LACC Alumnus Becomes Fulbright Scholar!

In August, former LACC student Jwyanza Hobson will be teaching English in rural Vietnam – as a Fulbright Scholar.

You’ll never speak to a more modest, genuine person. He’s not your average college student, perhaps not your average Fulbright Scholar. A full-time student in his 40s, Jwyanza is earning an education because “that’s something nobody can take away – your character, wisdom and knowledge”. He’s grateful for every opportunity and he credits much of his success to the Los Angeles City College Foundation.

That’s what makes Jwyanza so incredible. He’s driven and grateful and always has been. A native of Puerto Rico, he grew up in New York City and gained a valuable perspective. He remembers seeing the struggles of the adults around him, and he’s faced those challenges head-on in adulthood.

In 2000, he moved to Los Angeles with his band, hoping to make a successful career in the music industry. Eventually they broke up and he was left to find work on his own. Lack of education and a string of meaningless part-time jobs were forcing him to search elsewhere for happiness and success. He knew at that time that you should “never build your happiness on the misfortune of others.”

And so, in the fall of 2011, Jwyanza enrolled as a full-time student at Los Angeles City College.

Starting out, he had no funds for school and the scholarship application process was overwhelming. Now, thanks to the online, streamlined process at Los Angeles City College Foundation, students like Jwyanza can get the funding they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom.

He is currently a student a University of California, Riverside and though excited about the opportunities it presents, he misses the Foundation and all of its support. He strongly believes that the scholarships he received from the Foundation became “instrumental to my survival as a student.”

Initially, he planned to study nursing but his plan changed and he ended up with an Associate’s degree in liberal arts and health sciences. While at LACC, he spent a great deal of time in Associated Student Government – first in the Senate and eventually became ASG President in 2012.

During his time with ASG, Jwyanza was part of a huge movement to pass Proposition 30 – an initiative so badly needed to increase class offerings so more students could graduate. At that time, many students were dropping out of school because they did not have the resources they needed to finish their programs. He saw how discouraged they were and this led him and his colleagues to take action.

Jwyanza and his team were able to register over 200,000 student voters, aged 18-29, and were instrumental to the passing of Prop 30. Thanks to this effort, more sections of required courses opened up all over the state, and more students were able to finish their education.

Despite all of his efforts to support fellow LACC students, and the strength and initiative he had shown all along, Jwyanza was hesitant to apply for the Fulbright scholarship. He wasn’t sure he could do it but he knew if he didn’t apply, he would always regret it.

Jwyanza has been very modest about all of his achievements. It takes some convincing for him to admit that he deserves to even be among the pool of Fulbright applicants, let alone to have received such a prestigious award. However, the one thing he is absolutely certain of – the Los Angeles City College Foundation got him where he is today.

The Foundation is so proud of Jwyanza and looks forward to his continued success!

(Photo used with permission from Jwyanza Hobson)