Meet Our Scholars
Melissa Arizola
San Joaquin Delta College
Psychology
She/Her/Hers
Community College
California Endowment Scholarship Recipient
Melissa Arizola is a first-generation college student born in Stockton, California. At the age of 9, she moved to Arkansas for several years but came back to California to escape a toxic family predicament. When she and her family arrived back, they were homeless for a couple of years. During this time, Melissa’s determination and drive to succeed in school increased as did her commitment to making a difference for her family. She is a psychology major at San Joaquin Delta College and plans on transferring to obtain her bachelor’s by fall of 2021. Afterward, she plans to pursue her law degree and become a criminal defense lawyer. Melissa is passionate about reading, giving back to my community, and taking care of the homeless. Being an active member of Stockton’s LGBTQIA community, she has hopes of one day being politically involved toward the betterment and justice for her community. More recently, she obtained an internship at the California Rural Legal Assistance law firm in Stockton, CA. CRLA offers services to underrepresented individuals like migrant workers, school children, members of the LGBTQIA community, immigration populations, seniors, and those with disabilities. This position at CRLA is Melissa’s first step in making a difference for those in her community.