Maleiha Lei Lee Garcia Smith STEM Scholarship
Maleiha Lei Lee Garcia Smith was a bright, compassionate young woman whose life was rooted in service, community, and a deep love for the natural world. She believed in taking action to make her community and the planet better.
Maleiha devoted her time to serving people experiencing homelessness, and she poured her energy into Sacramento’s Green Tech Education Program, where she helped build solar suitcases, a greenhouse, and plant trees. Her passion for sustainability followed her everywhere; even in her San Jose apartment, she grew her own fruits and vegetables, finding joy and purpose in nurturing life. Maleiha was curious, kind, caring, and committed to creating solutions that would make a lasting, positive impact.
This scholarship honors her legacy by supporting students who share her spirit of service, innovation, environmental stewardship, and community leadership.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be students who are residents of California who meet at least one of the following criteria:
- A high school senior currently working or volunteering with Sacramento’s Green Tech Education Program, headquartered in Sacramento, California.
- A high school senior at Franklin High School in Elk Grove, in the STEM Program.
- A freshman undergraduate student who is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) at San José State University, Sacramento State, or Cal State East Bay.
To apply, please respond to the essay prompt below.
Please share how receiving this scholarship will help you achieve your academic and personal aspirations, and how your work, values, or community involvement honors the legacy of Maleiha Lei Lee Garcia Smith.
In your response, please describe any participation in STEM-focused programs, sustainability initiatives, community service, NSBE, or other cultural student organizations
Explore All Kinds of Scholarships for All Kinds of Students
FAQ
The application deadline is Jul 29, 2026. Winners will be announced on Aug 30, 2026.
Your privacy is a top priority on the Bold.org platform, and you can find our privacy policy in full here. You may opt out of communications from Bold.org at any time, and unless we’ve first notified you and gotten your consent, you’ll never receive communication from any third parties related to personal information you give us.
Award amounts per winner are designated by the donor. Check the award amount for a detailed breakdown.
The winner will be publicly announced on Aug 30, 2026. Prior to the announcement date, we may contact finalists with additional questions about their application. We will work with donors to review all applications according to the scholarship criteria. Winners will be chosen based on the merit of their application.
Award checks will be sent to the financial aid office of the winner's academic institution or future academic institution in their name to be applied to their tuition, and in the name of their institution (depending on the school's requirements). If the award is for a qualified educational non-tuition expense, we will work with the winner directly to distribute the award and make sure it goes towards qualified expenses.
Before we award the scholarship, the winner will be required to confirm their academic enrollment status. Depending on the circumstances, verification of Student ID and/or their most recent transcript will be required.
If you have any questions about this scholarship or the Bold.org platform, just email contact@bold.org and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.
Yes. The terms and conditions for this scholarship can be found here.
