Embedded Files
The recognitions I’ve received over the years reflect the depth of my commitment to service, advocacy, and storytelling. Whether through awards, scholarships, or invitations to speak and share my work, each moment of recognition has been both an honor and a reminder of the impact that collaboration and values-driven leadership can create.
This page brings together achievements across sectors—education, nonprofit, communications, and public service—as a record of work done with purpose, and as context for where I hope to grow next.
Below are selected recognitions, awards, and features that reflect my journey and contributions.
Awards & Honors
Competitive and service-based awards recognizing leadership, community service, and academic excellence.
2024 Volunteer of the Year, Think Dignity
2024 National Communication Award, Mortar Board
2022 Student Leader of the Year, Miramar College
2022 GOAT Award, Student Body Recognition
2022 Appreciation Award, Miramar College President’s Office
2022 Student Commencement Speaker, San Diego Miramar College
2008 Joint Legislative Commendation, NJ Senate & Assembly
Speaking, Facilitation & Storytelling
Whether delivering a guest lecture, moderating a panel, or sharing lived experience in service of policy change, I approach public speaking as a form of storytelling. My engagements span nonprofit spaces, statewide conferences, and academic institutions—always grounded in clarity, connection, and a commitment to advancing equity.
Marketing for Nonprofits & Ethical Storytelling
Guest Lecture, SDSU Marketing Department (Feb 2025)
I was invited to speak in Dr. Kristine Ehrich’s “Marketing for Social Impact” course, where I shared my real-world experience leading communications for Think Dignity. The discussion explored storytelling as a tool for advocacy and funding, with a focus on dignity-centered messaging, ethical representation, and campaign strategy for mission-driven organizations.
Transfer Student Perspectives on ZTC at the CCC, CSU, and UC
Panelist, California Open Educational Resources (Cal OER) Conference (Aug 2023)
As a featured student panelist, I spoke on the lived experience of navigating the California higher education system as a transfer student, particularly how Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) initiatives shaped my academic trajectory. I offered insight into financial accessibility, resource equity, and the systemic gaps between community colleges and four-year institutions—emphasizing the need for coordinated, student-centered policy implementation across all levels of public education.
Investing in Students’ Success
Featured Speaker, San Diego Miramar College Foundation Annual Fundraising Event (Oct 2022)
At the Foundation’s annual fundraising event, Invest In Success, I addressed donors, community leaders, and educators to highlight the transformative impact of philanthropy on student lives. I spoke about my work supporting diverse students—offering a firsthand perspective on how resource equity fuels academic success.
Leaving Your Mark
Student Commencement Address, San Diego Miramar College (May 2022)
As commencement speaker for the graduating class, I reflected on community resilience during the pandemic and the power of student voice in shaping institutions. It was a chance to uplift peers, acknowledge collective struggle, and remind new graduates of their capacity to lead with compassion and conviction.
(00:32:15 – 00:41:10)
Undocumented & LGBTQIA: Intersections of Identity
Moderator, LGBTQX Community Days Forum (Apr 2021)
I led a student-organized panel on the complex realities of being both undocumented and queer—facilitating a dialogue among activists, students, and educators. My role included curating the conversation, grounding it in relevant policy contexts, and ensuring it remained accessible and intersectional for a diverse audience.
LGBTQ+ Student Experience in Community College
Panelist, Miramar LGBTQX Alliance Forum (Apr 2021)
In this open-format Q&A, I spoke candidly about the challenges and joys of navigating higher education as a queer student. Alongside fellow panelists, I answered questions from faculty and peers, offering insights on inclusive classroom practices, campus culture, and building community through student organizing.
Academic & Merit Scholarships
These awards reflect a broad spectrum of recognition—ranging from academic distinction and business acumen to campus leadership, public service, and LGBTQ+ advocacy. Each scholarship was granted in support of my efforts to build more equitable, inclusive systems across education and community spaces.
Whether awarded for academic performance, entrepreneurial promise, or service to others, these honors represent meaningful affirmation of my values, voice, and long-term goals. Together, they trace a journey shaped by purpose, persistence, and community impact.
