The Towru Kobara Scholarship Fund

“Looking back on my first semester, I’m most grateful for the variety of experiences and opportunities. I owe my exciting and balanced first semester in large part to the Towru Kobara Scholarship, which provided and continues to provide me the financial stability to explore extracurriculars that interest me, as well as the motivation to excel academically and positively impact the community around me.

With my goal to pursue a career in renewable energy, beyond my gen eds, I elected to take an upper-division energy systems course. This course reinvigorated my passion and commitment to the environment and our climate. With the help of the Towru Kobara Scholarship, I was also able to

join and spend 20 hours a week working on the UC Berkeley Solar Vehicle Team. In my spare time, I enjoyed rock climbing, swimming, and friends. Thanks to this scholarship, I was able to immerse myself in my academic and extracurricular activities, earning a 4.0 and also being elected to be the next battery subteam lead for Berkeley Solar Car starting my sophomore year.

I am sincerely honored to be a recipient of this scholarship and I’m committed to making the most of it!”

-2023 Towru Kobara Scholarship recipient Kian Rafian


Sera Day Coryell Nursing Education Scholarship

The Sera Day Coryell Nursing Education Scholarship was established in 2011 by Sera’s parents to celebrate her life by supporting others in achieving their nursing goals. Their daughter was a vibrant, compassionate young woman known for her quick wit, amazing culinary skills and fierce loyalty to friends and family. She was a great story teller and entertained friends with re-enactments of her adventures that included skydiving, rock climbing and biking in Italy. Sera pursued her dream of becoming a nurse practitioner as a part of her determination to contribute to the community. However, she died suddenly of an undiagnosed cardiac defect before she could complete her nursing studies.

“When our beloved Sera passed away, we went to The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County to give us the framework and expertise to set up a scholarship fund in her memory. Throughout the process they have been diligent, caring and sensitive to our cause. This year, a talented and deserving nursing student received a substantial award because of The Community Foundation’s commitment to our community and to us.” said Marcia Coryell.

The first Sera Day Coryell Nursing Education Scholarship was presented to Atascadero High School senior, Jacqueline Wulff in 2013. In the essay that helped her win the scholarship, Wulff wrote, “My personal life experiences have directed me towards nursing. Several years ago, my friend’s sister was born prematurely. I watched this tiny infant being cared for by amazing professionals in our local NICU. This infant overcame unbelievable odds and is now a happily thriving young girl. Witnessing how the nurses and doctors worked together to provide excellent care and a future for this infant inspired my passion for nursing.”

Wulff is studying nursing at Asuza Pacific University in southern California and is helping to carry on the Sera’s legacy.

GraceAnne Garza, the 2014 Sera Day Coryell Nursing Education Scholarship recipient, graduated from Mission College Preparatory Catholic High School. With the aid of this scholarship, she is currently pursuing her BSN at the University of Portland School of Nursing.

To GraceAnne, “nursing is an emotionally rewarding job and [allows] me to find satisfaction and purpose in life. Satisfaction not in the monetary sense, but in the sense of being able to come home each night, having a good feeling of helping individuals in need. Assisting others gives me great happiness.” After graduating with her BSN, GraceAnne intends to earn a Master’s in Nursing in the hopes of becoming a nurse practitioner.

In 2015, the Sera Day Coryell Nursing Education Scholarship was presented to Seattle Pacific University freshman, Holly Mac Farlane. Holly graduated from San Luis Obispo High School in 2015 and has been working towards her Bachelor of Science in Nursing ever since. 

With her BSN, Farlane hopes to “someday travel to other parts of this nation along with other countries to serve in areas that lack adequate health care.” Qualified applicants for the Sera Day Coryell Nursing Scholarship are graduating seniors who attend high school in San Luis Obispo County, and plan to attend a four-year college with an approved Registered Nursing Program.