Mayor Emeritus Lila Cockrell Scholarship Program
The San Antonio Women’s Chamber of Commerce Foundation (SAWCCF) presents its performance based Mayor Emeritus Lila Cockrell Scholarship Program for full-time nontraditional students at the Alamo Colleges District. The Foundation’s resources will be funneled through the Alamo Colleges Foundation ACT) since a well-established application selection and disbursement of funds model has existed for years.
The goals are to provide full-time nontraditional women students with money for college and to provide incentives for academic success leading to degree completion. In the United States over $20 billion is provided annually for scholarships. Since the SAWCC has a Mentorship Program coordination of mentors activities will be included in the Scholarship Program through the SAWCC. A member of the Mentorship Committee will serve on the Scholarship Committee/Board of the SAWCCF.
Scholarship Recipients
Loralee Cantu
Loralee is 37 years old and has 21 year old son. After losing her father at an early age, Loralee decided to pursue an education and become a Social Worker to connect with others and to provide resources for those who have also struggled in life. Loralee is registered at Northwest Vista and currently has a 4.0 GPA!
Shanysh Woods
When Shanysh applied for college in 2021, she was living in a Salvation Army Shelter and working as a Housekeeper in a Nursing Home. The residents at this Nursing Home encouraged her to go to school and get a degree as a Social Worker. Shanysh is attending SAC and will transfer to A&M San Antonio in the fall of 2024.
Crystal Cortez
Cortez has been working as a dental assistant the past 10 years for a local endodontist. As a mother of two boys, she wanted to be a role model by returning to school to show them she can still achieve her long term career goals of being a dental hygienist.
Sabrina Rivera
Sabrina is 39 years old and is enrolled in Palo Alto College, where she is pursuing an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice. Her goal is to achieve a Bachelor’s Degree at San Antonio A & M in Political Science. She serves our community as a Texas Peace Officer and a Lieutenant as the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office as well as the National Society of Leadership and Success! Sabrina is extremely excited about her Scholarship with the Women’s Chamber Foundation and plans to use our support to achieve her dreams.
Vilma Suazo-Marquez
In March of 2014, Suazo-Marquez and her family left her home of Honduras behind to escape the constant fear of living in danger. Arriving in San Antonio in 2015 she buckled down in order to complete a traditional 4 years of high school in 2 years. She accomplished all of this while learning speak and comprehend English. Having to contribute to the household income and being a new mother became a small setback towards her goals; however, she was determined to show herself, and her family, that she can achieve a higher education and provide a better future for her daughter and her family. She works to obtain her associates degree in biology to become a Registered Dietitian or Biology teacher.
Katrina Sanchez
Katrina is currently a sophomore at St. Philip’s College and she is working towards a bachelor’s degree in Social Work. Born and raised here in San Antonio, she is a mother of two young daughters who have inspired her to be a Social Worker to help others obtain a better future for themselves and their children.
Clarissa Rivera
Clarissa is from Lowell, Massachusetts and had a bumpy start to her life. Clarissa is one of three children who were raised by a single mother. Clarissa found her way down to Texas where she got a job at a local restaurant and continued to work there for 12 years. When COVID hit, she lost her job at the restaurant and decided it was time to take another path in life and go back to college. Clarissa is a student at SAC and is currently on the Dean’s list and the President’s list! Clarissa’s goal is to transfer to UTSA and get a degree in Accounting.