The Alfred Diaz-Infante Memorial Legacy Scholarship Endowment Yesenia Marquez Padilla is one of seven scholars

“I believe that things happen for a reason,” said Hartnell College Alumna Yesenia Marquez Padilla. “Hartnell was put in my path for a reason and I am so glad they were there for me.”

Marquez Padilla, 24, has reason to celebrate and be thankful. On February 2, 2023, she was one of six Alfred Diaz-Infante Memorial Legacy Scholars to be celebrated at the CHISPA annual event, along with one Diaz-Infante Family Scholar. She graduated from Hartnell in May 2022 and transferred to CSU Bakersfield as a Political Science and Pre-Law major. She is set to graduate in December 2023. Alfred Diaz-Infante was the CEO of CHISPA (Community Housing Improvement Systems and Planning Association) for 24 years, making the event the perfect occasion to announce the recipients of his scholarship.  

“I learned to love the law system in this country, although the justice system has flaws. I want to be a catalyst for change,” she said. “I want migrant students to know that there are many opportunities for them, and I want to be a resource for them and their parents.”

Yesenia is from Castroville. She has three siblings. Her parents came from Jalisco, Mexico and her mom is also a Hartnell alumna.

“I am so proud of my mom!” she said. “She is not only a cancer survivor, but she graduated from Hartnell with me last year; we got to walk together at graduation. It was special.”

In 2016, Yesenia graduated from North Monterey County High School in Castroville and went on to Cal State University East Bay. During a trip to Mexico, she fell ill and had to immediately undergo surgery for appendicitis, and later her gallbladder was removed. She could not travel back to the United States and had to remain in Mexico for one year for proper healing.

“I have always been determined to finish school and I went through my illness with lots of stress because of all the delays with my education plan,” she said. “It was not easy to transition from a university to a community college – for a while, I felt a lot of shame for taking so much time to pick up the pieces and continue.”

But she held her head up high and turned the situation into a positive outcome. As a member of her local LULAC, she raised $10,000 for scholarships, became the Reina Fiestas Patrias 2019, and became a champion for community advocacy and higher education. 

This summer, Marquez Padilla will be preparing for her LSATs, the admissions test required by most schools of law.

“I want to make my America better,” she said.

When she has free time from her studies, Yesenia loves to try new foods, travel, explore architecture, dance, play with makeup, hike, and more.

Congratulations to all the 2023 Alfred Diaz-Infante Memorial Legacy Fund Scholars and the 2023 Diaz-Infante Family Fund Scholar! The Hartnell College Foundation is proud of you and looks forward to your contributions to our communities as you become brilliant professionals in your fields of study.

FILLED WITH GRATITUDE
Gabino Guzman goes to Paris

Last year, Gabino Guzman, 20, participated in a summer internship at UC Santa Cruz’s International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) and was part of the team that entered the International Synthetic Biology Competition. They won gold! He was the only Latino, the only Hartnell student, and the only one with parents who work in the fields.

“To be honest, I felt out of place there,” Guzman said. “I felt like I did not bring any value to the team; they were all smarter than me and had a completely different upbringing than me.”

But this changed. In this international competition, the team had to interact with teams in other countries, and thus when La Universidad de Tecnológia de Chihuahua, Mexico connected with the UCSC team, Gabino was the only one who spoke Spanish and translated for the team.

“That was the moment I realized I have traits that are unique to me and that my team celebrated,” he said. “On the last day of the internship, I was invited to join them to present our research in Paris – I was floored!”

He wrote a letter to the Hartnell College Foundation and to his dean asking for a scholarship to support his travel expenses to France. It was a process that had to be approved by the Foundation Board and the College Board of Trustees.  And thus, with all the necessary blessings, Gabino was off to Paris on October 2022.

“I did not even process it up until I was at the Eiffel Tower,” he said. “That’s when I realized I was a long way from home.”

He was there with his team for one week, during which they presented to teams from other countries as shown in the photo with representatives of India. He enjoyed workshops and visiting Paris during their free time.

His team at UCSC worked on producing a protein called “Exendin-4 (Ex-4)” in E.Coli and S. cerevisiae to make Type 2 Diabetes treatment more accessible for under-resourced and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. Ex-4 is a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP1-RA) drug that triggers a response that leads to increased insulin production and sensitivity. Their goal is to produce a bio-encapsulated GLP1-RA Ex-4 that is cost-effective for patients.

“To our donors, thank you for changing my life as a first-generation college student!” He said. “Thank you for believing in me and bringing me a step closer to achieving my dream of becoming a physician-scientist.”

Guzman graduated from Soledad High School in 2020 and began his college career at Hartnell College that same year. When he graduates in May 2024, he will have earned associate degrees in biology, physics, chemistry, and math. His goal is to become a physician-scientist and earn an MD and a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering. He gives credit to his support programs in MESA, TRiO, and MILE (Men’s Institute of Leadership and Education) for having the drive and motivation to keep going.

“My TRiO director, Manuel Bersamin, is always encouraging me,” he said. “He was there when for a moment I doubted myself and he reassured me that I am meant to do great things with my life – I am infinitely thankful to him and to MESA for believing in me.”

Although he has a busy academic life and work schedule with MESA, Gabino finds time to read classical books and philosophy, and he enjoys playing chess and working out. He has a little brother and two half-sisters.

“Hartnell was the best choice for me and I hope many others take advantage of a local community college that provides all you need to succeed,” he said. “I have struggled, but I have taken advantage of all the resources here, I have put in the work, and I am succeeding.”

Gabino says that his parents are proud of him and that his dad tells him how he never imagined he would get a son who is such a hard worker. “It is a nice feeling to hear my dad be so proud,” he added.