2025 Scholarship Recipients
Jeremy Scharf
Dean’s List Scholarship ($5,000)
Jeremy is a lifelong skateboarder whose experiences ultimately shaped his commitment to fighting for justice. After earning a 3.61 GPA at UC Santa Barbara, he moved to LA to skate and pursue acting, which led him around the world and, eventually, to relocate to NYC. After volunteering with @SkatePal in Palestine, his deepened understanding of human rights struggles inspired him to work as a public defender or with organizations like Amnesty International. Now he’s moving to Cleveland, OH to enter Case Western Reserve University School of Law as a first-year Juris Doctor candidate with a focus on public interest law. Drawing on the perspective skateboarding has provided, he hopes to use the law as a tool for peace, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Estella Groves
Dean’s List Scholarship ($5,000)
Estella is a skateboarder who's been a huge force for good in her local skate scene. Originally from Tacoma, WA and now studying at MassArt in Boston, she has served as an AmeriCorps Service Member and Program Lead for @alchemyskateboarding. As if that wasn’t enough, she's also hosted Grrls* 2 the Front skate sessions for women/trans/non-binary skaters, been involved with Beyond the Bell Skateboarding after-school clubs and METALS, a program that engages court-involved youth. Now, as she pursues her Art Education and Printmaking degrees, she continues to volunteer and support the organizations that shaped her. Her dedication to building and serving her community is what skateboarding is all about.
Muhammad Elarbi
Dean’s List Scholarship ($5,000)
Muhammad is a first-generation college student who was raised in Southeast San Diego and now studies at Northeastern University in Boston. Though a lifelong skateboarder, a serious foot injury which required multiple surgeries forced him to step away from the board for some time. During this hiatus, Muhammad became passionate about photography and more specifically about cameras and how they work. Muhammad aims to become a camera engineer and is heavily involved with the Northeastern Wireless Club, one of the oldest student organizations at the school. When he’s not leading workshops or handling coursework, he is giving his old cameras to students at his high school alma mater and giving back to his community …So much so that he was awarded the Outstanding Master’s Student award for community impact! With a 4.0 GPA, he will continue his education and achieve his Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Saul Quintanar
Dean’s List Scholarship ($5,000)
From the streets of South Central LA to the halls of Columbia University in NYC, Saul’s journey is a powerful testament to giving back. Growing up seeing systemic inequalities in his neighborhood, he is now studying Economics to better understand them and will bring his knowledge back home to help uplift the community. He’s already gotten to work, volunteering for Get Lit – Words Ignite, a nonprofit focused on youth literacy through spoken word poetry, and interning at Los Angeles City Council District 9. Saul is a rising senior and will graduate in May 2026, going on to pursue a career in public policy or economic research. Don’t be surprised to see him running for Los Angeles City Council in the near future. And if you’re a skater in his district, vote for him!
Nico Jones
Poods Scholarship, supported by the Rollin’ From The Heart Foundation, in memorium of Ian “Poods” Barry ($2,000)
Hailing from Encinitas, California, Nico is just starting his collegiate journey as a rising Freshman at the ArtCenter College of Design where he will be studying Creative Direction. With aspirations to be an art director, he is well on his way through his apparel project Laand, work for 2Riserpads and Rose Street (all done while in high school). Throughout high school, Nico has advocated and supported for students with disabilities through presenting on how to transition to high school with an IEP to helping put on a skate demos in support ReadBowl (a promotion of literacy for students with disabilities). From his schooling, Nico aims to breakdown physical barriers in apparel design to promote independence & self-expression for people with disabilities. On top of all of this, you can catch him filming with the Rose Street crew or in the van with Hockey (checkout Hockey IV).
Chase Reeder
Poods Scholarship, supported by the Rollin’ From The Heart Foundation, in memorium of Ian “Poods” Barry ($2,000)
The motto of SkateWild is “Everybody Love Everybody”, something that would deeply resonate with Chase and shape him into the person he is today. Starting off as a camper, Chase has worked with SkateWild the past five years to provide young & adult skateboarders the chance to not only skate, but learn valuable wilderness skills and character development. Through this, Chase has even worked with students from Rollin’ From The Heart, who are among the many campers experiencing the great outdoors for the first time. These experiences have not only shaped his character, but they have influenced Chase in his pursuit of photography (along with his father and brother - it's a bit of a family thing). Through his photography, Chase looks to be the rock tossed into the pond, creating even the smallest ripple from his photography to influence our thoughts about the world around us or bring that smile we need. When Chase is not in a no-service area or spending hours in the darkroom, you can catch him at Tactics helping the groms set up their first completes or throwing an event for the local scene, showing love to everybody.
Eden Squires
Zane Scholarship, supported by the Rollin’ From The Heart Foundation, in memorium of Zane Timpson ($5,000)
Eden is a lifelong skateboarder and a student of the arts at the University of Arizona, School of Fine Art. He is a first-generation student in his 2nd year of grad school, working toward a Fine Art 3DXM graduate degree. Skateboarding as a global connector has shaped his world view, and his approach to art in the process. He plans to develop a series of interactive, skateable sculptures for his master's thesis, which is in collaboration with last year’s Atiba scholarship and this year’s general scholarship recipient, @Corbin_Rouette. When he is not skating or studying, Eden is mentoring other students at U of A’s makerspaces and plans to continue serving the community through creating functional public works that bring people together.
