2026-27 President's Scholars

Esmeralda Iribe

Gwen Evans La Bounty President’s Scholar 2026-27

Major: Multiple Subject Credential

College of Education & Integrative Studies

Activities: Substitute Teacher, Corona-Norco Unified School District and Riverside Unified School District; Sunday School Teacher, VantagePoint Church; Social Justice Action Committee; Coordinator, Project Sunshine at UC Riverside

Education, language access and service have shaped Esmeralda Iribe’s career journey in teaching. Before entering the credential program at Cal Poly Pomona, she volunteered at the San Bernardino Free Clinic as a Spanish translator and clinic coordinator, helping patients in underserved communities understand their care. That experience sparked her passion for educating others, especially when she could bridge language barriers and help families feel supported. That spirit of service continued through Project Sunshine at UC Riverside, where she organized recreational activities for pediatric patients, and now through her work as a Sunday school teacher at VantagePoint Church. She also serves as a substitute teacher in local school districts and participates in Cal Poly Pomona’s Social Justice Action Committee. Esmeralda earned a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and worked as an EMT in a children’s hospital before realizing her greatest sense of purpose came from educating patients, families, and students. She hopes to become a dual-immersion teacher who creates culturally responsive classrooms where every student feels valued, supported and empowered to succeed.