2016 Frances R. Hesselbein Scholarship Winner

Ruby Garcia, 19, a rising sophomore majoring in global studies at Cedar Crest College, is the 2016-17 recipient of the Frances R. Hesselbein scholarship.  Garcia, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., who currently resides in Breinigsville, Pa., says she grew up yearning to see the world.
 
Before majoring in global studies, she planned to pursue a degree in neuroscience by majoring in biochemistry. However, after becoming involved in the College's Amnesty International Chapter and attending the Mid Atlantic Regional Conference in Baltimore with a side trip to Washington, D.C., her world changed. She made it her mission to continue helping others through Amnesty’s platform and beyond.  Next thing she knew, she was elected chapter treasurer and helped coordinate along with other Cedar Crest Amnesty members, the Burundi Peace Rally. Cedar Crest College was the first chapter in the nation to host a rally concerning war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide within Burundi. After working on this rally, she was further inspired to strongly devote her time and energy working with Amnesty and pursuing a degree in Global Studies. 

This spring, Garcia was elected president of the Cedar Crest Chapter of Amnesty International. She attended the Amnesty International Annual General Meeting in Miami, Fla. That’s when doors really began opening for her.  She was accepted into a student exchange program for a month long cultural curriculum at Seoul Women’s University in South Korea.  This is doubly exciting for her, because the plane will take a 24-hour layover in Finland, coming and going.

Last spring she was in Pennsylvania wondering whether she would ever get out of the tri state area.  In one year she has been to Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Miami, Fla. and will be heading out next month to South Korea, and Finland.  What’s next? With her degree in global studies, Garcia hopes to be admitted to New York University’s Graduate School of Global Affairs and would like to pursue a career involving international affairs and one day become a United States representative to the United Nations.

The Frances R. Hesselbein scholarship, which is administered by the United Way of Greater Lehigh Valley’s Women’s Leadership Council, provides $3,000 a year to a Cedar Crest College undergraduate who is African American, Latina, Asian or Native American.  Mrs. Hesselbein, who divides her time between her office in New York City and her home in Easton, PA is president and CEO of the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute. She is a founder of the United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council. In 2015 she was listed as one of Fortune Magazine’s 50 Greatest Leaders.