"My name is Joan Gabrielle Ramos, and I just finished my first year of college at the University of California, Los Angeles. It was tough, but I was able to persevere and learn from my experiences. Like many college freshmen, my first semester felt very challenging – I felt especially challenged since at that time I was majoring in pre-nursing. I had much to do in so little time, guidelines and requirements I carefully had to follow. I often struggled to find the motivation, but I am lucky I had/have the support I needed to continue; my family, friends, and partner. For such a major, I had tests almost every other week, therefore studying became my life. I am especially thankful for the ALFA foundation for lessening the weight of funding my studies. God knows how many study sites I had to pay for. My first semester ended up culminating bittersweetly as I passed my basic knowledge test, the TEAS, but I did not get in the nursing program. I felt disappointed at first, but I was reminded that I don't need to be a nurse to work in the hospital, and that my efforts and the things I learned will not be in vain. I switched my major to kinesiology, now hoping to become an occupational therapist after graduate school. My second semester was much more laid back, as I had the most demanding classes and responsibilities in my previous semester. Because I had more time, I was able to pursue different art mediums, which was very cathartic. Aside from painting and jotting down short film ideas, I started making clay crafts and preserving flowers. I am still making clay creations even now. I treated my second semester as a chance for me to bounce back up, and reconnect with my artistic passion. In my second year, I plan to join a club or two so I can continue to create, but this time with other passionate artists on campus. I am glad I was able to receive such support from the ALFA Foundation, along with loved ones, to make it this far."

-Joan Gabrielle Ramos, ALFA Scholar 2024

"To be an ALFA scholar is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life; this scholarship has provided me with so much sustainability and fulfillment. Not only am I proud to have been able to receive a scholarship, but to earn one that was dedicated to my very interest and skill was a dream come true. It felt as if I was being rewarded for my everlasting interest in art, something that I will continue to gratify forever. Another way this scholarship has helped me was just last month; I was granted $10,000 from the annual Taco Bell "Live Mas" scholarship program. I certainly couldn't have done it without the support of this scholarship since I was able to further demonstrate my talents and career goals, all thanks to the benefits I was given from this very scholarship, which was also an achievement I did not leave out when I submitted my application. Today, I am continuing my educational/artistic journey in many ways. I've reached my second year of college, I'm about to start work on my first feature film, and I'm in the process of creating my very own comic book, all entirely funded by the scholarships I've accumulated in the past couple of years. I am truly grateful that there are many people that believe in my dreams and see talent within me (the ALFA scholarship being a prime example of a giving opportunity). I will continue to work for my dreams, as many people would also like to see what comes next."

-George Camacho, ALFA Scholar 2024

"My name is Yuan-Kai "Kevin" Yang, an incoming third-year Computer Science student at UC San Diego, and I'm incredibly grateful to have received the Alexander Luna Fine Arts Scholarship. As I was growing up, I was very passionate about technology and the arts–two subjects that are seemingly on opposite sides of the spectrum. I loved the idea of using technology to create art, like making my computer graphics, creating videos, and even making art using code. I wanted to continue my passion for the arts in college, but it didn't seem feasible with my financial situation–until the ALFA scholarship helped me achieve this goal. Thanks to this scholarship, I've been able to reduce my time as a student worker and dedicate more energy to my passions, one of which is the arts. I've taken visual arts classes like "Formations of Modern Art," "The Art of the Americas or Africa and Oceania," and even "Introduction to 2D Art Making." In a more interdisciplinary view, I'm planning to take classes such as Computer Graphics through Programming and Introduction to Computer Vision. Through the ALFA scholarship, I have been motivated and supported through exploring the arts in college, despite my STEM-centered major. I am deeply thankful for this opportunity and to the donors who made it possible. This support is shaping the future of many students like me."

-Kevin Yang, ALFA Scholar 2023

"I am very grateful to have been an ALFA scholar, not just because of the honor of being named one, but being able to be a part of a special community. Being able to listen and learn about the start of the organization was truly inspiring and heartwarming, and being named one of the scholars is genuinely amazing. The Luna family really made me feel welcomed and encouraging for continuing to love the arts. They reminded me that I can continue to be able to create art, not just for myself, but for communities. Art is powerful in every way possible and speaks volumes on so many levels, and I'll always find my way back to art whenever I need a voice."

-Tiffany To, ALFA Scholar 2025