Christopher T. Muschalek Memorial Scholarship

“What if they built a catapult, got in there, and set up a mattress on the other side?” I would throw out these types of unhinged ideas every time we drove by the Loop 375 Border Highway, from where I would see the places I used to visit in Juarez, Chihuahua, my hometown. We moved to El Paso, Texas after my mom met my step-dad, an American fugitive and although their marriage brought on a turbulent journey, one filled with economic uncertainty and legal battles, I am grateful because it made me who I am and it shaped my educational goals. As a first-generation student my desire to study History and Political Science was not ideal, I often encountered skepticism, people would respond, "What are you even going to do with that?" I grappled with the pressure to make my education worthwhile, exploring other career interests that never quite felt right until my senior year of high school when I joined Service Leadership Society. The Service Leadership Society (SLS) was the perfect fusion of government and debate club. I had found my place. As I explored the world of the American legislative process, I fell in love with it as I crafted the perfect oppositions and rebuttals. I cycled through a process of research, editing, and writing for a whole school year. The culmination of our efforts came when we competed in the Austin Capitol, where our bill received the highest number of votes in favor. Although our bill was being presented in mock legislation against other schools, Austin presented me with motivation and ambition. Being in the Austin Capitol while it was in session allowed us to meet a plethora of representatives and politicians from all over the state, who were from all socio-economic backgrounds. This experience solidified my commitment to public service. I realized how much I enjoyed mentoring the underclassmen; and I loved being able to understand government and laws to the point of being able to explain it to others. My amazing teachers and SLS mentors, Ms. Romo and Ms.Vazquez, were one of the main reasons I had such a transformative senior year. After we had a presentation about the Grow Your Own Teacher Program (GYOT), I felt inspired by them, and I successfully applied. Maybe this was the beginning of my career. Pursuing a career in teaching allows me to complete a full circle moment. The place where I once felt alienated and lost in, I could work towards making it a safe space that encourages civic participation and growth. I know I want to make an impact beyond the classroom and pursue graduate school, which the GYOT fellowship allows me to do. While working for GYOT, I was also part of the Undergraduate Fellows Programs at UTEP, continued to mentor SLS, and volunteered at Las Americas Immigration Advocacy Center. As I look ahead to graduate school and beyond, I am filled with excitement and anticipation. My goal is to make systematic changes in education or immigration, driven by a deep-seated desire to contribute to the betterment of our world. This scholarship would not only alleviate the financial burden of pursuing my dreams but also empower me to take on new challenges with confidence and determination. In closing, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for this opportunity. Thank you for considering my application and for believing in my potential to make a meaningful impact

With so many things to do and endless possibilities in life, we are often tasked with summing up things among many. This challenge intensifies when considering our college majors. On top of this, we must decide which university best suits our educational needs and provides the best opportunity. Like many students, my story is the same, from selecting the right university for me and what I wanted to pursue. Early in my journey toward discovering my passion and which university to attend, I struggled to decide what to do. I talked with my parents, pastor, and friends about where to discover what I was passionate about and how to select the right school. Their answers were universally the same: they told me to "follow my heart and move how the Lord directs me." This revelation opened a new lens of sight and enabled me to identify Architecture as my major. I discovered in my youth that I always had a passion for construction and design and would often create miniature models to express this passion. I remember staying up late at night to complete these models before school in the morning and begging my mother to spend countless amounts of money to buy me supplies. I quickly learned this passion wasn't cheap, but I also uncovered why I wanted to pursue architecture. I'm pursuing architecture to primarily indulge in a space that allows me to create and implement new ideas in the built environment. My view of the built environment or infrastructure is that of a canvas that's been shared among many artists from the begging of time. Each "artist" acquires their credentials and begins to paint on this canvas how they see fit under the direction of a client. I aspire to join the likes of many great architects of our time and "paint" new wonders in the world. As I referenced earlier, I discovered that I wanted to pursue architecture came later on in life. Contrary to my early life of model making, I was indecisive in the direction that I wanted to take post-graduation. Eventually, in my junior of high school, I knew that architecture was the fit for me. From that moment forward I began to research various schools that offered architecture education and the cost of attendance. Additionally, I inquired about the student workflow and what these institutions had to offer in the new age of design. Lastly, I continued to stay informed on what I was pursuing and listened to architecture students from around the world to understand what would be expected. In conclusion, my journey in pursuing architecture was a long, yet, joyful experience that allowed me to embrace my passion. Through every step forward and every page turned, I get closer to achieving my goal of becoming an architect and shaping the new world. I encourage all who may read this essay to forge new possibilities and follow God's plans for your life to embrace your passions. We're all in this together and can achieve anything we set our minds to!