Our 2020 Scholarship Recipients!

We are so incredibly proud to share with you… this year’s scholarship recipients (as originally seen on ThrasherMagazine.com)! Scroll on down…

Jennie Mull

Native of New England, and all around Earth lover, Jennie is a positive role model for her fellow skaters and students. She studies environmental science, Spanish, and writing. Her interest in writing clearly paid off, as Jennie’s essay was one of the best we received this year. If you've been paying attention, you've probably seen Jennie skate alongside her fellow Mulls in the Worble's videos.

Derek Robison

When he’s not skating or snowboarding around Salt Lake City, Derek is working hard on his own nonprofit Pushing Ahead and chipping away at a master’s degree in social work. He’s also got a solid strategy for success, as he first started with an associates degree, then transferred to the University of Utah to continue his studies.

Giammarco Turriziani Colonna

Every crew needs at least one physicist. Giammarco’s passion for physics brought him from Italy to West Texas to study at Texas Tech University. He was the primary filmer for his local crew Banda Della Maiala and now works on videos with the Depot DIY crew—he even had a full part in their last one. His PhD in physics at Texas Tech is focused on calculations in relation to neutron stars.

Jhanaiya Smith-Butler

Jhanaiya is heavily involved in the women’s skate community of New York City, particularly in the Bronx. She’s growing the scene and setting a solid example, having fun and progressing on her own board. Originally from South Carolina, this New Yorker is studying the trifecta of sociology, art and economics.

Maddy Brown

Maddy just graduated from the University of Washington, but continues to move forward in pursuing a PhD in mathematics. When she isn’t studying, teaching or skating, she’s volunteering with Skate Like a Girl and contributing directly to her local scene around Seattle.

Max Dubler

Max is a pioneer as a skateboarder, writer and traveler. He used to be a pro longboarder and also shot photos and wrote for various downhill mags. With his studies he seeks to understand the urban environment and make our world easier to navigate for skaters and pedestrians alike. He’ll help build new skateparks and skateable projects in the future. Max is a proud representative of the LGBTQ+ community as well. Give him a follow and check out his rad photos.

Chakkrapun “Tay” Srikuttamart

Originally from Thailand and raised in Tampa, Tay has found his current home in Eugene at the University of Oregon. Studying architecture, he hopes to make more skate-friendly public spaces. A Washington-Jefferson Skatepark local and co-founder of an art gallery in his area, he sets an example for what skaters can accomplish on top of just busting hammers in the streets.

Ha Vet Nyugen

Vet is from Hanoi, Vietnam but now resides in Vallejo, CA in the San Francisco Bay Area. Given her childhood experiences with lacking medical facilities, she was inspired to become a Doctor of osteopathy in order to help people in need of good healthcare. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, she has helped her skateboarding community through multiple organizations along the West Coast.

Zul Tinarbuko

Another one of our international scholarship recipients, Zul came from Indonesia to the United States to better experience skate culture and to learn more about media production during his MFA classes. Through his studies at Ohio University, he is looking forward to bringing his new skills back home to contribute even further to a rich skateboarding community in Yogyakarta.

Rolling Up With: Tyler Dietterich

Tyler’s top 5 movies from his welcome piece to Picture Show.

Tyler’s top 5 movies from his welcome piece to Picture Show.

What is/was your major? At what school? What is your goal for life after school using that major? 

I’m a neuroscience major at Temple University. My goal in this field is to contribute to research that will help forge a better understanding of developmental/ mental health disorders, and to see the development of novel approaches to treatment and therapy that lead to better outcomes for patients.

How has school and/or life been since receiving a scholarship from us? How did the scholarship help you on your journey? 

School has been good despite the disruptions, and life has been interesting and busy to say the least. The scholarship from CSEF has definitely eased the financial pressure of being a student in this country. It has allowed me to focus a little more of my attention on learning, and a little less on paying tuition.

Putting it all on the line with this hairball 5-0! Photo by Brian Weglicki.

Putting it all on the line with this hairball 5-0! Photo by Brian Weglicki.

What have you enjoyed most during your COVID spread/Stay at Home time? 

I’ve enjoyed spending more time with my family and helping out around the house. Not spending hours (and $) commuting to school and work everyday has been another plus.

What is something valuable you have learned during this time? 

Suddenly not being able to see a lot of my friends for several months was hard, so this was a gentle reminder that things like that matter and are often taken for granted.

How has skateboarding remained a role in your life? 

The local DIY park by my house was never closed, but most people stopped going so I was able to skate and not worry about being around many people. Skating alone can be therapeutic for me, so it’s been a great escape throughout the pandemic, as it has been throughout my life.

