Gyda Nawarungruang, Pasadena Unified Senior, Receives a Full Tuition Scholarship

INSIDE OUR SCHOOLS

Gyda Nawarungruang (Photo – Felita Kealing)

Gyda Nawarungruang, Marshall Fundamental Senior, has been awarded a Full Tuition Posse Scholarship to attend Northwestern University.

By Felita Kealing

Gyda, a Class of 2021 Senior, is one of approximately 100 students from the Los Angeles area receiving this award out of nearly 2,300 nominees. This award is a four-year full tuition leadership scholarship, estimated at $225,000.

Gyda began her educational career with the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) in Kindergarten at Madison Elementary, completing her elementary education at Norma Coombs and joining the Marshall Fundamental Eagle family in 6th grade. She is enrolled in the Academy for Creative Industries (ACI) in the Music Track and is a member of the Jazz Ensemble. In addition, she served as the assistant lightboard operator for Marshall’s production of Grease. She has been a member of the Principal’s Honor Roll throughout high school.

Her extracurricular activities include involvement in Key Club (President & Division Fundraising Coordinator 12^th, VP 11^th), Model United Nations (President 12^th), Math Club (VP 12^th, Treasurer 11^th), Asian Club (Fundraising Commissioner 10^th – 12^th), Tennis Club (President 11^th – 12^th), National Honor Society (Treasurer 12^th), and the Science Bowl Team. As an athlete, Gyda ran Cross Country her freshman year and played on the Girls Tennis Team for three years, winning the Mission Valley League Championship in 2018 and 2019. She is a Varsity Team Captain and was named Most Valuable Player in 2018, Most Consistent in 2019, and Mission Valley League 2nd Team-All League and Fall Scholar Athlete for Girls Tennis in 2019.

Gyda was selected as the representative for the 2020 American Legion: California Girls State and participated in the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) in 2019, where she experienced three days of scientific sessions, professional development sessions, and networking. She also attended the Harvey Mudd Women Engineers and Scientists of Tomorrow Conference and UC Berkeley’s Berkeley Virtual Experience 2020.

Gyda is recognized by the College Board as a National AP Scholar and as a National Merit Commended Scholar. She is a candidate for the distinguished AP Capstone Diploma, pursuing original research on “Bio-Inspired Architecture: Building a More Sustainable Future for Metropolitan Los Angeles.”

As a volunteer she earned the Reading Partners Los Angeles Youth Ambassador Award for her volunteer work with Reading Partners, tutoring elementary school students in strengthening their reading skills. She has stated, “I appreciate being able to have an impact on a younger person’s life”.

The Posse Induction Ceremony

Gyda attended the Virtual Posse Induction Ceremony on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. In addition to being the recipient of a full-tuition scholarship, Gyda will participate in weekly pre-collegiate training with the Posse staff – a series of two-hour workshops where they will work on academic excellence, team building and group support, cross-cultural communication, leadership, and becoming active agents of change.

Gyda Nawarungruang is planning to major in Biomedical Engineering. She’s one of 39 Marshall graduates awarded a Posse Scholarship over the past 15 years.