By Libni Sanjurjo | FCPR Communications Officer
I recently heard Arnold Schwarzenegger say that although he had passion, determination, and vision to achieve his goals, he wouldn't have succeeded without help. “Never call me a self-made man,” he stated in a video shared on social media. And it's absolutely true. Just a few days after seeing those images, Puerto Rico Community Foundation received good news from one of her [scholarship recipients/mentees] which reminded me and made me embrace the words of the renowned actor.
Edauri Navarro Pérez, who since 2013 has received economic assistance from Toyota Foundation Fund, wrote to our Senior Donor Services Officer, Jocelyn Capeles, to announce that they will be starting studies towards a PhD at Arizona State University's School of Life Sciences.
“I'm super excited!» she expressed. «And grateful for the impact many people have had on my life,” she added.
Her history with the Foundation began at 18 years of age while she was in her first year of studies at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, where she will soon graduate with a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science.
“Having won the scholarship from the Puerto Rico Community Foundation and Toyota has been an honor and a privilege for me, as I was able to dedicate all my student potential to expanding my knowledge through many rewarding experiences... (Additionally,) they have an excellent team that has provided me with a" incredible support ”in my professional aspirations," said the 23-year-old resident of Bayamón in written statements to the Foundation.
It's been a long time since then, yet she still remembers the emotions she felt when she started receiving the help that fueled her academic dreams. “The first time I opened my scholarship acceptance letter, I felt so much enthusiasm, gratitude, and hope, knowing that environmental integration is the future,” she recalled.
One thing led to another.
Navarro Pérez's passion and professional focus led her to find and accept opportunities that allowed her to travel to countries such as Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Alaska, and to gain jobs and internships at federal agencies like the United States Department of Agriculture and at research centers, including the Woods Hole Research Center in Massachusetts and the Center for Applied Tropical Ecology and Conservation (CATEC). “Through all these experiences, I decided that my professional path would lead me to graduate school,” she emphasized.
The determination to stay in the race sustained her even in spite of the challenges imposed on the country by Hurricane Maria. “With great effort and care, in the stormy days after Maria, I managed to apply (to the university),” she stated.
RESEARCH APPROACH
Navarro Pérez is determined to investigate how cultural and human impacts alter the soil, from its chemical, geological, and biological composition; furthermore, she wants to cover the topic of greenhouse gases and climate change. “These topics greatly passionate me as it is we humans who are altering the world, and climate intensification and alteration is a response to our actions,” she emphasized.
Navarro Pérez's interests go beyond obtaining an academic degree, as her “greatest goal as a human being is to contribute to the world scientifically and educationally, inspiring others to do their part.” For her, science, especially that with environmental perspectives, will shape the future.
“As a Hispanic, Latina, woman, and above all, Puerto Rican, I aspire to inspire those who wish to persist and to see a better world and Puerto Rico,” she stated.
“I believe I represent the desire to fight that young people have today very well, and the desire to dare to question much of what we used to take for granted. With these goals, I hope my professional future will be oriented towards providing opportunities to talented students who wish to improve the planet, as the Community Foundation and Toyota did for me,” he added.
Their story reminds us how transcendental it can be to give to those in need and how they multiply that seed of kindness.
HELPING THE HELPER: CREATE A FUND
Similar to the Toyota Foundation Fund, within the Foundation, we manage funds from other socially responsible companies, foundations, families, and individuals who want to contribute to the well-being of our communities through donations from these funds, which are designated for non-profit organizations and students (scholarships).
If you want Create a background, call 787-721-1037. You can also learn more about us at www.fcpr.org.