This opportunity is deeply meaningful to me because it supports both my educational goals and the values that have shaped my life—faith, service, and perseverance. As a financially underprivileged student, pursuing higher education has required constant sacrifice, and this scholarship would ease the financial burden that often competes with my ability to remain focused on my studies. More than financial assistance, this opportunity affirms the importance of faith-driven ambition and commitment, values that I strive to live by daily. My journey has been shaped by both military service and faith. Serving in the military taught me discipline, accountability, and the importance of being prepared in all situations. At the same time, my faith gave me the strength to endure difficult seasons, moments of uncertainty, and personal challenges. Financial hardship, academic pressure, and life transitions often tested my resolve, but my faith reminded me to trust God’s plan even when the path ahead was unclear. My involvement at Calvary Chapel in Olympia, Washington has been central to my spiritual growth. I volunteer as an usher and greeter, welcoming people into the church each week. This role has reinforced the value of serving others with humility and consistency. Being present, dependable, and welcoming has strengthened my sense of purpose and reminded me that service is an essential expression of faith. Through my church community, I have found encouragement, accountability, and spiritual grounding that continue to guide my decisions. My decision to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering is deeply connected to both my military experience and my faith. During my time in service, I learned the importance of situational awareness, problem-solving, and understanding how systems function under pressure. Mechanical engineering reflects those same principles—analyzing complex systems, anticipating challenges, and designing solutions that improve safety and reliability. My faith has reinforced my desire to use these skills responsibly, with integrity and service in mind, rather than solely for personal gain. There were moments when financial strain made continuing my education feel uncertain. At times, I had to choose between essential expenses and school-related costs. Through prayer and reliance on God, I learned perseverance and patience. Each obstacle strengthened my determination to complete my degree and build a future that honors both my service and my faith. Looking ahead, I plan to use my faith as a guiding force as I complete my mechanical engineering degree and enter the workforce. I hope to apply my education to create solutions that serve others, contribute to my community, and uphold the values instilled in me through faith and military service. The Jim Maxwell Memorial Scholarship represents encouragement, support, and belief in students who strive to grow despite adversity. I would honor this opportunity by continuing to pursue excellence, serve faithfully, and lead with purpose.

Hello, my name is Joel Rodriguez, and I am the son of a United States Army combat veteran whose service has shaped every major decision in my life. My father served over 25 years in the Army Reserves and deployed twice during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and 2005. While I was proud of his service, I also witnessed the lasting effects of combat when he returned home. He became hypervigilant, easily startled, and struggled with anger—challenges that many veterans face but few families are prepared to understand. At the time, I did not have the knowledge or emotional maturity to recognize that my father was dealing with the invisible wounds of war. However, those experiences left a deep impression on me. After the events of 9/11, I felt a strong sense of duty to serve, and in 2005 I made the decision to enlist in the Army. Financial hardship also played a major role in that decision. After completing my first year at a local university, I could no longer afford tuition. Coming from a household already strained by medical and transitional challenges, continuing my education without financial support was not possible. Military service became both a calling and a necessity. I went on to serve ten years in special operations, completing eight combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. My service demanded constant problem-solving, adaptability, and accountability—skills that shaped my work ethic and sense of responsibility. However, when I left the Army in 2015, I began to experience many of the same struggles I had once observed in my father. I faced difficulty adjusting to civilian life, battled anxiety and anger, and spent several years trying to cope through counseling, medication, and unhealthy self-medication. These challenges made it difficult to maintain stability, employment, and long-term financial security. Returning to school was a turning point, but it was not an easy one. As a nontraditional student and veteran, I continue to face significant financial barriers. Tuition, textbooks, and living expenses place constant pressure on my ability to persist academically. Despite working and using limited benefits, I often must choose between covering basic necessities and investing fully in my education. This scholarship would directly impact my ability to remain enrolled and focused on my studies. I chose to pursue mechanical engineering because it aligns with both my military experience and my desire to build a stable future. In special operations, I learned to assess environments, anticipate failure, and design solutions under pressure. Mechanical engineering allows me to apply those same principles in a constructive way—solving real-world problems and contributing to systems that support safety, efficiency, and resilience. Being the son of a veteran taught me perseverance, sacrifice, and responsibility long before I understood them. This scholarship represents more than financial assistance; it is recognition of the sacrifices made by military families and an investment in my ability to break cycles of instability through education. With this support, I will continue building a future defined by purpose, resilience, and meaningful contribution—honoring both my father’s service and my own. I then started going to school. I chose to be a mechanical engineer because of the missions I was doing, i needed to be aware of my surroundings and ready for anything.

