The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine is pleased to announce university students Arisa Chue and Alex Greenlund as winners of its 2023 Anidjar & Levine Community Service Scholarship. The law firm awards the $2,500 honor to deserving students who demonstrate how their future career goals and aspirations align with service to their communities.
Chue is a sophomore at Stanford University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in computer science, and Greenlund of Wellington, Florida, is a freshman seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree in sports management at Indiana University Bloomington. Both students have combined their interests and passions to inspire others and themselves.
Arisa Chue Is a Leader at Her University in Science and Engineering
Arissa Chue is passionate about the software engineering industry and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) careers overall. She understands what it means to increase women’s representation and presence in these fields, saying she wants to make them more equitable, accessible, and inclusive for women.
“I experienced this imbalance first-hand: I began my freshman year at a STEM magnet school with only six girls in my Design & Tech class. And, I concluded my senior year with only four other girls in my mobile/web app development class,” she shares in her scholarship essay.
Despite the imbalances, she credits strong mentors and role models who encouraged and inspired her in her studies. “I find it meaningful to create spaces for women to spread their love for STEM because I believe that my actions can impact the gender imbalance in future STEM classes, leading to more diverse workplaces,” she shares.
Chue serves as the president of her school’s Women Interested in Science and Engineering (WISE) organization, which has more than 160 members. She sees her work with WISE as an investment and opportunity to nurture future women scientists.
Chue Hopes to Inspire Future Scientists and Engineers
Arissa Chue also seeks to reach elementary students to encourage their interests while they are young. During high school, she directed a team to close the gap for nearby elementary school girls struggling with math proficiency. Because Chue and her club members offered this weekly guidance during structured labs, the girls were able to explore their interests in science and technology and improve test scores.
While the COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges in connecting with the students in person, Chue found ways to engage them in a virtual environment.
“In addition to brainstorming online lab ideas and communicating with members about upcoming labs, I coordinated with Weyanoke [Elementary School]’s bus delivery service to send materials for our take-home lab demonstrations,” she writes in her essay. “We tried to replicate our in-person labs; we turned on cameras and created breakout rooms as we conducted the labs with the Weyanoke girls over video, conveying our energy for STEM to the younger generation during this time of isolation.”
The students’ enthusiasm for their projects is rewarding for Chue. “As I see the girls boast about their extracted banana DNA strands in Zoom breakout sessions or send email updates about their pea plants, I know their excitement will evolve into a passion for STEM.” She also writes, “Perhaps the little girls I saw slicing bananas will go forward to chase PhDs or Nobel Prizes.”
Chue Continues to Bridge the Gap for Women Engineers at Stanford
Chue is also active with Stanford University’s Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and aims to promote engineering to K-12 in the university’s community with hands-on activities and interactive demonstrations. Her expected graduation date is June 2025.
Alex Greenlund Spreads Joy Throughout His Community Through Volunteering
Alex Greenlund believes in giving back and encourages all to understand how their words and actions affect others. During his high school years, he served in various community service projects, from campus recycling and food drives to teaching young students how to play golf during junior camps as a Junior Golf Foundation of America volunteer.
In his scholarship essay, he talks about how he spreads positivity through his role as a camp counselor. “I have empowered others within the sport of golf,” he writes. “I was responsible for leading junior golf camp attendees through various drills, contests, and skill development lessons. Using positive and encouraging techniques through these activities helped me to empower younger golfers to gain confidence in themselves. This confidence allowed them to feel successful and motivated them to want to become better.”
The foundation honored Greenlund for his efforts with The Volunteer of the Year Award in 2018.
Greenlund Is a Leader in His School and the Larger Community
Greenlund was also a member of The King’s Academy’s high school varsity golf team. He led and encouraged his teammates to perform their best during practices and competitive matches. He was awarded the Coach’s Award for Leadership in 2019.
He also was active with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Student of the Year Campaign. He was responsible for providing the community with education and fundraising opportunities for two months. Greenlund also shares that the service project meant more to him for personal reasons.
“During this time, I was responsible for raising awareness and funds for patients diagnosed with a blood cancer. This was especially important to me because my grandfather lost his life to leukemia. I had a deep, personal connection to the disease and was a witness to the toll that it took on patients and their families. I was able to transform a negative personal experience into a positive outcome for so many others,” he shares.
“People Need People”
As Greenlund moves ahead in his career and in life, he says he has come to realize that community is important. “People need people. Each of these opportunities was a unique way for me to stay connected to those in my community,” he writes. He has also helped people without homes or food by giving them meals and self-care products and organizing activities for people with disabilities.
“I am blessed and fortunate to be healthy and to come from a loving family that provides everything I need, but through these amazing experiences, I have a greater awareness that there are many around me that are not as fortunate. I think it is important to serve others throughout my life. For me, it is imperative to stay connected with the community and I hope to continue to do so in college and beyond. Community service is a way for leaders to lead by empowering others.”
Greenlund’s expected graduation date is May 2026.
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