Scholarship Impact

Jude Drouillard

Thank you for the immensely generous fellowship you have given to me. I am pursuing a graduate degree in history with a concentration in public history. My goal is to teach history to the community in compelling and accessible ways, particularly queer history and/or history of the Reconstruction Era. Texas State is an excellent university to achieve this because of its own rich history, its connections with nearby archives and museums, and its wonderful faculty and staff, many of whom have experience with the aforementioned subjects. 

Your contribution will help me gain more experience in interacting with the local community. In doing so, I will learn how to combine rigorous academic research with public accessibility, and to provide people with a greater appreciation and understanding of the past. This understanding will not only involve historical dates or events, or even more abstract concepts and interpretations – but also the inextricable connections our past has with our present and future. Thank you for assisting me in pursuing my future. It means more than words can express.  

Caleb Solis

Thank you to the people who have provided me with the Fall 2022 Physics Scholarship which has allowed me to pursue my education in my desired field. It is with immense appreciation that I accept this scholarship opportunity that you and your late husband have provided. I know that it is a difficult process to decide who receives this financial assistance and I am grateful that you and your committee have seen me fit to be worthy of such a gift. The act of pursuing one’s dreams is a troublesome endeavor that can pose many obstacles along the way. These obstacles can range from academic preparation to financial requirements. I thank you dearly for relieving some of this burden through means of this scholarship. I am now able to comfortably devote my time to other areas of my life and more importantly, my education.

I was born and raised in Corsicana, Texas, and have attended Mildred ISD for all of my life. Although I live in a fairly small town with limited resources, I have utilized all the tools that have been put at my disposal. I am very lucky to have been raised in a supportive family and an exceptional schooling system. When I first started researching feasible colleges that I would like to attend upon graduation, Texas State was already one of my top choices. This was due to the fact that my sister had graduated from Texas State in 2017 and she had spoken very highly of the school. 

Upon looking into the school, I realized that it had recently revamped its engineering department and had even added a new addition to the campus in 2018: the Bruce and Gloria Ingram Hall building. The interesting art installation on the front entrance immediately caught my attention to the building and when I found out that it was for engineering students, I grew increasingly interested. After researching some of the facilities and technologies that the building held, I was very thrilled with the department, to say the least. 

My attraction to the school went further than the resources it offered. Texas State has built an amazing reputation regarding the relationship the school has with its students. Even teachers at my high school speak of how well Texas State treats its students when it comes to finding internships and helping them succeed in general. The university even helps its graduates find jobs in their field through networking and teacher references. These are some of the reasons why Texas State stood out compared to other colleges I had been considering and are the reasons that I had applied in the first place. While attending Texas State, I plan to receive my double bachelor’s degree in physics and electrical engineering with a concentration in Micro and Nano Devices and Systems. 

Upon graduation in 2025, I would like to seek a job either in the field of optics or X-ray imaging technology. When a stable career position has been found, I would consider returning to school to receive my Ph.D. in Physics. Hopefully, you can see that this scholarship not only affects me in the present time. It has been the start of many opportunities that will positively affect the rest of my life. By awarding me with the Fall 2022 Physics Scholarship, you lightened my financial burden which allowed me to focus more on the most important aspect of school, education. The same drive that has allowed me to succeed in high school will once again drive me to succeed at Texas State University. I only wish that one day I can assist students in pursuing their dreams just as you have helped me.

Samuel Kimmel

Thank you for the Gary V. Woods Scholarship. Your generous donation will allow me to complete my Ph.D. in Material Science, Engineering and Commercialization, and MBA.

I am from Austin Texas but the diagnosis of dysgraphia and ADHD that I received in second grade meant nothing to me at the time. Yet, due to my learning disabilities, early in my high-school years I was placed in a degree program that was designed for students who were regarded as not likely to succeed in college and were therefore, not being prepared. The quote by Albert Einstein, “Everybody is a genius, but if a fish is judged by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its entire life believing that it is stupid,” echoes through my time as a student up until I graduated from high school. Being told I was not college material profoundly impacted my self-esteem. I spent several years working entry-level jobs before deciding to enroll in classes at Austin Community College. This academic reintroduction was not to remind myself of the basics, but to learn how to become a collegiate student in a way that works for me and my unique learning disabilities. As I progressed in my classes, I learned to embrace my “fish”-like qualities and turn them into strengths.

I received my bachelor's and master's from Texas State in chemistry working with Dr. Chris Rhodes. I consider myself a “from scratch battery maker” and wrote my thesis titled “Metal Substitution within Nanostructured Nickel Hydroxides for Aqueous Rechargeable Nickel-Zinc Batteries”. During my Masters, we initiated a collaborative project with the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) that included my participation in three summer internships at NRL where we began developing metal-substituted nickel hydroxide cathode materials for rechargeable batteries. These cathodes would then be coupled with the revolutionary NRL 3D-zinc anode, to create a safe, cost-effective, rechargeable battery with the potential to replace lithium-ion batteries.