Life gives us challenges, and those challenges shape who we become. For me, the most defining moments of my life came from my service in the U.S. Army. As a first-generation college student and the primary provider for my family, I joined the military at nineteen because I needed to support my family and keep my brother with special needs safe and cared for. What started as a practical decision became the beginning of a chain reaction that changed the course of my life. In 2005, while struggling to pay for college, an Army recruiter called and offered an opportunity: financial stability, education benefits, and the chance to serve. I shipped out within months and was eventually assigned to the 2nd Ranger Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. During my ten years of service, I endured difficult training, multiple deployments, and the realities of combat. But the event that changed me most—the moment that truly reshaped my perspective and future—was losing my closest friend during a deployment. His death shattered me. I blamed myself, believing I wasn’t a good enough leader to prevent what happened. For a long time, I carried that guilt, and it blurred my sense of identity. But through time, reflection, and support, I learned a lesson that became the turning point in my life: I can only control what I can control—but what I can control, I must give everything to. That realization reshaped how I view responsibility, service, and purpose. This loss also sparked the path to my chosen field of study. Throughout my military career, I worked closely with aircraft, equipment, and systems used in high-risk environments. I saw firsthand how mechanical systems, sensors, and identification technologies can be the difference between safety and tragedy. My friend’s death motivated me to pursue mechanical engineering with a goal of working for the Department of Defense or the Department of the Army. I want to apply my engineering education to develop aircraft systems and identification technology that reduce friendly-fire incidents and protect service members in the field. The challenge that once broke me has now shaped my purpose. I am studying mechanical engineering not just to build machines, but to build solutions that protect the people who serve—because I know exactly what’s at stake.

My name is Joel Rodriguez, and I am a forty-year-old veteran student. For more than a decade, I put my life on hold to serve my country in the United States Army. Those years shaped me in ways I never imagined—through hardship, sacrifice, and eventually, healing. Now, as I return to school, I carry those lessons with me and use them to guide my goals for the future. I was raised in a single-parent household by my mother, a hardworking and loving woman who, despite having little education, always told me that school was the key to a better life. In 2005, I enrolled at a university in Texas with a partial scholarship for cross country and track. While the scholarship covered housing, I struggled to pay for everything else—books, meals, and supplies. Despite my best efforts, it became clear that I could not afford to continue. After long conversations with my mom, I made the difficult choice to enlist in the Army. At nineteen, I believed military service would provide me with the stability and opportunity I needed. During my ten-plus years in uniform, I deployed eight times—four to Iraq and four to Afghanistan. Those deployments were the hardest experiences of my life. I lost friends and colleagues in combat, and I also lost pieces of myself. The weight of those years followed me home, and after my final deployment I was diagnosed with severe, complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD was a battle I wasn’t prepared for. Sleepless nights, intrusive memories, and the crushing emptiness left me feeling hopeless. There were moments I thought I could not go on. What saved me was my faith, my wife, and the unwavering support of close friends. My faith reminded me that I was not alone, and that God’s love could heal what I could not fix on my own. My wife stood by me through my darkest days, reminding me of my worth when I couldn’t see it myself. Intensive inpatient therapy also gave me tools to cope and begin rebuilding my life. The experience changed me forever. It taught me that resilience is not about never falling—it’s about finding the courage to rise again. It showed me the importance of community, of leadership rooted in service, and of carrying hope even in the darkest times. Now, as a student once again, I am pursuing a career in [insert your STEAM field here] because I want to transform my story of hardship into one of purpose. My goal is to not only succeed academically, but to use my education to help others who feel overwhelmed by challenges. Whether through mentorship, service, or innovation, I want my work to reflect the values that carried me through: faith, perseverance, and integrity. Anthony Belliamy’s legacy resonates deeply with me. Like him, I believe in leading with courage and optimism, and in using hardship as fuel for growth. This scholarship would not only honor my journey, but also allow me to continue building a future rooted in resilience, service, and hope.

