000 in scholarship money thus far. 

“I am sincerely grateful to [the] Edison Scholars Program for investing in my education and future,” said Hernandez. “Their generosity has opened doors that will allow me to continue growing as an educator and better serve my students.”