This would also be a good time to shout out Picture Show...

What advice would you give to someone just starting their higher education path? 

It’s a good idea to sort of know what interests you and you’re compatible with before you’re four years deep. Explore everything that interests you early on, talk to peers and professors, ask for internships so you know what the field is like. Don’t just go for the highest paying job, do something that matters to you. 

Who would you bring on your dream skate session and what would you be skating? 

Any of the beautiful cities/countries that I haven’t been to yet with any of my friends. But really any session is like a dream session right now. I have a new appreciation, and a kind of childlike affection for everything right now. Specifically, though, people that are always fun, impressive, inspiring.

Kevin Liedtke, Kris Brown, Mike Ward, Andrew Meyer, the list goes on.

Let's say the keyholder to your dream job is reading this right now. What is the job, and what do you want to say to them?

This is a wild question. I’ll be vague and effectively dodge it. The job would be any kind of research position on a project that I find interesting, and to have potential to contribute to untangling real problems that are being faced in the psychiatry/mental health world. What I would say is that I can help with that project. 

:) 

BS 180 Nosegrind shot by Ben Hull as part of Tyler’s Skate Jawn interview.

BS 180 Nosegrind shot by Ben Hull as part of Tyler’s Skate Jawn interview.

Interview By: Joshua Rowe

Rolling Up With: Ryan Clarke

 What is/was your major? At what school? What is your goal for life after school using that major? 

I am currently finishing up my Bachelors degree in Kinesiology at Cal State University Los Angeles. This upcoming Fall 2020 semester will be my final semester at Cal State LA, but I will continue to further my education. I'm planning on taking 1 more year of courses at Pasadena City College until I am able to apply to various Physical Therapy schools in the area. My end goal is to earn my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree (DPT) and be a physical therapist specializing in working with athletes.

How has school and/or life been since receiving a scholarship from us? How did the scholarship help you on your journey? 

School has been great! I already am a really determined and motivated person (skateboarding helps with that) but this scholarship motivated me a lot more. Personally, knowing that people who have never met me believe in me enough to award me this scholarship means so much to me. It's one thing for your family and close friends to support you, but to get a scholarship of any kind is kind of prestigious to me. For that scholarship to be a skateboarding scholarship is just the icing on the cake. I feel like skateboarders have had a negative stigma for years of being lazy, uneducated delinquents. Thanks to CSEF, we're proving that to be an incorrect assumption about us. It’s also been really cool wearing my CSEF shirt around my college campus and telling my friends and teachers about the scholarship I won. Life in general has also been great. This scholarship helped me out a great deal by easing some of the financial burden of being a full time student dealing with LA rent prices. The greatest thing that this scholarship did for me though, is introducing me to other fellow students who have the same passion for skating that I have. This is something that I’ll forever be grateful for.

What have you enjoyed most during your COVID spread/Stay at Home time? 

I’ve enjoyed 2 things during this time; spending time with family, and skateboarding more. I usually have to wait until breaks from school to visit my cousins and other family members (since they’re all over the country & world, shoutout to my cousin I visited in Mozambique last Christmas). Due to this pandemic we’re all going through, I was able to visit some out of town family since everyone’s schooling/working from home. For my older family members, I’ve been FaceTiming/Zooming with them more often. I oddly feel more connected now. As far as skateboarding goes, my major is very intense with studying demands. I usually get to skate maybe 1 to 2 times a month during a normal semester. During COVID-19, I was able to skate almost everyday since everything was done online, which has been amazing. It made me feel like a kid again with no responsibilities. Don’t get me wrong though, school definitely was important. I still managed to get a 3.6 GPA last semester, as well as ending up on the Dean’s List. 

What is something valuable you have learned during this time? 

To always be stocked up on toilet paper... just kidding. I think one of the biggest things I’ve learned during these crazy times is to not take anything for granted. Something as simple as going to the grocery store has now become quite a task. From needing a mask to get inside, to maintaining social distance throughout the store. It has all become our norm. I almost forget how life was before COVID-19.

How has skateboarding remained a role in your life? 

Skateboarding has always been a huge part of my life. I think about skateboarding every single day, whether I realize it or not. Subconsciously we can be driving around and notice a ledge or some stairs, and automatically start thinking of what tricks we could try on it. Skateboarding is one of those things for me that helps keep me grounded. If I’m not skating, I’m usually watching some skate clips or thinking about tricks I want to film. If I’m feeling stressed about school, I’ll go skate to clear my mind. The majority of my friendships are through skateboarding. Skateboarding has taught me a lot about determination, perseverance, and overcoming your fears. These are all qualities that can transfer to school, work, etc. 