My name is Joel Rodriguez, and I am passionate about being a first-generation, Mexican-American college graduate because I am setting a new standard for what is possible in my family. For me, earning a degree isn’t just about personal success—it’s about breaking generational barriers and opening doors that were never opened for those before me. I want my younger relatives to see that success is possible, even when the odds are stacked against you. I was raised by my mother, a strong and determined woman who often worked two or three jobs just to keep food on the table, pay the bills, and maintain transportation. Watching her struggle and sacrifice made it clear to me from a young age that nothing in life is handed to you. That work ethic became part of who I am. To support my education and my future, I enlisted in the United States Army. I joined initially to help pay for school, but my service turned into something much deeper. I sacrificed time, relationships, and even parts of myself to serve this country. I’ve experienced war, endured long separations from family, and missed moments of peace and happiness that many take for granted. My path to college hasn’t been traditional. I’m not a teenager fresh out of high school—I’m a man who’s faced life head-on and come out stronger on the other side. Still, I continue to push forward. Why? Because I believe in creating a better life—not just for myself, but for the generations that will follow me. I want my life to mean something, and I want my accomplishments to inspire change. I’ve always been curious about how things work, what drives systems, and how we can build a better future. That curiosity led me to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. Today, I am learning more than just technical concepts. I’m learning how to navigate higher education—how scholarships work, what opportunities exist, and how to advocate for myself. Applying for this scholarship is a big step, because for most of my life, I didn’t believe in asking for help. But I’ve realized something important: in order to take care of others, I first need to take care of myself. I am not just a student—I am a provider, a soldier, and a leader. Being a first-generation, Mexican-American college graduate is my mission—and I carry it with pride, responsibility, admiration, and purpose.

My long-term career goal is to work with the Department of Defense (DoD) in the development of advanced robotics and drone technologies—specifically to help counter the growing threat these systems pose on the modern battlefield. As warfare evolves, especially in conflicts like the war between Ukraine and Russia, unmanned systems are playing a critical role. I want to be part of the engineering teams that design innovative solutions to protect soldiers and uphold national security. My long-term career goal is to work with the Department of Defense (DoD) to develop advanced robotics and drone technologies—specifically, systems that can counter the increasing use of unmanned machines on the battlefield. As warfare evolves in conflicts like the war between Ukraine and Russia, autonomous and remotely operated weapons are playing a larger and more dangerous role. I want to help design and engineer the technologies that can meet these threats head-on—technologies that protect soldiers, enhance mission effectiveness, and uphold national security. I am currently pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering because it aligns with both my passions and my professional mission. I’ve always been fascinated by how things work, and I enjoy breaking down complex systems, solving problems, and building tools that serve a real purpose. Engineering allows me to turn curiosity into impact—and impact is what drives me. My values were forged through experience. Before I became a student, I served ten years in the U.S. Army as an infantryman and designated breacher. In that role, I overcame physical and tactical barriers using both mechanical tools and explosive charges. I calculated safe standoff distances using kinematic equations, leveraged tools for efficiency, and worked under pressure in high-risk environments. These were not just military tasks—they were acts of applied problem-solving that introduced me to the power of engineering. Through that experience, I learned the importance of preparation, adaptability, and responsibility—values I carry with me today. I also gained a deeper understanding of the cost of war and the value of life. I know what it feels like to be on the ground, facing evolving threats with limited tools. That’s why I want to be on the other side now—designing the next generation of tools that save lives and give our service members the edge they need. At my core, I’m driven by service. My military service may have ended, but my sense of duty has not. I want to continue contributing to something larger than myself—this time through innovation, research, and design. My goal isn’t just to build machines; it’s to build solutions that directly support the people who wear the uniform, just as I once did. This scholarship would not only support me financially—it would enable me to complete my degree and continue serving my country in a new and meaningful way. It would empower me to combine my past experiences with my academic goals to become the kind of engineer who doesn’t just work on machines—but who understands exactly what’s at stake when those machines are deployed.