Recipients
Please join us in congratulating TD SYNNEX Corporation’s 2023 Huang Leadership Development Scholarship recipients and their parents!
Huang Leadership Development Scholarship 2024 Recipients
The Huang Leadership Development Scholarship was established by SYNNEX founder Bob and Lily Huang in recognition of the loyalty and dedication of employees worldwide. The Huang Leadership Development Scholarship Fund was established in 2011 through a generous gift from Bob and Lily Huang. TD SYNNEX Corporation also contributes to the fund by matching the Huang’s gift to award up to ten eligible candidates with scholarships of up to $10,000 each year. TD SYNNEX is honored to partner with Bob and Lily in their commitment to help influence the growth and advancement of our future leaders.
The scholarship recipients were selected based on academic achievement excellence and leadership qualities as evidenced by their personal statement, letters of reference, school, and community activities. Lily and Bob Huang together with TD SYNNEX, congratulate the 2024 Huang Scholarship recipients: Tristan Garcia, Aileen Hu, Keryssa Li, John Phillips, Sydney Benson-Polk, Olivia Stephani, Alyssa Yu.
Tristan Garcia
Georgetown University
Major: Linguistics
Parent: Mildred Garcia, Master Data Analyst at TD SYNNEX - Tampa FL
Tristan is a Freshman at Georgetown University and said he was drawn to linguistics as his major because of the incredible variety such a specific major offers for his future interests. He became interested in linguistics through participation in the high school’s annual European trips, “From utilizing my knowledge of Latin in churches and monuments from England to Poland to deepening my comprehension of the vast differences between the Basque and Spanish languages in person, I was in no short supply of linguistic variety across Europe,” he shared.
As Vice President of his school’s Speech and Debate club in Jesuit High School Tampa, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and a National Merit Scholar, Tristan learned about leadership, how to organize group work, to prepare cases for argument, and implement them in practice debates. This launched an interest in law but he is open to other options including technology, “A combination with computer science or mathematics gives me an advantage for computational linguistics graduate programs, synthesizing my interests and skills in math and language into a field whose utility becomes more of a necessity as our dependence on technology develops. Contrasting these options, focusing on a specific foreign language such as Latin or Japanese will give me an advantage in fully understanding them,” Tristan explained.
“I learn both inside and outside of the classroom and apply this knowledge to novel situations, and I am not afraid of taking charge and leading. These skills will help me in my future endeavors, whether relearning Tagalog or homing in on my specialties in the job market,” he said.
Aileen Hu
University of California – Santa Cruz
Major: Business Management/Economics
Parent: Grace Yuan, Manager, IT at TD SYNNEX – Fremont, CA
Aileen is studying for a career in economic sustainability in business at the University of California Santa Barbara and says that through research and STEM program experiences, she has developed a passion for learning and exploring while absorbing different perspectives. She has a talent for dance as well and hopes to venture into new genres of ballet and contemporary dance. “I’m excited to discover even more about myself throughout these next four years, whether it be academic subjects or creative crafts,” she said.
In high school she led the school’s journalism program as Editor-in-Chief, “I take pride in helping inform our campus about events, writing student teacher highlights, and creating a tighter knit community. One of my favorite accomplishments was helping bring back the physical newspaper which had stopped for 3 years due to the pandemic,” Aileen explained. She was also honored with the “Best of SNO (School News Online)” publication award for clear writing structure, detailed research and creative art features on student spotlight articles.
Aileen is interested in joining on-campus clubs such as Women in Business and the Associated Students Environmental Affairs Board in addition to continuing her current commitments to journalism and dance. “With the countless student organizations on campus, I can’t wait to explore potential new interests and engage with various perspectives as I meet new people. I’m extremely excited to begin my next chapter in college this fall and delve into combining sustainability with economics,” she said.
Keryssa Li
University of California - Berkeley
Major: Data Science
Parent: Xueling (Shirley) Zhang, Supply Chain Analyst at TD SYNNEX – Fremont, CA
Keryssa is attending the University of California, Berkeley to pursue a degree in Data science. Her high school achievements included cross-country and track & field captain, Math Club president and Sage Education’s founder and president for building strong academic foundations for students K-12. While she is proud of these accomplishments, she has gained the most from her running career. “Running cross-country and track-and-field for over six years has shaped me into who I am today – only those who have endured intense practices and grueling meets can understand the mental and physical fortitude it takes to be an athlete,” she explained.
She carries the resilience and optimism learned as an athlete into all aspects of her life including academics, in her community and her work in STEM subjects. Keryssa spearheaded a collaboration with the school’s STEMGirls club teaching over 100 elementary students the basics of statistics where she left a lasting impact for encouraging women’s participation in STEM programs. Keryssa also launched her nonprofit, Sage Education, in her local community with the goal of building student’s early math and critical reading skills. “Volunteering through educational empowerment has helped me understand that it is not a lack of talent or skill but of early education exposure that hold many back from reaching their true potential,” she said.
“In the long term, as a data scientist, having a flexible mindset will ensure I am adaptable and can apply my skills to current situations,” said Keryssa.
