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Amidon/Beauchamp Memorial Award winners. Front row (left to right): Ojaswee Giri, Jeni Patel, Ezra Calado and Alejandra Salcedo. Back row: Eduard Prieto-Caballero, Lauren Orosco and Sterling Spralls.

For immediate release — May 31, 2016

(DALLAS) — Seven Dallas County Community College District students received top honors for their outstanding leadership skills, service and academic achievement this spring.

The Amidon/Beauchamp Memorial Awards are presented annually by the office of student life at DCCCD’s Brookhaven, Cedar Valley, Eastfield, El Centro, Mountain View, North Lake and Richland colleges. The award honors the memories of David Amidon and Sharon Beauchamp. Amidon served as director of the Student Programs and Resources (SPAR) Council at Eastfield College. Beauchamp served in the same capacity at North Lake College. SPAR now is referred to as the office of student life at each DCCCD college.

The Amidon/Beauchamp Memorial Award program, in its 20th year, honors a student leader at each of DCCCD’s seven colleges.

The 2016 Amidon Beauchamp Memorial Award recipients are:

• Lauren Orosco of Brookhaven College — Orosco is majoring in child and family studies and will transfer to the University of Texas at Dallas for the fall 2016 semester. She currently is president of the Brookhaven Student Government Association; vice president of the Big Bear/Little Bear mentorship program; chair of the special events committee for the Campus Activities board; and an officer in the academic honorary Phi Theta Kappa for two-year colleges. She plans to complete her undergraduate and graduate degrees at UTD and to become a child life specialist. 
• Sterling Spralls of Cedar Valley College — Spralls, who graduated in May 2016, is a member of Phi Theta Kappa; a tutor in the CVC Tutoring Center; and a community volunteer for “Service With a Goal” for collegiate schools throughout the Dallas area, which prepares students for their future careers. He also has been listed on the President’s Honor Roll every semester.
• Alejandra Salcedo of Eastfield College — Salcedo is president of the EFC Communications Club; president of the Harvesters Campus Ambassadors; an SGA representative; and a member of Phi Theta Kappa. She also has interned with Texas State Rep. Cindy Burkett; has held two internship positions; and is actively involved with a number of community events. She plans to graduate from Eastfield in spring 2017 with an associate degree in substance abuse counseling and then will attend the University of North Texas at Dallas to earn her bachelor’s degree. She wants to become an attorney to “advocate on behalf of the voiceless.”
• Jeni Patel of El Centro College — Patel, a citizen of India and a permanent U.S. resident, was born overseas and moved to the U.S. in 2013. She is studying nursing at El Centro College and plans eventually to become a nurse practitioner. She is vice president of Phi Theta Kappa and the mathematics honorary Mu Alpha Theta; she also is an active member in STEM programs, the Biology Club and ECC’s Math Society.
• Eduard Prieto-Caballero of Mountain View College — Prieto-Caballero is majoring in electrical engineering at Mountain View and plans to transfer to Southern Methodist University for the fall 2016 semester. He has served as an MVC Student Ambassador; president of the International Friendship Club; president of Sigma Delta Mu Honor Society; vice president of service for Phi Theta Kappa; and a member of MVC’s Engineering Club. He also is a DCCCD STEM Student Scholar and has been actively involved in many events at the college as well as community service activities in the area. He also is a semi-finalist for the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship, which will help him fund his undergraduate education at SMU.
• Ojaswee Giri of North Lake College — Giri, who was born and raised in Nepal and immigrated to the U.S. two years ago, serves as the North Lake Student Government Association’s treasurer; vice president of scholarship for Phi Theta Kappa; public relations officer for the Blazer Ambassadors; and as NLC’s orientation leader. She graduated in May 2016 with a 4.0 grade point average and will attend either SMU or UTD to pursue a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance. She also is an Erin Tierney Kramp Scholarship recipient, a Dr. Marry Hood Star Scholar and a Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship semi-finalist.
• Ezra Calado of Richland College — Calado, who is a single mom and Miss Teen Asian American Texas for 2012-2013, is pursuing a degree in accounting and human rights law. She is a DCCCD Muse Scholar; a member of Phi Theta Kappa; a social media assistant in Richland’s office of student life; vice president of the Richland College Student Government Association; and executive vice president of the Honors Student Organization. She also has served as a panel member for the Asian-Pacific Islander Scholarship Fund, which highlights the impact of scholarships on Asian-American students. Calado devotes her personal time as a volunteer for local organizations that advocate for the empowerment of women.

For more information, contact Debra Dennis in the DCCCD office of public and governmental affairs at 214-378-1851 or at ddennis@dcccd.edu.

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