From HOSA to UCLA: How Lota Uyanwune Won a $40K Scholarship with Emerge
- Mauricio Murillo
- Mar 11
- 4 min read
She didn't just talk about herself. That's what won it.
Lota Uyanwune had the grades. She had the extracurriculars. She had ambition. What she needed was a way to pay for her dream school.
As a senior at Cathedral City High School near Palm Springs, California, Lota had her sights set on UCLA. Getting accepted was one challenge. Figuring out how to afford it was another entirely.
That's when she learned about a scholarship opportunity from the UCLA Black Alumni Association. The top prize: $40,000 — enough to cover $10,000 per year for all four years of her undergraduate education.
The competition would be fierce. UCLA attracts top students from around the world, and a scholarship of this size would draw the best of the best. Lota knew she had to do something different to stand out.
So she turned to a resource she already knew: Rubin Emerge.
The Preparation That Changed Everything
Lota was already familiar with Emerge through her health science classes. As a HOSA member, she had used the curriculum's employability skills activities to build the professional communication skills that show up across HOSA competitive events.
But this time, the stakes were personal.
Working with her teacher, Kyle Bashore, Lota dove into Emerge's Interview Prep unit. The module doesn't just teach students how to answer questions — it teaches them how to prepare like a professional. That means researching the organization, understanding the people conducting the interview, and developing thoughtful questions that demonstrate genuine interest and curiosity.
This is where most students stop short. They prepare to talk about themselves — their grades, their goals, their achievements. And that's fine. But in a room full of high-achieving candidates who are all saying similar things, talking about yourself isn't what makes you memorable.
Lota took a different approach.
What Happened in the Room
When Lota sat down with the UCLA Black Alumni Association scholarship committee, she was ready — but not in the way most candidates are ready.
Instead of leading with her own accomplishments, Lota demonstrated something that caught the committee off guard: she was genuinely curious about them. She had researched the alumni association, understood its mission, and came prepared with thoughtful questions about the organization's work and the people sitting across the table.
She showed interest in the scholarship community she wanted to join, not just the money she hoped to receive.
It was the kind of move that separates a good interview from an unforgettable one. And it's exactly what the Emerge Interview Prep unit is designed to teach — that the most powerful thing you can do in an interview is make the other person feel like you care about more than just yourself.
The Result: $40,000 to UCLA
After the interview round, one student stood out to the committee: Lota.
She won the full scholarship — $40,000, distributed as $10,000 per year across her four years at UCLA. Not because she had the best GPA in the room. Not because she had the longest list of activities. But because she demonstrated a professional skill that most students never learn: how to connect with people by showing genuine interest in who they are and what they do.
That's not a skill you pick up by accident. It's a skill you develop through practice, guidance, and a curriculum that teaches students to think beyond themselves.
"Rubin Emerge helped me win a $40,000 college scholarship to UCLA!"
Lota Uyanwune
Former HOSA Member
The Teacher Behind the Preparation
Kyle Bashore, Lota's teacher at Cathedral City High School, played a critical role in guiding her through the preparation process. Using Emerge's Interview Prep unit as the foundation, Bashore helped Lota apply the curriculum's framework to a real, high-stakes situation.
This is what makes Emerge different from a generic interview tips article or a one-off classroom exercise. It's a structured curriculum that teachers can use to coach students through the professional skills that actually change outcomes. When a student like Lota puts in the work, educators like Bashore have the tools to help them channel that effort effectively.
A Skill That Lasts a Lifetime
The $40,000 scholarship is the headline. But the real story is what Lota gained beyond the money.
The interview skill she developed through Emerge:
The ability to research,
Prepare thoughtfully
Connect with people through genuine curiosity
This isn't a one-time trick. It's a professional competency she'll use in every job interview, networking event, graduate school application, and professional relationship for the rest of her career.
That's the point of Emerge. The skills don't expire after competition season. They don't become irrelevant after graduation. They compound — each professional interaction builds on the foundation students develop in the classroom.
For Lota, that foundation started in a health science class in Palm Springs. It led to UCLA. And the skills she built will carry her wherever she goes next.
What This Means for Your Students
Lota's story is exceptional, but the skills that made it possible aren't. Every student in your program has the potential to walk into a high-stakes moment —
a scholarship interview
a college admissions meeting
a job interview
The difference is preparation. And preparation is what Emerge delivers.
With 600+ activities spanning email etiquette, resume building, interview skills, public speaking, team communication, and leadership development, Emerge gives HOSA advisors a curriculum that prepares students for the moments that matter most. It integrates with Canvas, Schoology, and Google Classroom. It's trusted by many of the nation's largest school districts. And it's designed to build the skills that students carry far beyond competition.
Lota's teacher had the right tool at the right time. The question is: will your students have the same advantage when their moment comes?
Learn more about Rubin Emerge and how it supports HOSA advisors → https://www.edtechglobal.com/rubin-education
This is Part 3 of a 3-part series on how Rubin's Emerge curriculum supports HOSA advisors and students.