My focus during my Ph.D. will be changing the battery recipe and evaluating its performance. My MBA will allow me to develop the tools needed to commercialize this product. Your scholarship will help me financially by enabling me to pursue my research and coursework.

Sidni Ester Martinez

Thank you so much for your generous donation to the Family Campaign Scholarship fund. As I am solely responsible for the expense of my education, scholarships like this one make all the difference in minimizing the cost of my education, allowing me to focus solely on my studies.

      I am from a small, country town an hour outside of Austin called Paige, Texas. While the culture of where I was raised did not promote a college education, my family has always encouraged my brother and me to pursue higher education. During my time at Texas State, I have been honored to receive recognition on the College of Liberal Arts Dean's List every semester. Additionally, I have enjoyed being an active member of both the Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society and the Honors College.

      Upon graduation, I plan on furthering my education with graduate school. My long-term goal is to obtain my doctorate in sociology and be a researcher and professor of sociology.  I am passionate about my field, and I look forward to the opportunity to share my love for sociology and my love of learning with others. 

       My academic achievements, and my professional ambitions, would be an impossibility without the help of donors like you. Your generous donations allow me to pursue my dreams, set lofty goals, and continue to learn without the weight of financial stress.

Luke Merchant

Thank you for supporting the Family Campaign Scholarship. I’m currently majoring in history, with the intention of there being an awesome history museum out there for me.

The university’s excellent history department has made me feel so excited and confident in my career path. Your generosity has also further encouraged this confidence in my chosen route.                                                                                     

Leah Whittington

Bobcat Donors, Thank you for the supporting scholarships! I first began my college journey at Texas State in Fall of 2017. Ever since high school, I have always taken pride in my academic performance, and one of my goals was to keep that performance high. I knew that as a nursing major, classes were not going to be easy, especially since Texas State has one of the top nursing programs in Texas. In my second year of school, I applied to the St. David’s program and did not get accepted. I did not let it discourage me from continuing to pursue my goals. I made the decision to pick up a minor in psychology and reapply the next year. I am proud to say that I successfully completed that minor in psychology with a 4.0 for those classes. Currently, I am starting my third semester at the Texas State St. David’s School of Nursing at the Round Rock campus. I am a part of the 2022 class and will graduate in May. Soon I will be, Leah Whittington, RN, BSN. Expenses are high and this scholarship is such a helpful blessing to me and my family. I plan on working very hard to continue to do well in nursing school. This scholarship is going to greatly facilitate my journey toward becoming an RN.

Alicia Vela

My name is Alicia Vela, and I am extremely grateful for this scholarship support. It’s going to help immensely as I’ve been working full-time to pay for college as I go. Unfortunately, we were affected by the tornado in Round Rock this past April. Having this scholarship to put toward my education relieves a lot of my financial burdens and allows me to dedicate more time to my classes. I am planning to graduate in December of 2024 and have been counting down the semesters until I can count the weeks and finally the days! It’s been a long time coming to graduate, and especially for something I’m in love with and get to make my career. Interior design has always been a passion since childhood. Moving every few years while growing up in a military household and developed the ability to constantly change and update my own living space. It’s going to be amazing to put those skills into other people’s homes or even help companies bring to life their dream offices!

Clarice Kocinn

In high school, I was in cheer, choir, athletics, Spanish club, and dance. I picked Texas State because they have one of the top dance schools in the nation. After I graduate college, I plan to pursue a career as a dance educator within the public school system.  While I’m at Texas State, I hope to become involved in organizations, aspire to live independently and obtain my bachelor’s degree in dance.

When I got my bill for this semester, there was over a $2,000 balance due. I was afraid that I may have to drop out this semester. When I reached out to Texas State, I was offered this assistance. I would like to express my sincere thankfulness for this monetary gift. I would like to sincerely thank you for generously supporting this scholarship. You have helped me continue with my goals and dreams with this gift.

Jeremiah Familuyi

I am very grateful to be one of the recipients of this scholarship, as it has removed one of the many financial stresses college can bring: such as rent, textbooks, and online homework, and allowed me to focus on my education.

I am a senior majoring in Biology with a minor in Psychology. After I obtain my degree, I plan to continue my education in a more specialized science. Texas State provides me with great instructors, advisors, and a great community.

John Lopez

Bobcat Donors, I would love to start off by saying how grateful I am to have been chosen for this award. My name is John Christopher Lopez III and am the grandchild of an alumnus of Southwest Texas State University. The reason I chose to call Texas State my school is all thanks to him. My grandfather has led by example and shown his family and community what it means to be a changed man. After years of service and two kids later he decided to leave the military, start school at Southwest Texas State University, work a full-time job, and be a father and husband. He graduated with his bachelor’s and became a very successful electrician. My grandfather has had the hardest life of anyone I know, and his perseverance is a reminder to me that no matter how hard it gets if my grandfather did it, I can too. I will follow in my grandfather’s steps and become an alum of Texas State. My goal is to graduate with a bachelor’s in environmental studies and geography resources and become an Environmental Consultant. My passion and my calling is to take on the issue of global warming and play as much of a part as I can in resolving this issue man has created and left for our generation to fix.

