FC Mother and Daughter Duo Secures the Same Scholarship One Year Apart
American Sign Language (ASL) major Gizelle Fuentes never imagined completing her first year at Fullerton College as a scholarship recipient. This academic year, she was awarded the Doug and Ann Myles Family Osher Scholarship – a scholarship for high-achieving students in the humanities. Just a year ago, her mother, Marilyn Fuentes, also received the exact same award.
Gizelle and Marilyn are both Fullerton College students who are pursuing associate degrees in ASL. Although they aspire to different journeys and goals, this mother and daughter duo has shared the joy of taking ASL courses together, an experience that brought them even closer.
For both of them, the Doug and Ann Myles Family Osher Scholarship became possible thanks to the encouragement of FC’s faculty and staff. In the 2024-25 academic year, Marilyn was nominated for the award by ASL Professor Eddie Gutierrez, while Gizelle secured it this year among three other scholarships she qualified for.
“Scholarships provide much-needed resources for students to remain enrolled at Fullerton College and graduate,” said Executive Director of the Friends of Fullerton College Foundation, Dr. Lisa Nashua. “The awards help our students understand that we believe in them and support their academic success.”
A special-admit student, Gizelle started her journey with Fullerton College in its dual enrollment program. While ASL is her primary major, she also pursues welding, an interest she’s had since she was 8 years old. Currently, she is working on her associate’s degrees in ASL and automotive technology, as well as a welding certificate.
Her mother Marilyn’s path at Fullerton College includes her goal to enhance her interpretation skills. She comes to Fullerton College with years of experience in the interpretation industry, having worked in special education, administration in early childhood education in movie studios as well as an international nanny in English and Spanish. She was also a recipient of the mindfulness certificate at the college.
“My mother spoke seven languages, so I grew up with an ear for language. I am fluent in Spanish and have been an interpreter for many years,” said Marilyn. “I promised myself that I wanted to be able to interpret for Deaf patients and their families to the best of my abilities and I believe that in my time at Fullerton College, I am getting the best ASL core requirements met.”
After completing her associate degrees, Gizelle plans to transfer to California State University, Northridge to pursue a career as a welder and mechanic with goals to also interpret for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people to promote more inclusive workplaces where all feel welcomed and supported. As she works towards a career in the welding and automotive fields, she hopes to improve communication, accessibility and advocate for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in both industries. Her mother has similar goals, with plans of transferring to a CSU campus to explore ASL, Deaf Studies and linguistics.
“Welding and automotive jobs are often noisy, and communication can be difficult, which adds extra challenges and safety risks for Deaf workers,” said Gizelle. “I think sign language and better awareness about accessibility should be more common in skilled trades.”
Thanks to the Foundation’s scholarship opportunities, Gizelle and Marilyn are able to be a part of each other’s worlds, whether it be through studying for an exam, enriching one another and so much more.
About the Doug and Ann Myles Family Osher Scholarship
The Doug and Ann Myles Family Osher Scholarship is awarded to a high-achieving student who plans to transfer to a four-year university to pursue studies in the liberal arts. Founded by Osher Foundation and the Myles Family, the scholarship awards a continuing Fullerton College student who has completed 24 units or more and is enrolled in a minimum of 12 units per semester. Since 2011, the scholarship has awarded a student in the Humanities Division at Fullerton College and will continue to recognize the next generation of students.
Learn more about our scholarship opportunities on the Friends of Fullerton College Foundation website.
