Hearing first hand stories of financial need from Lone Star College-CyFair students inspired Scott and Marian Liebling to establish a scholarship that is helping four students achieve their academic goals this year.
The first recipients of the Didwell-Liebling Opportunity Scholarship, established in honor of the couple’s parents and family and earmarked for students in Government, Political Science and History, are Monica Cuerno, Halie Devereaux, Ali Fawaz and Rebeca Perales.
“These are incredibly intelligent and ambitious students who have not let life’s hardships deter them,” said the Lieblings. “They are truly an inspiration to us, and we feel most fortunate to be able to help them in some small way.”
Cuerno, who is planning to transfer to Texas A&M and become a chemical engineer, said she’s had an amazing experience at LSC-CyFair and that the staff, from the professors to the cleaning staff, are very helpful and nice.
“This scholarship has made payments so much more doable and taken a burden off our shoulders. It has also confirmed that everything that I have done and worked for is really worth it and pays off little by little,” said Cuerno. “And the emotional assurance is worth so much more for me. This has driven me to want to work so much harder, because I know that so many more people believe in me.”
In their scholarship thank you letters, Devereaux, who plans to become a pediatric ICU nurse, and Fawaz, whose goal is to become a cardiac surgeon, said they appreciate the support of donors people they don’t even know helping them be successful in college and reach their goals.
Perales comes from a family of nine and said she lacked the financial stability to afford all the expenses college, but that enrolling at LSC-CyFair has been one the smartest decisions she’s made because it’s saved her money, time and allowed her and her family to stay together.
“With the Lieblings’ support and that of the scholarship I have been provided with the funds necessary to keep studying at Lone Star College-CyFair,” said Perales, who plans to transfer to Texas A&M and to become a petroleum engineer. “Receiving this scholarship motivates me to maintain my GPA and complete my degree. I look forward to being able to give back to the community once I am able to do so.”
LSC-CyFair offers many scholarship opportunities with varying requirements and award amounts thanks to the generosity of community partners from area individuals such as the Lieblings to numerous companies and organizations. The scholarship application deadline for the 2013 spring semester is Oct. 1.
For available scholarships and application information, contact Haydee Baril at 281.290.3509 at the Barker Cypress campus or Vanessa Williams at 832.782.5016 at the LSC-Fairbanks Center or go to go to LoneStar.edu/scholarships-cyfair.