Congratulations to the 2008 AAWA Scholarship and AAWA Recognition Award Recipients. These recipients were honored at our annual banquet on May 2, 2008 at the Wyndham Hotel in San Jose, California.

1. Lindsay Gervacio

Lindsay Gervacio is a second year graduate student pursuing a dual master’s degree program in Asian American Studies and Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles. Native to the Bay Area, Lindsay received her bachelor’s degree at Stanford University where she pursued a major in Human Biology with a focus in child health policy as well as minor in Asian American Studies.

While her involvement in the Stanford Asian American community strengthened her commitment to community service, her prior work experience at the California State Legislature has deepened her interests in the provision of access to quality health care for underserved populations. Lindsay’s primary research interests include the delivery of culturally competent health care practices as it pertains to addressing health disparities among Asian Americans. Specifically, for her master’s thesis project, Lindsay intends to explore the social support experience of Filipina American breast cancer survivors.

2. Cindy Ju

Cindy Ju is a senior at Lynbrook High School. She is a Scholar Athlete and a four-year CCS qualifying Varsity Cross Country runner who enjoys outrunning the boys in her PE class. She likes taking road trips with her family and loves taking pictures of scenery. Cindy is a graduating valedictorian of her class. She is currently the Co-Chair of the South Bay March of Dimes Leadership Council, Lynbrook Key Club vice president, and Lynbrook California Scholarship Federation president.

This past year under her leadership as president, the California Scholarship Federation was able to triple its membership, reaching over 100 members to date. She feels that the integration of community service into her lifestyle is one of the most rewarding aspects about her life. Cindy describes, “Community service was able to help me realize the power I had as an individual to make a difference in my community.”

Cindy would like to dedicate this award to her Uncle David who has inspired her to always take risks. She is also grateful to her parents who keep her closely tied to her Asian roots. Cindy will be attending the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania this fall.

3. Alina Wong

Alina Wong, a senior at Monta Vista High School, loves to spend her time scavenging for haw delicacies-including haw flakes, haw jelly, haw juice-but other than that, she devotes many of her weekends to the Jade Ribbon Youth Council of the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University, trying to spread the awareness of hepatitis B (HBV), which infects 1 in 10 Asians and Pacific Islanders.

Besides jollying with her ALC family, Alina plays in the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra as a double bassist and occasionally plays for weddings or gatherings with her string quartet.

She is a part of the Camp International three-summer program and completely, exuberantly obsessed about volunteering at the 2008 Beijing Olympics this coming summer, working with native Chinese students to improve cultural ties. Alina will be attending the UCLA School of Nursing in the fall of 2008.

4. Eunice Yang

Eunice Yang graduated summa cum laude from U.C. Davis majoring in Sociology of Law and Political Science and minored in English. Currently, she is a law student at U.C. Hastings College where she is interning with the gang homicide unit of the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. Last summer she interned for Honorable Erica Yew Santa Clara County. This summer Eunice will be working at Minami Tamaki LLP in San Francisco.

Eunice served as board member of the Asian Pacific American Law Student’s Association and will be serving as a board member of the Korean American Bar Association next year. Eunice enjoys training for marathons, swimming, and playing the cello.

Within the next decade, Eunice aspires to serve as a public figure in politics where she can use her legal background and personal experience to serve as a voice for the APA community, particularity young APA females. A special mentor, Judge Erica Yew, taught Eunice the importance of giving back to the community and she has set the bar high. Eunice would like to serve as a role model for the next generation of APA students and encourage them to find empowerment through education, social network, and change.