15 and the Mahomies Foundation – Tyler, TX Area Scholarship

I am a bilingual Mexican student-athlete that has lived in Mexico all his life until freshman year of high school. I have lived in the United States for the past 4 years, attending BIshop T.K Gorman High School. My dream is to start a family in the United States, and create my own engineering firm where I can work to improve current systems and design and operate sustainable systems both for and to give back to my community. I am really passionate about soccer and sports, being very vibrant in my life. I plan to pursue a master's in engineering and a minor in business, to eventually start my engineering firm where I will work to improve current systems and design and operate sustainable systems for my community. Graduating from a great university like UTSA will help me not only become a better engineer but also make connections in the professional world that I wouldn't be able to make graduating from other colleges. My parents live in Mexico, and financially maintain two households in two different countries. Being the youngest of four, I’ve seen them pay for both of my brothers’ college tuition and rent, and my parents currently pay for my sister’s tuition and expenses, all in the US, while working in and from Mexico. This has made my college search limited by financial circumstances. As an international student, I am not able to apply for FAFSA. This is why this scholarship would help me reach my goals in life, and allow me to attend UTSA, which, by the strength of your academic programs, will later allow me to grow not only personally, but professionally too. leaving Mexico was hard, since I had lived there my entire life. I left my friends and family. The decision was so spontaneous that I had no time to think about the challenges that it would bring to my life. One big challenge was adapting to the United States, but it was also a bigger challenge to see that living with my brothers was not like living with my parents. The toughest part of living with my brothers proved to be the independence I faced. Yet, it helped me become more organized; since no one was there to take care of me, I became more responsible and balanced my time between school, athletics, friends, and chores. My freshman year of high school made for a scary change, but because I’d always been a social kid, the experience helped me to open up more and realize that even with a different culture I could adapt. For the longest time I had mixed emotions, because on one hand I missed my friends and parents, but on the other hand I was experiencing something new and exciting, which taught me the many benefits that can arise from change.

Growing up in Tyler, Texas, I was provided experiences that showed me the importance of determination, community involvement, and hard work. I am a 2025 graduate of Tyler Legacy High School, where I ranked 11th in a class of 612 students. This fall, I will start my undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at Texas A&M University. A passion for learning has paved my path, a commitment to service, and a determination to succeed and overcome challenges. My interest in engineering began at a young age in middle school when I was provided the opportunity to take a STEM class. That experience showed me how creative and meaningful engineering can be. I loved the engineering model approach which showed that there is always a chance to improve your design, solve problems creatively, and create something meaningful for others. This principle is what I will carry into my career. Throughout high school, I worked to develop myself as both a strong student and a leader. I served on the student council for all four years and took part in academic organizations like the National Honor Society and Science Honor Society. One of the most rewarding parts of my high school experience was my time with the Interact Service Club. I saw the power of supporting my community first hand while volunteering at the East Texas Food Bank and cleaning a local historic cemetery in need. In addition, my leadership skills were enhanced as a member of the marching band where I served as section leader for 3 years. This opportunity provided me with the chance to share my love of music and help younger students with the difficult transition from middle school to high school. My dedication to service led me to work this summer at a retirement and assisted living home. In this job, I bring energy and conversation to the residents, and in return, I am provided life lessons from their stories of the past. These interactions remind me that even the smallest moments of connection can make a lasting difference for everyone involved. My journey to college hasn’t been without challenges along the way. During 2020, my dad lost his job in the natural gas industry and was unemployed for a year and a half creating a financially and emotionally challenging time for our family. This experience, like so many had to deal with, taught me resilience and responsibility. I am now dedicated to paying for my college education and making the most of each opportunity I receive along the way. At Texas A&M, I look forward to growing academically and personally while using the experiences that have shaped me along the way. I plan to participate in internships, build meaningful connections with my peers and teachers, and continue serving others in the community. I’m excited for what the future holds, and I am grateful for the chance to share my story.

