Graduate Profiles

AMAYA KEIPER

With acceptances to eight universities, selecting the University of California at Los Angeles was easy for Amaya Keiper. She shares, “I chose UCLA because I love the balance of academic rigor, social life and school spirit. Not to mention the campus is close to the beach, big shopping centers and Hollywood, so I will always have something to do.” Amaya will join the freshman class at UCLA as a Pre-Financial Actuarial Mathematics major this fall. At SHC, Amaya was an i2 Scholar, an Irish for a Day Ambassador, an all-WCAL varsity volleyball player, and she also participated in Badminton Club and Block Club. As she looks to life at UCLA, she’s excited to acquire new knowledge and grow her worldview while pursuing her interests and “doing good in the world,” no doubt a lesson she took to heart at SHC. “I’ve learned at SHC that we are not only students, but active members of the community, and it is important to take what we learn and use it for the greater good.”

DANNA LENIS-GRANADA

Stanford University will gain an exceptional new student when Danna Lenis-Granada arrives on campus this fall as a psychology major. At SHC, Danna, a proud Piro Scholar and De Paul Scholar, served as Student Body President, on the leadership team for our Irish for a Day Ambassador program, and she was also a member of the Women’s Ensemble, the Outdoor Adventure Club, Lasallian Vincentian Youth, and the California Scholarship Federation. Danna reflects, “I learned how meaningful it is to show gratitude to all the people who taught me, believed in me, and helped me grow into the person I am today.” She uses that gratitude to ground her in service to others. “Lending a helping hand to those in need can dramatically change a person’s day, and it helps you to become more mindful of those around you.” Danna is thrilled to attend Stanford this fall, and she looks forward to all of the new experiences and opportunities on the horizon.

XIOMARA LARKIN

Xiomara Larkin looks forward to joining the stellar public policy program at Pennsylvania State University this fall. At SHC, Xiomara was a member of the Black Student Union Catholic Community Cohort, the Community Learning Partnerships Program, TEDxYouth@SHC, Spoken Word, and the Diversity & Inclusion Club. Off campus, Xiomara served as an event leader and writer for San Mateo County, a swim instructor, and she also created a martial arts program called Girls Defend. As a student navigating a global pandemic, the extra time at home allowed for more self-reflection and meditation, practices that will serve Xiomara well as she embarks upon her college journey. Xiomara is excited to make new friends in college, and to be able to take trips and garner new life experiences. Through it all, she will take with her one of the biggest lessons she learned at SHC, “I learned to ask for help, because you cannot do it all on your own.”

SAMIR HOOKER

For Samir Hooker, choosing the University of California at Berkeley among his seven acceptances was easy. “I chose Cal for its highly rated academics, but more than anything, I want to stay close to my mother and sister to be able to help them when needed.” Samir’s commitment to service and dedication to his family rippled out to his community as a student at SHC. He served on Student Council, as an Irish for a Day Ambassador, played on the Boys Varsity Basketball team, started his own non-profit to support children who have lost family members to violence, and developed an app to assist low-income individuals navigating the healthcare system. As the Class of 2021 Salutatorian, Samir focused on the positive, “Throughout the four years we shared as a family, the Class of 2021 has had many opportunities to grow as people and leaders. Even in the midst of a global pandemic, our class has shown unprecedented resilience … And, although many opportunities were lost in the wake, together we flourished against all odds.”

SABRINA BALMASEDA

Of the many hard-learned lessons high school students gained while navigating a global pandemic, Sabrina Balmaseda, Class of 2021 Valedictorian, is especially thankful for learning how to slow down. In the fall, when Sabrina joins the student body at Northeastern University as a Health Sciences major, she will heed the advice she gave during her Valedictorian address, “In all that we do, we must forego the belief that rushing equates to success, that memorizing is better than understanding and that scores and statistics define us. The institutions we go to will not define who we are, it is what we do with the education and opportunities we are given or make for ourselves that will.” At SHC, Sabrina served as a Reading Partners volunteer, a TEDxYouth@SHC leader, an Irish for a Day Ambassador, a California Scholarship Federation scholar, as the Asian American Student Union Catholic Community Cohort co-president, and a school yearbook copy editor.