A sea of hats filled the dining room at Desert Horizon Country Club — all kinds and colors, straw hats with flowers, wide brimmed gauze creations, boater-style, cowboy, as well as colorful fascinators. Ladies arrived for the luncheon decked out grand enough to go to the races and, in fact, it was Derby Day and in Kentucky, the Run for the Roses was just then happening.
It was the perfect day to sport a dazzling chapeau at the Coachella Valley Alumnae Panhellenic’s annual scholarship luncheon. The event was themed “Double Down on Education,” which is exactly what it was all about. Centerpieces were, what else? Red roses.
Throughout the year, there are many CVAP activities and fascinating programs, but the over-arching year-long focus culminates with the speculator May scholarship luncheon.
In spring, teams of interview members go to 10 valley public high schools and select young women to be scholarship recipients. At the May meeting, the recipient, as well as a guest, are seated with the membership. The scholars are welcomed, honored and showcased. Each young woman comes to the podium, introduces herself, shares not only her excellent scholastic achievement and remarkable accomplishments but her aspirations. Some recipients may be the first in their family to go to college, but scholarships are based entirely on merit. They are encouraged to join a sorority, but it is not a criterion to receive a scholarship.
Each young woman received a $5,000 scholarship. Over the years, CVAP has given more than $1,000,000 in scholarships to 650 recipients.
Welcoming words from Ramona Frost Ruiz and Linda Simmons, scholarship co-chairs, were followed by the pledge, roll call and birthday recognition. Guest speakers were then introduced. Vanessa and Juliana Gayton, sisters as well as sorority sisters in Alpha Gamma Delta, were both recipients of CVAP scholarships and are now graduates of UCLA. In their comments, they spoke to the scholars now being honored about their own experience of arriving on a vast and awesome college campus and the haven of a sorority which made it all manageable.
Then came the main event. Simmons acknowledged those who had worked on the project as well as the generosity of donors. Frost Ruiz called the recipients to the podium where they shared information about themselves.
Kenia Reynoso Ibarra (DMHS) will be attending UC Irvine and plans to major in biological science in preparation for becoming a neurosurgeon.
Yeiri Pedraza (CCHS) will major in economics and accounting at UC Santa Barbara, to become a financial analyst. Isabella Byers (PSHS), also attending UC Santa Barbara, will study communication with a focus in media marketing and business.
Shereen Simonian (LQHS) will study political science at UC Berkeley with plans to become a corporate lawyer. Sofia Cruz-Gonzalez (IHS), also attending UC Berkeley, will study psychology and biology.
Katherine Ugaddan (RMHS) will major in nursing at San Diego State with plans to become a pediatric nurse or work in ICU/emergency medicine. Also attending San Diego State, Isabella Barone (PDHS) will major in business finance, with plans for a career in business, banking and investment strategy.
Vanessa Siqueiros (DHSHS) plans to become a pediatric rheumatologist with studies at UC San Diego.
Anahi Moran (CVHS) will attend CSU Fullerton with plans to major in psychology and with a focus toward a career in public health. Geraldine Armenta-Ramirez (SHHS) plans a career in business administration. She will be a student at Fullerton as well.
Past president Debbie Cox conducted an installation ceremony for the 2026-2027 executive board. Outgoing president Pamela Sinco was commended for a job well done. She then passed the gavel to the new president, Bridgette Roman, who concluded the meeting.
To learn more about CVAP or to make a donation, visit cvap4scholars.org.
Joanne Hardy, a teacher with a yen to write (especially historical fiction) has published three novels, the first set during the Civil War, the second, during the Great Depression and most recently, “Abandoned,” a story about the rise of the railroad era, the Civil War and the Women’s Suffragette movement. A desert resident since 1958, she has reported for the Desert Scene for 15 years.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Coachella Valley Alumnae Panhellenic holds scholarship luncheon
Reporting by Joanne Hardy, Special to The Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Joanne Hardy, Special to The Desert Sun | USA TODAY Network