What advice would you give to someone just starting their higher education path? 

The best piece of advice that I received when I decided to further my education was to not worry about how long a certain degree may take. When I was deciding my career path, it worried me that I needed to receive a doctorate degree to become a physical therapist. After talking to a counselor, I expressed my concerns about how many years this would take, and how difficult it would be. She simply told me that the time will pass by no matter what you choose to do with it. For instance, I believe that the degree I want takes about 7 years to attain. I could choose to not pursue it because I’m too worried about those 7 years, and then possibly be in the same position 7 years later. Or I could pursue the degree, and before I know it, the 7 years has passed by and I’ve accomplished what I wanted to. With that being said, I’m so close to being done with my Bachelors degree. 4 years down, 3-4 more years to go. Another great piece of advice came from my all time favorite person ever, Kobe Bryant. Long story short, I’ve been a huge Kobe fan since 1997 or 1998, and he’s been a huge influence on my life. I went to the game where he had his jersey retirement ceremony. He gave a great speech about enjoying the journey, and not just focusing on the destination. Mamba Mentality.

Who would you bring on your dream skate session and what would you be skating? 

My dream skate session would definitely have to include Lil Wayne. He’s my all time favorite rapper, ever. The fact that he skates now and is really passionate about it is beyond cool. It would be sick to skate his park with him. He kills it on transitions, which is not my strength at all. I’m going to have to try to pull some strings with my friend Theotis and get Wayne on the next session.

Let's say the keyholder to your dream job is reading this right now. What is the job, and what do you want to say to them?

I can’t lie, my absolute dream job would be being the Head Physical Therapist of the Los Angeles Lakers. Like I previously stated, I’ve been a long time Lakers fan, going to games every season, I have a million jerseys and other various collectibles. It’d be such an honor to me to be able to give back to the organization that has given so much to me and been such a huge part of my life. So, to whom it may concern, I promise if you give me an opportunity to prove myself, you won’t be disappointed. I’ve put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into my schooling to get the opportunity to speak to you about this job. I will work harder than hard everyday to ensure that our players are in their best shape to perform at the highest level. I will be the first one to arrive, and the last one to leave our facilities. I will continue to learn everyday so I can provide the best care possible. Please consider me when hiring for this position, my 7 year old self would be honored to be a member of the Lakers family. Thank you.

 

I mean, who wouldn’t fall asleep with that pup?

I mean, who wouldn’t fall asleep with that pup?

Interview By: Joshua Rowe

Rolling Up With: Michael McNulty

Michael McNulty blasting through 2020 with this kickflip! Photo: Brian Guzman

Michael McNulty blasting through 2020 with this kickflip! Photo: Brian Guzman

What is/was your major? At what school? What is your goal for life after school using that major? 

My major is math and I am working on getting my PhD in the study of singularity formation in nonlinear wave equations. I'm at the University of California, Riverside. My life goal using my major is to indefinitely feed my curiosity while still being able to feed myself. 

How has school and/or life been since receiving a scholarship from us? How did the scholarship help you on your journey? 

My life this past year has mostly been centered around school and skating. My first paper appeared in an academic journal! Exactly at the same time as receiving the scholarship, I gained a research collaborator and, since then, I've been more motivated than ever to work on my research. I skate as much as possible in between teaching and researching whether on campus or at the various parks within driving distance. The scholarship helped me fund a research trip to Germany to spend some time working with my collaborator (now co-advisor).

What have you enjoyed most during your COVID spread/Stay at Home time? 

I've been home in NJ with my family since mid-March. It's been nice to be home for such a long time. I haven't been here for more than a month-ish since I started grad school. The change has been refreshing in such a hectic time. 

What is something valuable you have learned during this time? 

I've learned some very important mathematical techniques haha. More importantly, I've been learning how to effectively break down huge problems into, possibly many, bite-sized pieces. 

How has skateboarding remained a role in your life? 

Skateboarding is one of the most important parts of my life and always will be. Whenever I'm exhausted from teaching or frustrated by being stuck on something in my research, skateboarding always provides me with a much-needed escape. I always end skating feeling soothed and clearer in my mind. During the pandemic, I've been forced to skate a lot of local spots since all of the parks were shut down for a good amount of time. We've even found a few I never knew existed which has been really fun. The parks are starting to open back up here in my part of NJ. It's been great getting back to our local park. 

What advice would you give to someone just starting their higher education path? 

