“It was one of the easiest things I could do to open more doors for myself.”

Deven Chan, a senior at Galileo Academy in San Francisco, shared about his thoughts as he heard about the application process for the Maisin Scholarship Program.

“I heard about the Maisin Scholarhip application through College Trek, a program that helps students stay focused to get good grades, go to college and ultimately graduate,” said Chan. “I was hesitant to apply at first, but figured that I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. All I needed to do was to start writing.”

Seniors Chan of Galileo Academy, Maritza Juarez Yoc of Balboa High School and Kimberly Ornelas of City Arts and Technology High School, were recently awarded scholarships administered by The San Francisco Education Fund’s Maisin Scholars Award Program.

The Maisin Scholar Award Program is sponsored by the SFPUC and its social impact partners, Carollo Engineers and Water Resources Engineering, Inc., and was designed to identify and support students who are determined to achieve their academic goals beyond high school. The award helps San Francisco public students overcome the financial obstacles that stand in between them and their pursuits of higher education.

Chan explained his motivations for applying, “I applied for this scholarship program because I wanted to have an opportunity to go to college and open new doors for myself. Not only that, but this scholarship would allow me to go to college and pursue my goal of working for NASA as an engineer.”

Chan shared that he after graduating from college and starting his career, he would want to give back tot his community by providing scholarships like the one he received. He shared about this passion to create a community center for kids and young people to spend their time and be productive.

Chan will be awarded the Bayview Hunters Point STEM Scholarship sponsored by Carollo Engineers as part of the Maisin Scholarship Program. The scholarship could provide up to $3,000 annually for up to four years for his college education. He has a 3.24 GPA was inspired to pursue mechanical engineering by taking part in the Social Engineering Project, an initiative to increase diversity in the STEM fields. He will major in mechanical engineering next year at San Francisco State University.

“This scholarship will help me financially, so I don’t have to worry about my finances as much. This would let me keep focus toward school and not worry about my financial needs,” said Chan.

Growing up in San Francisco’s Bayview District, Chan had a support system that encouraged him to do well in school, invest in his future and give back to the community. In the future, he wants to help mentor and support young people, encouraging them to believe in their goals and pursue their aspirations.

“Going to college is a really big step in life, and looking for opportunities like internships and scholarship will help open new pathways to help you pursue your passions,” said Chan. “If college is not your path, there are many educational opportunities to learn about different functions and industries. I encourage all young people to pursue further education. If you feel like you need financial help, there are many scholarships and paid internships available.”

Chan will pursue an engineering degree from San Francisco State University this fall. He hopes to support kids in his neighborhood.

“If there’s one piece of advice I could share with young people today, it is to believe in yourself, your goals and your aspirations. You have to do feels right to you.”