Arboretum Awards Scholarships

The Friends of the Fullerton Arboretum recently awarded three scholarships to Cal State Fullerton students to support their study into history and science. Miguel Macias, Emily Nguyen and Scott Thompson were honored in late May.

Scott Thompson

Senior Scott Thompson is the recipient of the Jorice Maag Local History Award.

A military veteran who is majoring in history with a minor in natural science, Thomas says he's always had a passion for history, especially military history. He joined the Marines at 17 and served in the 1st Marine Division in the mid 1980s. He began his college career at Santiago Canyon College and was admitted to CSUF in fall 2009, where he got involved in the Student Veterans Association.

“I have served as a mentor for two semesters in the Mentoring Veterans Program and as the organization’s communications officer during the spring 2011 semester,” Thompson said. “At the end of this past semester, I was elected to the position of SVA president for the fall semester. I feel a strong desire and compulsion to assist the younger veterans on campus, and wish to seem them access all of the benefits and services available to them and to se them succeed.”

In addition to his studies and his work with the veterans association, Thompson is interning with the Center for Oral and Public History, interviewing individuals associated with the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

“I have enjoyed my internship with the El Toro Oral history Project,” said Thompson. “It has provided me the opportunity to meet some truly amazing people and has granted me the privilege of hearing their inspiring stories.

The Fullerton resident hopes to graduate in January 2012 and then enter a teacher credential program. “I plan to obtain my secondary teaching credential in natural science, and provided I can pass all of the required CSET exams, my goal is to obtain certification for chemistry, biology, geology, physics and life science.

“One of my motivations is to complete my degree and credential before my oldest daughter (he has two) graduates high school.... I will need to be earning money to pay for her tuition!”

Emily Nguyen

Junior Emily Nguyen, who is majoring in biological science with a concentration in biodiversity, ecology and conservation biology, is this year’s recipient of the David Walkington Award, named for the late professor of biology and longtime director of the Fullerton Arboretum who died of cancer in 1993. 

Nguyen hopes to graduate in December 2012 and then enter a doctorate program. Her ultimate goal is to work with environmental protection agencies to assist in plant conservation and development and teach, in hopes she will inspire the next generation of biologists to pursue their educational goals.

The Fullerton resident, who immigrated from Vietnam in 2005, has worked with H. Jochen Schenk, associate professor of biological science, on drought adaptations in citrus varieties.

“Citrus plants are native to Vietnam, so studying how they can be adapted to drought conditions is of particular importance to me,” said Nguyen, a member of the Southern California Ecosystems Research Program and a McNair Scholar. “The goal of my research is to understand embolism repair mechanisms and to improve the irrigation schedule of citrus.” 

In addition to the Walkington Award, Nguyen also was this year's undergraduate recipient of the Rachel Carson Scholarship in Conservation Biology, as well as Math and Science Teacher and Jewel Plummer Cobb scholarships.

Nguyen is currently conducting research at Ohio State University as a participant in the Summer Research Opportunity for Undergraduate Program. She is researching the effects of mixed species cover crops on tomato biomass and plant disease development.

Miguel Macias

This year, the Friends of the Fullerton Arboretum chose to bestow a special award on graduate student Miguel Macias in recognition of his research endeavors. Under the supervision of Darren R. Sandquist, Macias has been studying the impact of man-made structures on plants and intends to create a simulated rain ‘event’ and measure water distribution above and below a road to quantify the effect on plants.

“My inspiration came from my childhood in a small town in Mexico,” said the biology major who earned his undergraduate degree at Cal State Fullerton in 2010. 

“It is what made me want to become a teacher,” said the Anaheim resident, who tutors high school and college students. “It is where I can make my greatest contribution.”

His long-term goal is to earn a doctorate in biology and teach at a community college where he can “inspire students, show them college is accessible and open the doors of science to them.”

In addition to the Fullerton Arboretum scholarship, Macias was honored in May with the Rose Society of Saddleback Mountain Research Assistant Award in Plant Science, established in 2006 to promote greater understanding of plant biology in Southern California. 

July 12, 2011