It was once said that “The expected is what keeps us steady. It’s the unexpected that changes our lives forever.” by Meredith Grey. Covid took its toll on the world but during that time it gave me the space to ground myself at home. I completed my school work each day and also watched many seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. After finishing the series, I began my high school career having a sense of purpose about pursuing a career in healthcare. I knew that this field was something that I would love to do but I wasn’t sure what type of job within the system. I have grown through a set of unique challenges and opportunities to explore and figure out what is intended for my future. Many people are not aware that while in high school, I was playing a sport, working a part-time job, and going through many emotions due to my Dad battling a serious illness. Being diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer, he fought hard for four years until he lost his battle in early December 2023. Watching him fight each day was not easy, but it strengthened my passion to want to enter the healthcare field. I had just started watching Grey’s Anatomy when my Dad was going through treatments. The show helped me to overcome the victim mentality of being a daughter whose Dad may not survive cancer into a hero and fighter mentality. I began to research about the illness and anything to help him gain victory in his journey. I was in awe of how the doctors in the show, and in real life, were trying to do everything they could to save their patients and give them the best quality of life and care. This past year, my junior year of high school, I was able to participate in the school's health science program. Through this program, I was able to shadow various healthcare professionals ranging from therapists, dentists, nurses, and doctors. This experience opened my eyes to the daily world of a healthcare provider. I then was selected this summer by the local hospital to do more in-depth training each week in different areas of healthcare such as cardiology, neurology, and surgery specialization. I spent most of my hours in surgery during this time. I had the opportunity many times to watch the process from start to finish with the surgery team. It quickly showed me that this was a career I wanted to pursue. The Grey’s Anatomy show was one of my first introductions to healthcare. Even though I would never want to relive the Covid experience due to some of the devastating outcomes, I am grateful for the time it gave me to pause and explore new dreams. Throughout each of my experiences, my passion for wanting to help others has intensified. Sometimes, the challenges of life help us to discover our strength in overcoming which leads to our true life purpose.

My name is Caroline Smith and I am a recent graduate of The Brook Hill School in the Tyler, Texas area. I will attend East Texas Baptist University in the fall where I will play soccer and major in nursing. Ever since I was young, I played soccer with a passion to be great. The joy I feel while playing has not left me since the first time I scored a goal as a little four year-old. Although my four year-old self would be proud of how far my career has come, it hasn’t been without obstacles. However, I’m a strong believer that lessons from adversity are fundamental for later success. I verbally committed to ETBU as a junior in high school after being selected 1st team All State and District MVP. I was stoked to enjoy my senior year of soccer after the years of hard work. Funny enough, the Lord had a much different plan for my senior year. September 19, 2024 I lay on my couch barely able to lift a leg or move at all without pain. Just hours earlier, I was in the weight room with my team when I injured my back. A herniated disc and annular tear at my L5 S1 site left me with constant pain. I experienced shooting pain down my legs. As a captain, I was devastated to miss the first part of my senior season but I knew I could be back for the playoffs if I worked hard enough.. I had my first back surgery in January, 2025 after conservative treatment failed. The pain in the following weeks was unlike anything I had ever felt, but I knew it would all be worth it the day I was playing again. There was a timeline and light at the end of the tunnel to be cleared by playoffs… or so I thought. The pain returned in late March. An MRI confirmed that my disc had re-herniated during PT. This meant yet another surgery so soon after the first. I was crushed, knowing I couldn’t play for my school or club team, but shifted my perspective to prioritize my health for collegiate soccer. Waking up from surgery number two was challenging. I had an incident under anesthesia where my body shook from a spasm. I soon found out that my disc was herniated yet again. I was exhausted, discouraged, but determined not to give up. Instead of a third surgery, my family learned of an alternate procedure to seal the disc. I will always be thankful for the financial sacrifice my parents made to have this done. I am putting in the work every day to come back stronger than ever and be back on the field at some point during this freshmen season. My identity is in Christ and not in soccer. However, God has given me the ability to play soccer and it brings me unmatched joy to use the gifts He has given me.