Myah-Raine Magnus
Emerald Peace Scholarship ($3,000)
Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, Myah-Raine is a rising Sophomore at the University of Central Florida, where she studies Information Technology. With the goal of working in the Cybersecurity field, she aims to improve the security of international money transfers and trade logistics. She’ll use her new skills from the university to help protect her fellow Caribbean people from cybercrimes and support the economic growth of the region. Myah-Raine gives back to her community in more ways than one. She’s helped raise money for her grandmother’s church, which provides meals and care packages for the less fortunate. Upon returning to Jamaica, she plans to mentor new skaters, particularly through events like "Girls Skate Jamaica".
Abel Vasquez
Emerald Peace Scholarship ($3,000)
Abel is a skateboarder, a Texan, and a first-year Juris Doctor candidate at Texas Tech University School of Law. Skateboarding helped him define the meaning of “capable,” and through his own hard work he is on his way to becoming a public defender. After working at a criminal defense law firm following his undergrad years, he changed his focus from immigration law to his current one, defending individuals and protecting their constitutional rights. He supports his local community by handing down his skateboarding gear to those that can’t afford their own. Once a bar-certified lawyer, Abel aims to offer pro bono legal services for skaters who get caught up in the legal system, especially for minor issues.
Ashley Gonzalez
Emerald Peace Scholarship ($3,000)
Ashley is receiving support from CSEF for the second time, and she is completing her Architecture and Art History double major at University of Houston in the spring of 2026! Ashley is focused on becoming a Historical Preservation Architect, preserving cultural memory in older structures while adapting them to meet current community needs. Breathing new life into old architecture is something Ashley is passionate about. When not studying or skating, she is doing other interesting work like designing lesson plans for K-12 students with the Public Art of the University of Houston System and the STEAM Innovation Lab. …or interning at Meow Wolf Houston, contributing to an immersive art installation, supporting a community-driven space that fosters creativity and collaboration.
Angel Romeo
Emerald Peace Scholarship ($3,000)
A first-generation college student from El Salvador, Angel is pursuing an EdD (Doctor of Education) at the University of Southern California. Not having to decide between skateboarding and school was a major realization for him, which led him to write his undergraduate thesis on how skateboarding serves as a form of resistance and survival for urban youth. He originally majored in Chicano Studies, which helped him better connect with his Latinx students. He’s contributed to his community by leading literacy and youth empowerment workshops and giving motivational talks in schools and detention centers in the San Fernando Valley near LA. Moving forward, he plans to use his EdD to be a force for equity in education, through teaching, curriculum development and/or educational leadership.
Yejun Kim
Skullcandy Scholarship for Engineers ($3,000)
This school year Nancy will be a senior at UCLA, studying Geophysics and set to graduate in the Spring of 2026! Geophysics is a major that can lead her to a stable career in nature conservation, geotech, or even sustainable housing [emoji] Skateboarding came to her through her sister, growing up in Palm Desert, CA. Before she moved to Los Angeles to pursue college, she hosted girls' skate sessions in her hometown to encourage more women to come out and feel comfortable at local skateparks. Now at UCLA, she is active with the Skateboarding Club there, connecting with and bringing value to that community. As a first-generation student who is active in her skate scene, she truly carries the message that: Skateboarding is a shared language that connects people from all walks of life [emoji]
Yejun Kim
Emory McClellan
Get On Board Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers ($2,500)
Representing Indianapolis, Emory is double majoring in Secondary Education and History at Marian University. Growing up without seeing teachers that looked like him, his aim is to be a relatable teacher for his students, especially POC, who can learn about empathy and patience in an increasingly problematic environment. Emory describes skateboarding as a “lifeline” for him when he was young, trying to find his identity in the world as a young black man. When he isn’t out skating or working on assignments, he is student teaching at local middle schools or organizing and promoting local events to support small businesses.
Skullcandy Scholarship for Engineers ($3,000)
Yejun is a first-generation student from Illinois who will finish her PhD in Chemical Engineering in the spring of 2026! At the University of Washington, her studies focus specifically on how to leverage enzymatic reactions to create valuable compounds from plastic waste. When she’s not working towards bettering the environment, Yejun spends time on her board. Originally, a girls’ night session in Chicago sparked her interest in skating, and it’s stayed with her ever since! She has volunteered at Skate Like A Girl in Seattle, helping teach newcomers, and skateboarding has even lead her to new creative pursuits.
Eli Jones
Atiba Jefferson Scholarship ($7,500)
Eli is from Encinitas, CA and will be completing her degree at NYU in the spring of 2026! She is majoring in Photography and minoring in Art History. With her degree, she’ll be a working photographer and, eventually, creative director. Eli discovered skateboarding by way of her father and became deeply passionate about it from a feminist perspective in a male-dominated culture as a “quiet form of protest.” She also explores and examines themes of femininity in her photography. When she wasn't skating or studying, she would volunteer at the local YMCA Skatepark, teaching young girls how to claim their space among the boys.
