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September 24 , 2009

CSU Dominguez Hills’s Hearst/CSU Trustees Award Recipient Turning Life Around With Education

(Carson, CA) – A single mother of four who still finds time to excel in her studies is the California State University, Dominguez Hills recipient of the 2009 William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. CSU Dominguez Hills psychology major Scarlett Aufmann and students from each of the 22 other campuses were presented the award and corresponding $3,000 scholarship during the CSU Board of Trustees meeting on Sept. 22. The system-wide award recognizes those students who have demonstrated excellent academic achievements, community service, financial need and the ability to overcome adversity. (www.calstate.edu/foundation/hearst)

Aufmann’s story of adversity began at a young age, as the child of an alcoholic parent. It continued into adulthood when she experienced domestic violence in her marriage. However, Aufmann persevered and set out seven years ago to make a better life for herself and her four young sons.

“Although I have faced many challenges in my life, I see these challenges as the building blocks for personal growth and the confidence I now possess,” Aufmann says. “Today, my four sons and I have a wonderful life filled with joy and peace, but many lessons were learned by our experience during those years. Life has been difficult at times for all of us, but with every day we become stronger and stronger.”

The cornerstone of Aufmann’s new life has been education. In 2005, the San Pedro resident earned her certification in alcohol and substance abuse counseling from CSU Dominguez Hills, as well as her Associate of Arts degree from Los Angeles Harbor College, where she made the dean’s list. She then transferred to CSU Dominguez Hills, and today is a senior earning her undergraduate degree in psychology. In addition, she is in the Ronald McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, which grooms undergraduates for advanced degrees and graduate school, and is a member of the Dominguez Hills chapters of Psi Chi Honor Society and Phi Kappa Phi.

Aufmann, who is the sole supporter of her family and works fulltime at Houston’s Restaurant in Manhattan Beach, says her pursuit of a college degree is “living a dream for which I am very grateful.” 

“By receiving [the Hearst Scholarship], I will be able to continue my education, take care of my children, make a difference in another child’s life through my research, and soar to new heights that I never imagined possible,” she says.

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About CSU Dominguez Hills -- California State University, Dominguez Hills is a highly diverse, urban university located in the South Bay, primarily serving the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The university prides itself on its outstanding faculty and friendly, student-centered environment. Known for excellence in teacher education, nursing, psychology, business administration, and digital media arts, new degree programs include computer science, criminal justice, recreation and leisure studies, social work, and communication disorders. On campus is the Home Depot Center, a multi-purpose sports complex that hosts world-class soccer, tennis, track and field, lacrosse, and cycling.

Media Contact:
Amy Bentley-Smith
(310) 243-2455
abentleysmith@csudh.edu

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