Celebrating its 25th year, the Smittcamp Family Honors College at Fresno State welcomed its newest group of 50 students from all over California into its prestigious community of scholars. 

The freshmen were selected from a pool of more than 500 applicants, said Dr. Saeed Attar, director of the Smittcamp Family Honors College. Many of the students selected chose Fresno State over numerous other prestigious universities.

“By staying true to its mission, the Smittcamp Family Honors College has been able to gradually change the face and perception of Fresno State for the past 25 years, having evolved into the academic flagship of the university through the process,” Attar said. “In our alumni surveys, the existence of such a support group, and the lifelong friendships it can catalyze, has repeatedly been cited as one of the most important factors in the collective success [of these scholars].”

High school seniors must meet one of the following two criteria in order to be eligible to apply: have a minimum 3.8 GPA in grades 9 through 11 or be in the upper 10% of their graduating class. 

In the years since Earl and Murial Smittcamp and family launched the Smittcamp Family Honors College in 1998, it has produced about 1,100 high-achieving graduates who became professionals in various fields throughout the country.

“At its 25th anniversary, the Smittcamp Family Honors College, having started as an experiment in 1998, has certainly surpassed the expectations of everyone involved, from university administrators, honors college directors and faculty to scholars, donors and other supporters in the Central Valley and beyond,” Attar said. 

The honors college celebrated the milestone during a reception on Aug. 18 when Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval welcomed the new cohort.

Among them was Hayden Guzman, a former lifetime member of the California Scholarship Federation, who was actively involved in leadership, Interact club and the Future Farmers of America organization while attending Central High School in Fresno. Guzman is pursuing a degree in psychology, with plans to minor in sociology.

“I chose psychology because mental health has been a concern in my family. I find the subject intriguing because it delves into the reasons behind human behavior,” Guzman said. “I am confident that Smittcamp will provide me with the tools I need to succeed in this field, leading to better outcomes.”

Guzman is excited about her dorm life experience during her first year of college. She believes being close to her classes will provide her with a truly immersive and advantageous school environment.

Each scholar receives a President’s Honors Scholarship, up to a maximum of eight semesters, for an undergraduate degree program. Each scholarship, valued at $6,000 per academic year, also covers an optional credit for a standard room in university housing should a scholar choose to live on campus.

The honors college in the California State University system is distinctive because it admits President’s Scholars as a cohort. The scholars undergo a set of specially crafted honors courses, engage in weekly colloquiums with guest speakers and discussions, and participate in educational, scholarly and social activities.

“I am grateful that the Smittcamp Family Honors College gives me the opportunity to focus on school and relieves my financial concerns,” Guzman said. “I also value the connections Smittcamp offers, as I believe it will be beneficial for me both during and after college.”

In addition, President’s Scholars are required to volunteer a minimum of 70 hours of community service during their four-year stay. For example, during the 2022-23 academic year , scholars rendered a total of 3,187 hours of community service to 47 on- and off-campus organizations.  

To remain a member in good standing, a scholar must enroll in at least 12 units each semester and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 in their first year, 3.35 in the second year, and 3.5 in third and fourth years. Over 90% of the President’s Scholars graduate in four years, mostly with the summa cum laude (3.9 to 4.0 GPA) distinction.

The 2023 President’s Scholars are:

  • Anica Aninon (University High School)
  • Armaan Batth (Sanger High)
  • Hannah Blackmon (El Diamante High)
  • Clare Marie Castillo (Clovis East High)
  • Ella Cline (Clovis East High)
  • Jadynn Davis (Fowler High)
  • Cristina Dillsaver (Buhach Colony High)
  • Isabelle Estes (Home School)
  • Amy Gong (University High)
  • Natalie Gonzales (San Joaquin Memorial)
  • Alisa Gonzalez (Hallmark Academy)
  • Alondra Gonzalez (Riverdale High)
  • Yashdeep Grewal (Kerman High)
  • Hayden Guzman (Central High)
  • Yuna Ha (Buchanan High)
  • Mary Hadjirul (University High)
  • Nina Hoobyar (Turlock High)
  • Angelina Johnson (University High)
  • Srishti Kamboj (Central East High)
  • Khushleen Khakh (University High)
  • Hamzah Kiran (Buchanan High)
  • Rawan Kiran (Clovis North High)
  • Samantha Lane (Buchanan High)
  • Mandi Luellen (Benicia High)
  • Zachary Macklin (Turlock High)
  • Alexander Madrigal (Clovis East High)
  • Nathaniel Madrigal (Clovis East)
  • Jazper Malone (El Diamante High) 
  • Jordan Mazmanian (San Joaquin Memorial)
  • Elizabeth Melendez (Fresno High)
  • Dayra Michel (Hanford High)
  • Nancy Miranda-Espino (Parlier High)
  • Angel Montes-Caballero (Dinuba High)
  • Rylan Montgomery (El Diamante High)
  • Sabrina Olmedo (Buchanan High)
  • Brianna Perez-Munoz (Golden West High)
  • Alexandria Perkins (Fowler High)
  • Mellica Piri (University High)
  • Roman Ramos (Reedley High)
  • Sophia Rubalcaba (Fowler High) 
  • Khaldoon Sarwar (Monache High)
  • Emma Schofield (Central East High)
  • Sommer Sekhon (Clovis North High)
  • Akalpreet Sidhu (Clovis East High)
  • Claudio Silva (Sierra Pacific High)
  • Elaina Stone (Corcoran High)
  • James Swanson (Downey High)
  • Chrystal Vath (Clovis East High)
  • Marcus Wenrick (Design Middle College)
  • Nicholas Wise (Bullard High)

(Written by Katie Xiong, University Marketing and Communications news assistant.)