My father has been in the law enforcement field for over three decades. He started out as a security guard, became a police officer for the city of Brownsville for a couple of years, and became a federal agent with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under the Immigrations Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) branch. He has always loved working for the federal government as they have allowed him to continue doing what he loves while also raising a great family including my older sister and my mother. He is a great father and an excellent agent because he protects our community, holds individuals accountable, ensures justice, and is a great leader at his workplace. Not only has my father made a difference in our local community, but he has made an impact outside of it as well. For work, he has had the opportunity to travel to many places around the United States and outside of the country as well. He has traveled to Honduras, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Washington D.C., Seattle, South Carolina, Chicago, and cities all over Texas. He has done a fair share of traveling over the course of his career and has made a difference in communities around the world. I admire how hardworking he is and how he truly cares about making a difference in our community by making it safer for everyone. He is a great role model and a father and I want to follow in his footsteps. He loves his community and is proud of making it a better and safer place for everyone. My name is Jorge Rodriguez and this scholarship will truly be a blessing for me to pursue higher education. I am planning on attending the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley to pursue a master’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in kinesiology. During my time at San Benito high school, I was always ranked in the top 5% of my class since my freshman year. I have also maintained a 4.8 to 4.9 GPA and have graduated as one of the top ten students in my graduating class, as I was ranked number nine out of 670 students. This scholarship will help cover tuition as well as pay for books and a parking spot as well. Going to college and university is very expensive, as this scholarship will bring some financial support to my family for paying for my higher education.