College-going culture: Early Outreach Scholarship recipients discuss impacts on local communities

Arizona State University not only prides itself on the success and prosperity of its innovative students but also aims to enact positive change in surrounding communities and the world at large. One of the many outlets for this positive change is through the Early Outreach Scholarship, a program endorsing students as role models for K-12 grade students. 

The scholarship is offered through Access ASU, a department that works to increase access to higher education for all students. Recipients of the Early Outreach Scholarship foster a “college-going culture” in schools across Arizona with the hope of making Access ASU’s mission a reality. 

Ammaar Zindani, a rising sophomore studying biological sciences at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, first heard about the Early Outreach Scholarship through various Access ASU programs he attended in high school. Now, he helps other Arizona students prepare for college life as a scholarship recipient. 

“It's more than just a scholarship,” Zindani said. “It's an immersive, active community service commitment, where you volunteer about 100 hours throughout the academic year through Access ASU programs.” 

Zindani noted that because of the service component of the Early Outreach Scholarship, students see ASU’s commitment to community change in person and recognize their role in making a difference. 

“Even when you get the scholarship, you're still earning it with all the service work that you're doing,” Zindani said. “You will experience a lot of cool work that's being done in ASU’s Educational Outreach and Student Services department first-hand. You'll see how ASU makes its impact on local high schools.” 

As applicants must have been a participant in “any Access ASU signature and summer program,” many are familiar with the university before taking on a role as a mentor.  

Shravya Aragam, another scholarship recipient, is a rising junior majoring in business management at the W. P. Carey School of Business. Aragam first encountered Access ASU through the Cesar Chavez Leadership Institute and then decided to apply for the Early Outreach Scholarship after finding it in the ASU Scholarship Portal. 

“I’d highly recommend applying to it,” Aragam said. “I’ve been able to interact with students who had the same questions as me when I was applying to college, but now I’m in a position to help direct them to the resources and information that helped me as an incoming freshman.” 

A desire to help others is at the heart of the Early Outreach Scholarship. Aragam defined the scholarship’s “college-going culture” in her own words, explaining how providing that opportunity to others helps generate more interest in postsecondary education. 

“To me, college-going culture encompasses a snapshot of your life where there are so many different opportunities that a student can pursue,” Aragam said. “Hence, when we talk to younger students, we often like to focus on why we choose our major and what we hope to do in the future so that they can visualize what the ‘college-going culture’ can be for themselves.”

Student recipients of the scholarship can complete their mandatory service hours in various ways through Access ASU. 

Diane Bañuelos, an honors student and scholarship recipient, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Bañuelos explained what work qualifies as service hours and what lessons she has learned through the experience. 

“For my service hours, I attended many tabling events with SPARKS, also known as ‘Students, Providing, Awareness, Resources, and Knowledge to Start college,’” Bañuelos said. “Through this, I learned about the importance of giving back and helping many first-generation families who are unaware of the next steps they should take in order to get their child to college.” 

Working as a SPARKS ambassador is just one of the many branches of Access ASU open to scholarship recipients. Others include working as an Access ASU campus ambassador or a Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program peer mentor. 

For many scholarship recipients, serving as a mentor does not feel like a task or responsibility. Instead, they recognize how impactful other ASU mentors were in their own high school experiences. 

“Ever since I was in elementary school, I’ve always been participating in different programs and activities that Access ASU hosted,” Aragam said. “When it came around to high school, I just felt that ASU had so much to offer, which is why I chose ASU.”

When asked what advice they would give to future applicants, all three scholarship recipients responded differently. 

Zindani discussed the benefits of getting involved with Access ASU as early as possible. 

“As a high school student, people often don't realize the amount of opportunities you have available to you,” Zindani said. “ASU offers a range of opportunities, and if you are interested in ASU, then I would recommend getting involved in some Access ASU programs early on in high school.” 

For students considering the Early Outreach Scholarship, Aragam emphasized the importance of maintaining integrity throughout the application process. 

“I would say be yourself,” Aragam said. “Really and truly, be yourself and showcase your passions and interests.” 

Bañuelos assured students that, despite the daunting requirements, anyone can handle the service commitments. 

“The hours seem scary, but being a part of the Early Outreach Scholars community is worth every second,” Bañuelos said. 

Students looking to apply for the Early Outreach Scholarship must submit a resume and digital video presentation using the following criteria: 

• No longer than 5 minutes in length
• Give a personal introduction
• Address the question: How has your participation in an Access ASU program helped you succeed?
• Describe one of the topics below:
  • A personal obstacle you overcame
  • Your biggest accomplishment
  • Your professional goals
  • What motivates you to help others