Edgar Yak-De Padua, a first-generation college student who overcame financial hardship to excel academically, has been named a recipient of a 2026 California State University Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. The award is the university system’s highest recognition of student achievement. 

“Receiving the CSU Trustees’ Outstanding Achievement Award is a tremendous honor, but it is one I share with my professors, friends, and family who believed in me and my dreams,” said Yak-De Padua, who is a graduate student in mathematics. “My mom never had the chance for a formal education, but she was behind every parent conference and spent every ounce of energy so I could pursue mine.” 

The Boyle Heights resident is one of 22 students statewide to receive the award, which recognizes superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service, and financial need.

“Mr. Yak-De Padua exemplifies the resilience, excellence, and commitment to service that reflect the mission and spirit of Cal State LA and the CSU,” said Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes in a nomination letter.

Yak-De Padua will be honored during a special ceremony at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 22. He will receive an $18,000 scholarship and be named a Hearst Foundations Scholar. The William Randolph Hearst Foundation established an endowment with the CSU in 1984 to support academically successful students who have overcome adversity. 

Growing up, Yak-De Padua helped his family make ends meet by collecting recyclables from dumpsters and using the proceeds to help pay for food. 

“I’d find half-eaten nachos with splattered cheese everywhere and plastic—lots of plastic,” he recalled. He did not care about staining his clothes or getting his hands dirty. For his family, collecting cans was a matter of survival. Those experiences led Yak-De Padua to view education as a path forward. 

“I realized the only way for my family to have a better future was through an education, so that collecting cans would become only a memory,” Yak-De Padua said. 

Guided by that conviction, Yak-De Padua excelled academically. He graduated summa cum laude from Cal State LA with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a 3.95 GPA. He also received the Outstanding Senior Award in Mathematics, which recognizes the university’s top-performing undergraduate mathematics major. He is now pursuing a master’s degree in mathematics at Cal State LA. 

His academic achievements also include scholarships from Great Minds in STEM, the Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholars Program, and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. 

Yak-De Padua conducted research in algebraic graph theory under Cal State LA Math Professor Michael Krebs. His work earned him the Spring 2025 Edison STEM-NET Student Research Fellowship. He also participated in a National Science Foundation-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program on anti-Ramsey theory. 

Under the direction of Professor Krebs, Yak-De Padua has worked with undergraduate researchers from several community colleges and universities to study a challenging, unsolved problem in graph theory, a branch of mathematics. The group’s findings have been submitted to an online repository for mathematics research. 

“Edgar is exceptionally well suited to mathematical research. He is curious, enthusiastic, and remarkably persistent, bringing his own ideas and pages of diagrams to our weekly meetings,” said Krebs. “He is also a natural leader who approaches others with warmth and inclusivity. In my 20-year career, he is easily one of the most personable and determined students I have encountered.” 

Since his first year at Cal State LA, Yak-De Padua has helped students strengthen their mathematical skills and confidence. He served as a teaching assistant for Cal State LA’s Summer Transition to Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology Program and a peer mentor for the First-Year Experience program. He currently works at the Math Gym, Cal State LA’s walk-in math tutoring service, as a tutor, mentor, and event organizer.

Math Professor Daphne Liu shared that Yak-De Padua has distinguished himself through outstanding achievements in mathematics, strong leadership, and a commitment to helping others. 

“Edgar has a deep passion for mathematics and enjoys sharing his knowledge with those around him,” said Liu. “He also promotes the enjoyment and appreciation of mathematics through his leadership of the Math Club. His kindness, dedication, leadership, and willingness to serve others have made a meaningful impact on both the Math Gym and school communities.” 

Yak-De Padua’s commitment to education is rooted in the hardships he experienced growing up and the opportunities he found at Cal State LA. He aspires to earn a doctorate in mathematics, become a professor, and help advance educational policies that increase access and representation in STEM nationwide. 

“My goal is to pursue a Ph.D. in mathematics, and I hope to one day pay this award forward by creating an annual scholarship for students who have faced similar barriers to stay in school,” said Yak-De Padua.