Cal State San Bernardino’s Palm Desert Campus has announced the 11 recipients of the prestigious Rogers Scholarship for the 2025-26 academic year.

The Mary Stuart Rogers Scholarship Fund was created to provide financial assistance to outstanding undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus.

The recipients, known as “Rogers Scholars,” are selected based on academic excellence, leadership qualities, commitment to personal growth and dedication to serving their fellow students and communities.

The 2025-26 Rogers Scholars are:

  • Alexis Agbayani – Nursing
  • Shekaila Alvez – Nursing
  • Nicole Corona – Nursing
  • Sydney Durana – Nursing and Psychology
  • Stephanie Grantell – Psychology
  • Duaa Jamaleddin – English Literature
  • Karen Orozco – Nursing
  • Andrea Pass – Nursing
  • Valerie Perez – English
  • Crystal Romero – Psychology and Spanish
  • Nathen Velasco – Nursing

“I am deeply grateful to the Mary Stuart Rogers Foundation for their generosity and continued support of students like myself,” said nursing student Nathen Velasco. “Receiving the Mary Stuart Rogers Foundation Scholarship is both an honor and a tremendous help in pursuing my educational goals. Their investment in my future inspires me to work hard and give back to my community. I also serve as the lead student assistant for our university’s Nursing Street Medicine program, where I help bring healthcare to the homeless and migrant communities throughout the Coachella Valley. This scholarship has significantly lightened my financial burden, allowing me to focus more fully on my studies and serving the people around me.”

This year’s scholars will be honored at a special reception on Sept. 30, where they will have the opportunity to meet John Rogers and members of the Rogers family.

“These students exemplify the spirit of the Rogers Scholarship program — academic excellence, leadership and service to others,” said Adolfo Velazquez, director of community engagement and philanthropy at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus. “We are proud to recognize their achievements and support their continued success.”

Since its establishment, the Rogers Scholarship program has awarded more than $2 million to Palm Desert Campus students, empowering them to pursue higher education and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

Visit the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus Scholarships webpage for more information about the Rogers Scholarship program and other scholarship opportunities available at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus.

About the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus: The CSUSB Palm Desert Campus is dedicated to providing a transformative educational experience in the Coachella Valley. With a focus on academic excellence and community engagement, the campus offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs designed to meet the diverse needs of its students and the region.

For more information about the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, contact Mike Singer in the Office of Marketing and Communications at msinger@csusb.edu or (760) 341-2883, ext. 78107, or visit the PDC website at www.csusb.edu/pdc.