Don't be afraid to totally screw up and to learn slowly. In fact, welcome it. Many people grow up associating a negative feeling with making mistakes or, for lack of a better phrase, falling behind. This is completely understandable and requires some really good influences in your life to feel otherwise. Being confused or stuck, though frustrating, is an amazing thing. It means you are being presented with an opportunity to resolve that confusion and to learn from that process. When presented with that opportunity, don't hesitate to be honest with others. Maybe you know what you're confused about or you don't. Either way, letting others know about this is one of the most effective first steps in resolving it. 

Who would you bring on your dream skate session and what would you be skating? 

I'd bring my dogs Alan Munger, Brian Guzman, and Jonas Ventura. We'd be skating an empty Poods. In my dream, there's an espresso bar over by the little manny pad.

Let's say the keyholder to your dream job is reading this right now. What is the job, and what do you want to say to them?

The job is a permanent research position at some university in which I get to study the types of things I do now and whatever those things lead me to alongside people who feel as strongly as I do. If this person was someone who works in my specific subfield, I'd definitely strike up a conversation about our respective research in order to get the mathematical juices flowing. I'd hope that we could find some common ground between our interests that could turn into a joint project.

To read Michael’s paper titled Development of singularities of the Skyrme model which appeared in the Journal of Hyperbolic Differential Equations click here for the open access version and click here if you have access through a university to see the formal version.

Interview By: Joshua Rowe

Rolling Up With: Sarah Palmer Antoniou

This is an image of stickleback fish DNA illuminated after Sarah performed gel electrophoresis for a research project. Now say gel electrophoresis five times fast…

This is an image of stickleback fish DNA illuminated after Sarah performed gel electrophoresis for a research project. Now say gel electrophoresis five times fast…

 What is/was your major? At what school? What is your goal for life after school using that major? 

My major was Natural Resources - Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Oregon State University, Cascades Campus. I would like to eventually become a science teacher and field research scientist.

How has school and/or life been since receiving a scholarship from us? How did the scholarship help you on your journey? 

Without scholarships I would not have been able to finish school, so CSEF made graduation possible. Since my senior year and graduation, I've been a teacher's aide and research scientist. I am thankful to have worked in my field before and after graduation.

What have you enjoyed most during your COVID spread/Stay at Home time? 

With parks being closed, I have gotten better at skating and found some new spots I never would have skated otherwise (businesses being closed is helpful too). Skating my neighborhood with my family brought us closer together, and I learned some new tricks.

Also, I like homeschooling my kids. I was already homeschooling my oldest child before the Stay Home orders, so the transition was easier for us, but I have really enjoyed the challenge and reward of watching my kids learn and seeing that lightbulb go on.

Field research photo of Ryan Ranch Meadow Preserve right by Sarah’s house. Need anymore reason to work outdoors?

Field research photo of Ryan Ranch Meadow Preserve right by Sarah’s house. Need anymore reason to work outdoors?

What is something valuable you have learned during this time? 

I quit drinking which is a big deal for me, and I didn't think I could ever accomplish that. I have an excellent support network and I couldn't have done it on my own.

How has skateboarding remained a role in your life? 

Skateboarding is still most of my life! I am still co-directing Central Oregon Sk8 Share, and am currently planning a skateboard protest in Bend for Black Lives Matter. I cannot separate myself from skateboarding, I just wish I had more time to skate, but don't we all?

Sarah’s copy of "The Botany Coloring Book" bookmarked and ready to go.

Sarah’s copy of "The Botany Coloring Book" bookmarked and ready to go.

What advice would you give to someone just starting their higher education path? 

Put in the extra work when you can, and invest in yourself. Put yourself a little outside of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. Otherwise you're not learning and growing as much as you could--and in school is where you want to make some mistakes, not when you're on the job. Volunteering for research projects, volunteering to deliver lectures or presentations, asking instructors what they need help with in their own research projects are all ways to gain experience and get a much needed foot in the door in your field. After volunteering you may also learn you don't like some aspects of your field/major, which is okay, that's growth and learning too.

Who would you bring on your dream skate session and what would you be skating? 

I'd skate Pizzey Park in Australia with my girl skate crew, plus and I'd love to have Lizzie Armanto, Vanessa Torres and Nora Vasconcellos with us! The death bowl at that park is epic and there's a lot of other rad stuff to skate on the street course.

I've missed skating with my gals since COVID-19 shutdowns, so us getting together again at ANY park would be a dream come true.

Let's say the keyholder to your dream job is reading this right now. What is the job, and what do you want to say to them?

It's difficult to imagine my dream job at this point, but I guess right now I'm living some of it. With COVID-19 shutdowns I'm a homemaker and a teacher-just not the middle or high school teacher I envisioned, and I still conduct research projects on a smaller, less professional scale at home with my boys. With all that has happened in my life in the past year (even before the pandemic) I have had to put the brakes on a career but am thankful for my education so I can accept this new challenge with knowledge and eyes open.

