Honoring CFF’s 2025 Nueva Generación Scholarship Awardees
On Saturday, August 9, 2025, the California Farmworker Foundation (CFF) proudly hosted the 5th Annual Nueva Generación Scholarship Ceremony at Evergreen Island in Tulare, CA. The evening was filled with celebration, inspiration, and gratitude as 50 scholarships were awarded to students from farmworker families across California.
Behind every scholarship recipient stands the determination of farmworker parents who sacrifice daily to create brighter futures for their children. This year’s ceremony highlighted that legacy of resilience.
The event was hosted by emcee Joy Jacobs, whose warmth carried the audience through moments of reflection and pride. CFF President Joe Garcia and COO Darrell Muniz shared heartfelt remarks that underscored the foundation’s mission of empowering farmworker communities.
Adding to the evening’s prestige, Senator Melissa Hurtado presented recipients with Certificates of Recognition, honoring their outstanding commitment to education and leadership.
This year’s awardees represent a wide range of communities and institutions, from the Central Valley to universities nationwide. Together, they embody the determination and promise of farmworker children across California.
Student Testimonials
I am proudly the oldest daughter of immigrant farmworkers. I’m also a first-generation student who recently graduated from UC Merced with a B.A. in Public Health and Spanish, and I will soon begin my Master’s in Epidemiology at UC Irvine. As a student who can’t work like others unless it’s in the fields, scholarships like the Nueva Generación Scholarship are the reason I’m able to continue my education. So, thank you so much for believing and supporting students like myself and making higher education attainable. Remember that your dreams are also your parents’ dreams, and that we are their voice. So always believe that you are more than capable and that you deserve to be there.
As a first-generation Latina, my graduation in May will mark not only a milestone in my life but also my family’s legacy, as I will be breaking generational barriers, like many of us actively are, when I become the first Ivy League graduate in my family. Education has always been and will continue to be a priority of mine because if there’s one important life lesson I’ve learned, it’s that people can take a lot of things away from you, however, no one can take away your education, and education and knowledge are power. Last year, this scholarship helped cover tuition for my Fall semester, which alleviated the financial stress and worry that my family and I faced when it came time to pay that bill. Additionally, last year’s scholarship from CFF contributed to making my dream of studying abroad in Spain this Spring a reality.
2025 Scholarship Recipients
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Adalberto Soto – Calexico
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Alisa Ruiz Rios – UC Irvine
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Angeles Mendiola – Porterville
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Angie Calderon – Riverdale
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Ashley Carrasco – Lancaster
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Claudia Hernandez – Lamont
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Daniela Estefania Zuniga – Salton City
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Darlen Alicia Sandoval – Arvin
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Dulcemaria Espinoza – McFarland
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Dylan Fuentes – Arvin
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Elis Luna-Ramos – Madera
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Elissa Zavala – Arvin
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Emily Bernal Uribe – Fresno
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Estrella Valeria Garcia – Oxnard
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Eugene Cordero Ibus – Delano
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Evelyn Corrales Ortiz – Coachella
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Evelyn Garcia Jimenez – Nipomo
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Evodio Velasco – Taft
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Fatima Heredia Olvera – Delano
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Gonzalo Marcelo Zacarias – Mecca
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Guadalupe González Olmos – Fresno
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Heidy Lemus Orozco – Lindsay
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Jacqueline Miranda Rangel – Cornell University
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Jacqueline Pereida – Huron
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Jay H. Jocson Guinto – Delano
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Jazmin Isidro-Aguilar – Orange Cove
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Jenifer Pedraza Rojas – Lamont
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Jennifer Gonzalez – Hollister
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Juan Bermudez-Medrano – Salinas
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Karelia Cruz-Diaz – Thermal
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Kaylly Camacho – Blythe
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Kimberlin Benitez – Bakersfield
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Kimberly Camacho – Blythe
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Liliana Ramos – Farmersville
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Lizbeth Hernandez – Napa Valley
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Lizbeth Rodriguez Lopez – Livingston
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Luz Lopez Velasco – Santa Maria
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Marco Antonio Jimenez – Delano
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Martha Maldonado-Arias – Oxnard
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Omar Anaya Perez – King City
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Perla Salgado Ramírez – Wasco
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Perla Zepeda Ceja – Indio
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Ravijot Singh Sahota – Bakersfield
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Samantha Limon – Wasco
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Tristan V. Castillo – Bakersfield
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Uriel Castaneda Valencia – Delano
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Valerie Reyes – Nipomo
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Xitlaly Saldana-Maciel – Mecca
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Yanet Escalera – Sacramento
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Yohanna Guzman Vargas – Bakersfield
Building a Legacy of Opportunity
Over the past five years, the Nueva Generación Scholarship Program has awarded more than $350,000 to over 200 students statewide. With the launch of recurring scholarships this year, CFF is deepening its commitment to ensure farmworker children not only start their higher education journey but succeed through to graduation.
As the program grows, so too does the vision of a brighter future for farmworker families.
📢 Join the Movement
Your support makes these success stories possible. Learn how to contribute to the Nueva Generación Scholarship Program by visiting our donations page.
Together, we can continue to invest in the next generation of leaders.
Image Gallery
University Wall of Success
Our scholarship recipients attend outstanding colleges and universities across California and the nation. Below is a logo carousel showcasing some of the institutions our students are attending.
