Scholarship Recipients 2026

Peyton Banks

Peyton is a finance student in the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder and plans to graduate in 2027. She intends to pursue a law degree focused on mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, and organizational strategy. Peyton is particularly interested in helping companies navigate complex challenges and improve performance through thoughtful leadership and decision-making. Having grown up in the foster care system, she is passionate about mentoring foster youth as they approach adulthood and make decisions about education and career paths. Peyton hopes to combine business and legal training to build organizations that create opportunities and strengthen support systems for young people facing similar circumstances.

Lucy Reddell

Lucy is a Boulder native and International Affairs major at the University of Colorado, Lucy is driven by a commitment to global equity. While balancing self-funding her education, she is pursuing a certificate in Peace, Conflict, and Security. Lucy is fluent in Spanish and currently studying Mandarin, reflecting her passion for cross-cultural engagement and language learning. Following graduation, she aims to serve in the Peace Corps, gaining the frontline experience necessary for an eventual career with a global NGO. She remains dedicated to advancing sustainability and human rights through a professional life centered on international service and conflict resolution.

Michaela Perez

Michaela is a Boulder native and first-generation student. She is pursuing a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at CU Boulder. Her commitment to conservation was sparked by her 23-year bond with Llucca, a Mexican gray wolf hybrid. Now Michaela focuses on the binational recovery of this endangered species. Her diverse fieldwork includes post-wildfire fish monitoring, bison-vegetation studies, and wildlife rehabilitation. Self-funding her education while balancing local community work, Michaela aims for a career in ecological restoration. She seeks to heal Western ecosystems by addressing the complex intersections of habitat loss, predator eradication, and the historical legacies of land displacement.

Kimberly Avelyn Era

Kimberly is a 64-year-old returning student to CU Boulder after nearly 40 years. She is a full-time Bachelor of Fine Arts student in the Printmaking Department and in her junior year this Fall semester. She plans to graduate in the spring of 2028. Kimberly lives in Longmont and has lived in Montana and Oregon as well as having grown up in Pennsylvania. Her two adult children live in Oregon and Florida, and Kimberly’s absolute favorite pastime is to be with them. She has owned small businesses throughout her adult life but made the decision to finish college in 2023. She is very active with pickleball, hiking, biking, fishing and printmaking. She also enjoys travel, time with good friends and navigating new challenges.

Caleb Johnson

Caleb is a 26 year old sophomore studying Aerospace Engineering Sciences at CU Boulder. He transferred to CU from Red Rocks Community College this past fall where he studied for a total of four years. Caleb grew up in Golden, CO and is the youngest of five siblings. Over the years life has posed several challenges in his life. In his youth he learned to tap into perseverance and grit, and believes overcoming challenges will only help to succeed in the future. Caleb’s dream has always been to be an astronaut and as a nontraditional student, found his place at CU Boulder where his dream continues.

Serena Bity Martinez

Serena is a first-generation, nontraditional adult learner at the University of Colorado Boulder, double majoring in Sociology and Women and Gender Studies, with minors in Political Science and Ethnic Studies. She transferred from community college in Aurora and graduated in 2023. Balancing family responsibilities, including caring for her father through surgery, job losses, financial struggles, food insecurity, and supporting a pet with a chronic illness, life has been challenging, but she always gets back up. At Antelope Recovery, Serena works with the judicial system to connect youth at risk to mental health services instead of the juvenile system. This summer, she will mentor marginalized youth through Generation Teach. Her goal is to become a social worker, giving youth hope, second chances, and showing that resilience can overcome life’s toughest obstacles.