Sarah Palmer Antoniou and her family

Sarah Palmer Antoniou and her family

Interview By: Joshua Rowe

Rolling Up With: Logan Greenwood

Logan getting a social distance session in at his hometown park.

Logan getting a social distance session in at his hometown park.

 What is/was your major? At what school? What is your goal for life after school using that major? 

I am a marketing major at A-State [Arkansas State University]. I would love to work in sales. Working in that area was never of interest to me until interviewing Daniel Fedkenheuer at Dwindle and taking a sales class last semester. Building relationships with a person and their business through a company seems challenging and fulfilling as a career. 

How has school and/or life been since receiving a scholarship from us? How did the scholarship help you on your journey? 

The scholarship helped tremendously! I was able to not worry about costs of books and other supplies that I needed that particular semester. Any amount of stress relieved or weight lifted from your shoulders while working your way through school is amazing and deeply appreciated! 

What have you enjoyed most during your COVID spread/Stay at Home time? 

During the quarantine I have been listening to a lot of music and appreciating time alone listening to my records. And of course skating our local park while staying distanced and mindful has also helped keep my sanity! 

Sleater-Kinney and Pearl Jam records on repeat.

Sleater-Kinney and Pearl Jam records on repeat.

What is something valuable you have learned during this time? 

I think before the stay at home guidelines I took for granted tomorrow. We will beat it and things will get better; when that happens I will definitely take full advantage of now and make value in everyday. 

How has skateboarding remained a role in your life? 

Thankfully I have been able to skate everyday. Whether it’s flat ground in the parking lot in front of my apartment or getting to skate an empty park, it’s remained a prominent role and continues to help me have a clear, positive mind. 

Two setups are always better than one!

Two setups are always better than one!

What advice would you give to someone just starting their higher education path? 

The advice I would give is to make the most out of your time at university! It is a very short and fast four years so making the right connections and relationships with your peers and advisors is important! They will help you develop clear goals and a straight path for a career when you graduate. 

Who would you bring on your dream skate session and what would you be skating? 

I would skate China Banks with Dennis Busenitz! Struggling to keep up!

Let's say the keyholder to your dream job is reading this right now. What is the job, and what do you want to say to them?

I would like to be the guy between the distributor and the shop selling boards and new products while building strong relationships with the business owners. I would say how much skating has changed my life as a kid and young adult and how I would love for it to continue to be apart of my life through my career! 

Logan Greenwood

Logan Greenwood

Interview By: Joshua Rowe

2020 Dinner Fundraiser

We couldn’t be happier about the Dinner we organized for our supporters at The Berrics on February 29th! With live music, delicious food by Aaron & Greg Snyder, silent art auction, and even some professional live skating, we all had a blast. On top of all this, it was a successful fundraiser. Can’t wait for next year’s!

Welcome to CSEF

There was a time when skateboarders were uncool for being themselves. They’d get teased, bullied, or even worse, assaulted by peers at school. Aside from those experiences at school, and elsewhere, a formal education would always seem to get in the way of they really wanted to do: Go Skate!

Now firmly in 2017, skateboarding is a televised event. It’s the kind of thing that begets attentions from the general public, and although it still receives backlash from society at large, it is a confirmed sport in the Olympic Games for the first time three years in Tokyo, Japan. Whether people like it or not, skateboarding isn’t the derelict activity it used to be. It’s not a taboo hobby but rather one of the hottest current trends. Yet, an irreverence for educational institutions prevails. The attitude that school is necessary is widely held amongst several subcultures, including skateboarding.

But why has skateboarding not acknowledged the opportunity present in a college education? Many professional skateboarders have gone to college and been better of because of it. There are higher education institutions that back their skateboarders by paying for trips and supporting their local events. Schools are helping skaters give back to their communities and explore the world of concrete insanity that we all want to experience more of.

The trend is there, and the support is growing, but scholarships were the missing link. Hopefully, college  scholarships for skaters will help them come around to consider it as an option. Not every skater is going to achieve success with their talent alone. Many move on to figure out life after skating with no other work experience. Even during a skate career, time in a college or university can help one approach opportunity in a new or even better way. And for the rest of us that absolutely love skating but aren’t going pro anytime soon, a college education is both a useful stepping stone and a hugely influential life experience.

Whether it’s studying about your passion, making friends in a new context, or moving your whole life to a new and more exciting place, going to college is almost always an incredible stepping stone in one’s life journey. Join us by applying or telling a friend.

College Skateboarding showed up, and it’s here to stay.

Keep on Study Rolling.