The scholarship is named in honor of Lois Oliver. Lois was a lifelong learner whose ongoing curiosity about the world led her to gain new skills, go new places, and try new experiences. She loved birding, hiking, quilting, music, and time with her family, especially the grandchildren. She inspired everyone around her to ask questions and look deeper. She especially loved sunflowers, which radiate the same bright joy that she brought to any room. Her legacy continues to support education and curious minds today.
My name is Iran Paz and I am currently a sophomore studying Computer Science. I was born in Venezuela and I moved to the US when I was 11 years old. Despite the struggles of growing up in a foreign environment, my family and I have been very happy living here. In my free time, I like to code, play video games, and watch movies with my friends.
I always knew I wanted to pursue higher education, but I wasn't sure what field to focus on until my junior year of high school. I took a programming class that year and I loved every second of it. I found my passion for coding and I instantly knew that's what I wanted to study. After that, I took every other programming class my school offered and tried to improve my skills. I like learning new things and challenging myself through computer science. Because of this, I have never regretted the path that I chose back then and I am thankful for all the opportunities that I've been given.