Ryan J. Sparks (Memorial Scholarship)

Ryan J. Sparks completed associate degrees in sociology, liberal arts/culture and society, and business office technology and continued his studies at Cal State Monterey Bay. He served as a squad leader in the Army National Guard from 2013-2015, was a member of American Legion Post 31 and the United Veterans Council of Monterey County, and in 2019 was named Monterey County Veteran of the Year.

A former officer in the Hartnell Veterans Club, Ryan continued to assist students through the peer mentor program for the Hartnell Veterans Service Center, an initiative he developed as his graduation capstone. He was working as a healthcare navigator for Nation’s Finest, a national veterans support organization. Ryan died in a fatal motorcycle accident in early 2021. Hartnell College veterans counselor Gemma Uribe-Cruz said, “Our veterans family is forever changed for the better because of Ryan’s legacy.”