San Diego Miramar College
ASG Scholarship for AS Club Officers (2021)
ASG Scholarship for General Leadership (2021)
Daniel Schmidt Memorial Scholarship (2022)
Miramar Academic Senate Scholarship (2021)
Miramar Honors Scholarship (2022)
Miramar Managers Scholarship (2021)
San Diego State University
Cotton Metzger Scholarship in Honor of LGBT Students (2023)
Marjorie and Neal Reed Memorial Scholarship (2023)
May S. Marcy Memorial Scholarship (2023)
Merle W. Freeman Scholarship in Business (2023)
Mortar Board Cap and Gown Endowed Scholarship (2023)
University of Pennsylvania
Public Leadership and Service Stipend (2025)
Public Service Scholarship (2025)
Broader Recognition
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, semifinalist (2022)
Point Foundation Flagship Scholarship, semifinalist (2022, 2023)
Tom Meccia Library Scholarship (2021)
Wells Fargo Bank Scholarship (2021)
Media & Press
External features and interviews across print, broadcast, and institutional platforms.
Feature: Miramar College Annual Report
"Alumni Spotlight: Edward Borek - You Have To Build Community"
San Diego Miramar College Annual Report to the Community (2022–2023), pp. 26–27
Interview: The Daily Aztec
"The 25+ Aztecs: Connecting non-traditional students on campus"
May 2023 | San Diego State University
Feature: SDSU Student Success Newsletter
"Success Highlights"
April 2023 | Division of Academic Affairs, SDSU
Press Conference With U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52)
"San Diego Community College District receives $975,000 grant to expand use of free online textbooks"
Aug 3, 2022 | SDCCD & Miramar College
Feature: WE Magazine
"Creating Safe Spaces: Districtwide programs and initiatives aim to increase awareness and promote inclusion so that all members of the LGBTQ+ community may thrive"
Jan 2023 | San Diego Community College District, pp. 13–15
Television Interview: ABC10 News San Diego
"Making It in San Diego: San Diego Community College District offers courses with free textbooks"
Aug 1, 2022 | KGTV-SD
Television Interview: KPBS Evening Edition
"Updated pass/no pass grading policy for California community college students"
Feb 3, 2022 | Segment & Article
Radio Interview: KPBS Midday Edition
"San Diego Community College program to waive thousands of students' debt"
Oct 28, 2021 | Segment & Article
Publications & Writing
Editorial, creative, and reflective works published across books and major media outlets.
Op-Ed: San Diego Union Tribune
"This Thanksgiving, Here's How You Can Help the Homeless"
San Diego Union Tribune. San Diego, CA. Nov 23, 2020.
Published during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, this op-ed blends personal reflection with a public call to action, urging San Diegans to extend compassion to unhoused neighbors amid health restrictions and holiday disillusionment. Drawing from my own background in culinary service and over a decade of volunteerism with Think Dignity, I offered tangible, safety-conscious ways for readers to show up with empathy. More than a seasonal appeal, the piece challenges readers to rethink celebration through the lens of community care.
Personal Essay: Alphabet of Hope
"To Find Community"
Alphabet of Hope (Hope Pages Press, 2022)
Published in an international LGBTQ+ anthology, this essay reflects on my return to college at age 30 and the search for belonging as a queer, nontraditional student. Set against the backdrop of remote learning and social isolation, it traces how I came to understand that finding community often begins with building it. The collection offers messages of affirmation, resilience, and hope for anyone learning to live more openly and authentically.
Personal Essay: Late at Life Blog
"Pierogi for Christmas, or on the Closest Saturday"
Short story, 2020
Written during the COVID-19 pandemic, this nostalgic short story explores memory, food, and family through the lens of intergenerational tradition. Blending reflection with humor and warmth, it tells the story of making pierogi—a Polish-American holiday staple—and the way small rituals connect us to who and where we come from.
Capstone: Miramar College Anthropology Department
Where Did All the Neanderthals Go?
Children’s book, written and illustrated, 2022
Created as an honors capstone for a biological anthropology course, this illustrated children’s book introduces young readers to evolutionary science and extinct human species through an accessible and engaging narrative. The project, praised by faculty as a model student submission, inspired the beginnings of a web-based educational resource titled Anthro Pals.
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