John Phillips
John Phillips
Major: Electrical Engineering
Parent: John Phillips – Senior Vice President, SMB Sales at TD SYNNEX – Greenville, SC
John is a Junior at Clemson University studying Electrical Engineering and passionate about power grid technology and stability. He was also a trumpeter in the Tiger Band at Clemson performing in game day band activities to thousands of spectators and serves as an ambassador for the university at sporting and community events. “Tiger Band was a great steppingstone into the college environment that allowed me to have unique experiences. I grew up going to Clemson football games so being able to play pregame on the field and in the stands was a surreal experience,” he said.
John feels leadership is important because it provides direction through communication, motivation, and inspiration. His internship at Siemens Energy impacted this perspective, “I learned communication is extremely important and that you have to be confident in the decisions you make. My assignments were of a greater magnitude than I was used to and directly worked with our customers, however this allowed my confidence and passion to grow.” said John.
His short-term plans include completing his degree to start a career in power grid technology and stability. “I would like to work in the industry of power grid technology and stability and contribute to new innovations and progress within it. The grid is everchanging and with an increasing population and a shift away from fossil fuels. Long-term, I plan on marrying my girlfriend and starting a family as I continue career growth in power grid technology,” he explained.
Sydney Benson-Polk
Duke University
Major: Political Science
Parent: Osa Benson – Former Co-worker at TD SYNNEX – Greenville, SC
Sydney is pursuing a degree in political science at Duke University with a concentration in International Relations, she is motivated by a passion for government, a commitment to advancing public health, and a desire to enhance her French proficiency. “I aspire to address global public health crises through impactful policy initiatives. I am excited about enrolling in courses such as “Critical Approaches to Global Issues” and “US Foreign Policy,” which will deepen my understanding of government politics and explore how these policies affect both my backyard and the global landscape.” She explained.
As speech and debate captain in high school, she made a significant mark on the lives of her peers as a role model and effective leader coaching and training the team for competitions. “As the team’s confidence grew, we reveled in our time spent refining, blocking, and enunciating the alphabet.” Said Sydney.
Sydney looks forward to experiencing Duke’s comprehensive curriculum as well as diverse extracurricular opportunities. “Programs like Duke in France would immerse me in a new culture and provide insights into French history, politics, and art, contributing significantly to my aim of achieving fluency in the French language, addressing health crises in francophone countries, and my long-term goal of serving as a US ambassador to France.” She said.
“This involvement will not only expose me to valuable public health insights but also aid in shaping my vision for the potential policy adjustments I would like to see and advocate for in my future career path,” she said.
Olivia Stephani
Purdue University
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Parent: Otto Stephani - Strategic Business Manager at TD SYNNEX – Romeoville, IL
Olivia is a student at Purdue University majoring in Biomedical Engineering and a Presidential scholar. “My academic journey began in a Montessori school. This experience absolutely shaped the fundamental principles that have guided the rest of my academic and personal trajectory. It taught me about educational autonomy, intergenerational community and respect, but, most of all, a love of learning.” It was at this school that she also developed a love for swimming, “Swimming is the sport that gave me a discipline and competitiveness that propelled me to later be co-captain of my high school team – my first experience in a leadership role.” Said Olivia.
She has a lifelong goal to be fluent in Spanish, her time studying abroad Spain and involvement with a non-profit in Latin America strengthened her skills. “I have spent weeks volunteering at the home in Honduras and have worked at the headquarters as an intern. But my passion is in my work co-launching and leading the Midwest Youth Ambassador Program, founded to boost outreach and teen involvement. After studying abroad, my horizons continue to expand as I explore new cultures, new cities, and meet new people almost every day.” She said.
“Looking to the future, I am interested in addressing public health inequities as they relate to innovative medicines and treatments. I am still discovering what my role will be in accomplishing this goal. Whether this is in a position as someone consulting for biomedical startups, starting my own company, or working for a biotech company itself… only time will tell.” She explained.
Alyssa Yu
University of California, Berkeley
Major: Nuclear Engineering
Parent: Andrew Yu – Senior Manager, IT/EDI at TD SYNNEX– Fremont, CA
Alyssa is a Freshman at the University of California, Berkeley studying Nuclear Engineering and said, “As a student at Cal High, I established myself as a highly driven scholar and leader. Whether in school, clubs, or sports, I’m positioned to be a changemaker, something I want to continue as I transition into the next stages of my academic journey at UC Berkeley.”
She is an active leader in the classroom and in various clubs including TEDxSanRamon – 2024 President/Curator, STEMpower as social media officer and Student Weights where she researched and presented anatomy lectures. “Whether I’m practicing calculus, enriching my mind by obtaining proficiency in Spanish or leading a workout in Student Weights, I’ve learned how to diversify my mind and enjoy learning.” Alyssa said.
Within her next four years at Berkeley, Alyssa is looking forward to working on developing small modular reactors (SMRs). “My interest in reactor technology relates to the rising number of electric cars across the United States and an awareness of the emerging need for clean energy to power them. I’m intrigued about the potential of SMRs to create microgrids to provide localized power, and, especially because of the unprecedented growth in the population of electric cars.” She explained.
Alyssa has a long-term plan to further expand her depth of knowledge in the nuclear field through graduate school and exploring the development of advanced nuclear fuels and their potential usage in both SMRs and standard reactors.