Elizabeth Bustamante

I am Elizabeth Bustamante, and with your aid, I will have the ability to continue my educational success. My mother would constantly, and still to this day, sit me down and instruct me to focus on my education and seek higher education. She knew that my family would not be able to financially support my educational endeavors. This was something I knew from a young age, and I knew I had to rely on gracious and charitable families like yours. I was a research assistant for the pilot program at Austin Police Department Cadet Academy and I rode out on several ride-outs with Texas State UPD. I was, at the time, a pledgee for LAE (a professional co-ed organization), but now I am the pledge educator and involved in recruitment. Currently, I am working two jobs, actively involved in LAE and editing drafts for cadet academy purposes. To further my endeavors, I have sought out an opportunity to reconstruct the Spanish curriculum at APD cadet academy. I have many reasons to pursue my higher education, but that would not be tangible without the aid of scholarships. I will forever be grateful for this phenomenal opportunity where I may pursue a profession that I am extremely passionate about. You're allowing me to earn my bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in May 2024. You have supported a Mexican American girl with a humble background, who will use this opportunity to blossom. I cannot emphasize my gratitude enough. You are allowing me to seek the professional level that I know I can accomplish.

Daniel Cabezas

Bobcat Donors, I can’t describe what I felt when I learned that I was chosen to receive a scholarship - I was overwhelmed with emotion. My family and I have endured a lot: from serious illness to loss of employment, to the family’s financial hardship that erased the savings I had for college. My father has always said that when one door closes, another opens. And so, it seems from the gloom, rays of sunshine emerged. The first ray was when I learned that I had been accepted into Texas State to study Computer Science. I was happy, I was also unclear and worried about how to pay for it. And then, the second ray appeared; you supported me through this scholarship. Your donation will be put to good use as it will help offset some of the tuition and living expenses. Thank you for honoring me with this scholarship. I will study and work hard to earn it and the trust that you have placed in me. I feel better about my future. It’s brighter thanks to your generosity. Thank you!

Nathalie Mead

Bobcat Donors, I want to express my gratitude for your generosity and time. I am originally from Germany. I am majoring in exercise and sports science with a concentration in pre-rehabilitation. I would like to enter the TXST Master’s program after graduation. I am a single mom of two wonderful boys and a transfer student from California. We moved to Texas both to leave an abusive relationship and the high cost of living. The second I stepped onto the Texas State campus I knew that it was where I wanted to be - I absolutely fell in love. My expected graduation date is May 2023, and my goal is to work at the college level as an Athletic Trainer. This scholarship was a make-or-break thing for me. My goal of giving my kids a better life seemed impossible, this scholarship is helping to make that possible, changing more than one life when I graduate.

Ben Segura

Bobcat Donors, I want to thank you for your generous scholarship contribution that is supporting my pursuit of a business degree. My name is Ben Segura and I've had a long journey that led me to Texas State. I began my college education in 2017 at the University of Houston where my mental and physical health deteriorated as the months went on. After 3 semesters in Houston, I lost my academic scholarship. Coming home, I worked myself to the bone, but my mental health continued to suffer until the spring of 2020. I began taking classes at ACC on the weekends while working full-time. In March of 2020, I was let go due to the Coronavirus lockdown. I used the money I had saved to go full-time to ACC online and then transfer to Texas State to complete my bachelor’s degree in accounting. Now with renewed purpose and with a fresh start in a new town, my goal is to graduate cum laude and seek a master’s degree right after. I've struggled and failed more times than I can count, but I have been able to persist through some of the most difficult challenges of my life because of the help of kind people like yourself. You have given me a chance to succeed and make opportunities for myself that would otherwise be impossible. Texas State is where I've decided I want to finish my degree and I am reminded every day that I made the right choice. Everyone I encounter is kind and thoughtful. I will do my best to rise to the occasion and be the best student I've ever been. I will not waste what you have given me, and I wish you good health and prosperity.

Laura Canales

I am truly grateful to have been selected as a scholarship recipient. I have chosen to pursue a career in Social Work and want to focus on helping America’s heroes. One of my biggest goals in life is to help the military population and their dependents. Being that I have been a military wife and my husband served in The United States Marine Corps for sixteen years, I am pursuing a career to help military individuals along with their families. My husband is a combat veteran who was injured in combat in Fallujah, Iraq. By the grace of God, he returned but was forced to medically retire early due to the physical injuries, a Traumatic Brain Injury, along with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. At that point, I put my education on hold to be his primary caregiver. I believe just like they risk their lives to serve and protect this nation; I want to get my master’s in social work to help and advocate for what they truly deserve. I have chosen Texas State because we are a Bobcat family at heart. My eldest daughter is currently a student and a contracted cadet in the AFROTC. My mother is also a former faculty member who retired from Texas State University. I will forever be thankful for your generous gift and I am truly appreciative of your kindness and support as I continue at Texas State University.