Scholars Around the World
Two JKCF Scholars organize a 15-day study tour to Bolivia to explore the country’s political economy, peoples and rural development
Linda Diane Circelli
“Since I understand the laments of individuals who endure disability and illness, I want to represent them and write about issues that reflect their voices.”
- Program: 2008 Graduate Scholarship Recipient
- Hometown: La Puente, CA
- Community College: Cypress College
- Four-year College or University: University of Southern California
- Graduate School: University of Dublin, Trinity College
- Academic/Career Pursuits: Literature, Nonprofits, Public Services, Writing / Journalism, Poetry, Short Stories
- Other Interests: Environmental Science, Film / Photography, Leadership Development, Religion, Tutoring / Mentoring, Visual Arts, Volunteer Work
Biography
PROFILE: Linda Circelli says she learned the word patriotism from her father, a Latino without a high school diploma who fought with the Marines in World War II. “He sat us down in front of our black-and-white Sears console TV to watch nearly every movie depicting dramas of the gallant, horrific conflicts of World War II.” Linda learned from her father and those films about patriotic acts, and she now finds that civic service is as natural to her as breathing.
While she has been active in tutoring and other volunteer services for many years, Linda’s road to college began later than most. After putting off college to help support her husband, and then giving birth to a daughter, she was diagnosed with bone cancer. Two times the disease attacked, and twice she fought back. Now a ten-year survivor, Linda is a tireless student with her own mission of active patriotism. She advocates using multidisciplinary studies in literature to help not only the physically disabled, but also the mentally ill.
INSPIRATION: Linda once created a short narrative to help her daughter and classmates learn the countries of Central America. By remembering her story, every one of those students easily earned an A on the map test. Linda says she knew then that she would become a writer.
ASPIRATION: Linda plans to become a professor, researching and writing about issues that affect the poor and disabled.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Never one to sit back, Linda has developed a range of volunteer services on her own. She currently helps disabled individuals complete paperwork to receive necessary services. She has also established an outreach theater program that includes three local schools.
ACCOLADES: Linda was a Ronald McNair Scholar and Discovery Scholar at USC, and a Law Fellow at UCLA. She has been awarded the Virginia Middleton Creative Writing Prize.
INTERESTING FACT: As a research intern for Science magazine in 2006, Linda saw eight of her stories published online and one in the printed journal.
Other Scholars Like Linda
Anne Thompson
Graduate Scholar
Harvard University
Eden
Young Scholar
Palm Desert High School
Brittney Kulbeda
Undergraduate Transfer Scholar
Bucknell University
Christine McHone
Undergraduate Transfer Scholar
Columbia University