2023 Grant Recipients


Bryndal Braithwaite

My name is Bryndal and I’m currently studying Music Dance Theatre at BYU. I work for BYU’s Audio Visual Production team and perform for the Young Ambassadors. I served as a missionary in Uruguay and Idaho. After graduation, I hope to live and perform abroad as I continue my educational and career development. My hobbies include outdoor activities, painting, hip-hop, and cooking. 


Alejandra Espitia

I am a first-generation college student studying nursing. I decided to pursue a degree in nursing because I want to advocate for my patients and empower them through my care. I love how nursing gives me the ability to form meaningful relationships with my patients as I care for them. During my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends, crafting, cooking, and enjoying nature. I look forward to continuing to learn the Healer’s art and going forth to serve.


Logan Semien

My name is Logan Semien, I’m originally from Southeast Texas. I’m the middle of three children. We were all raised by my single mother, and we were blessed to grow up as active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was able to serve as a missionary for this great church in the California Anaheim mission. I concluded my service at the end of 2018 at which time I returned home to begin school. I’ve been attending BYU for about four years working on getting my bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering. Ever since I was a little kid I’ve enjoyed competing in sports, drawing, and other forms of art such as movies and anime. That changed about a year and a half ago when I suffered a stroke. Though I’m not competing physically in a lot of the ways that I used to, I definitely still see myself as a competitor, and I’ve tried to channel that into my studies and other interests. 


Cindy Gasca

I'm originally from Mexico but grew up in North Houston in the Spring area. I graduated from Spring High School back in 2016 and received my Associate's Degree from Lone Star College - North Harris in 2018. Before graduating from Lone Star, I applied to BYU as a transfer student as well as prepared my paperwork to serve an LDS mission. I was called to serve in the Oklahoma Oklahoma City Mission (Jan 2019 - Jul 2020) and deferred my BYU admission. My first semester at BYU was Fall of 2020 during all of the Covid craziness! All my classes ended up being remote and I stayed in Houston with my family that semester. 

 I am now in the middle of my summer internship at Walmart and preparing for my last semester at BYU! I'll be graduating with my Bachelor's in Business Administration in Global Supply Chain. I'm grateful for my time at BYU and for the MANY opportunities I've had because of it. One has been the blessing of meeting my husband and getting married last year! Some of our hobbies include cooking together, weight training, and being outdoors. 


Jack Lopez

My name is Jack Brandon Lopez and I am the third out of four children of an immigrant family from Peru. My hobbies include singing in choirs, ballroom dance, cooking, and baking. I am doing my masters in Molecular and Microbiology at Brigham Young University, and I do research on HIV and SARS-CoV-2. I returned to Peru to serve my mission in Peru Lima East mission. 




Robyn Mortensen

Robyn is majoring in political science and working on minors in legal studies, communications, and ballroom dance. She is preparing to take the LSAT in the fall and plans on pursuing family or criminal law once she graduates from law school (preferably at BYU). She is passionate about understanding, researching, and finding solutions to human trafficking, lack of access to education, and voting inequality, all of which she works on at the BYU Ballard Social Impact Center. When Robyn is not busy with her daily “to-do” list, you can find her practicing with her ballroom partner, meal-prepping, and quoting every movie and TV show she has ever seen.