PROUD #WSF MOMENT

One of our very first #SmittysScholars @dxmayon44 of Lamar High School, graduated from The University of Houston in May of 2018. Derek sent us the following update:

“I am emailing you today to express my appreciation for your foundation’s scholarship. The total $10,000 in scholarship funds over the past four years have had an extreme impact on my college career. I believe that the funds have allowed me to achieve far more than I would have otherwise.

This scholarship has allowed me to finish school with zero debt, for which I am forever grateful. This scholarship has also allowed me to focus entirely on my studies because I didn’t have to hold a job to pay my tuition. The pure focus on my studies has made your contribution an instrumental component to my success.

These following accomplishments were propelled by your foundation:

• Graduating with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Houston
• Graduating on time in four years with zero debt
• Graduating Magna Cum Laude with a 3.75 GPA (thanks to y’all’s high GPA requirement)
• Obtaining a full time job with BP in their Wind Engineering Department (Working with wind turbine power generation)
• Obtaining an internship with Sulzer RES that prepared me to obtain the full time BP position
• Obtaining $49,000 in scholarships (including your scholarship) that funded the vast majority of my degree
• Induction into Tau Beta Pi (oldest engineering honor society and the second oldest collegiate honor society in the United States)

In summary I am extremely grateful for everything your foundation has provided. You and our organization have the ability to help so many and I’m glad that I had the privilege to be included.”

We are so very proud of you and all of your accomplishments, Derek!