Receiving financial help to achieve their academic goals through the 2014 Didwell-Liebling Opportunity Scholarships are five Lone Star College-CyFair students Joshua Casillas, Adriana Argumedo Garcia, Baoan Huynh, Loan Pham and Rossy Vasquez.
Scott and Marian Liebling established this scholarship in 2012 in honor of their parents and family after hearing first hand student stories of financial need.
“Our scholarship award recipients are intelligent and ambitious students who have not let life’s hardships deter them,” said the Lieblings. “They are truly an inspiration to us, and it is our pleasure to be able to assist them in some small way as they pursue their educational goals.”
For the recipients, such scholarships provide motivation and hope knowing others care about their future.
“The scholarship gave me hope because I always thought of myself as an average girl and to receive this award just helped boost my confidence,” said Huynh, who plans to become a registered nurse and specialize in neonatal care.
While working on her associate degree, Huynh first enjoyed playing on the tennis team at LSC-CyFair, then joined Phi Theta Kappa and the National Society for Collegiate Scholars and more recently found herself performing on stage with the Glee Club.
Casillas, who’s interested in becoming an orthopedic surgeon or a physiotherapist, received an opportunity scholarship designated as the Joseph Liebling Memorial Scholarship.
“Receiving this scholarship is one more reason to keep moving forward. I find it very motivational to see that somebody else cares about my education and my future and was willing to offer me a hand,” said Casillas, who is in the Honors Program and maintaining a 3.5 GPA. “I want to get an associate of science degree, then I want to transfer to a 4-year college to major in biology, and finally go to medical school.”
Vasquez’s opportunity scholarship was dedicated in honor of Marian’s 60th birthday.
“As the philosopher William James said, ‘the greatest use of a life is to spend it for something that will outlast it,” said Marian. “It is my hope that Rossy’s gift of knowledge will enrich many lives and far outlast hers.”
Vasquez, who said she has fun at her part-time daycare job, is also in her church choir at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and volunteers when she can in the children’s Sunday school program. Working on her associate degree in history, Vasquez plans to transfer to the University of Texas at Austin, is majoring in history and hopes to become a 10th-grade teacher.
A member of both Phi Theta Kappa and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and with a 4.0 GPA, Pham is continuing her education despite adversity and challenges that may come her way. Pham said receiving this scholarship is allowing this single mom to “pursue dreams (of becoming an Occupational therapist) and give her daughter the best life that she deserves.”
A full-time student and children’s dance instructor since 2006, Argumedo said she hopes to be the first in her family to earn a college degree and wants to inspire others to earn a higher education. This scholarship will help this future chemical engineer, who chose an engineering career after winning a sixth-grade science fair, ease the struggle to pay for books and classes.
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 2014 fall semester is April 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 LoneStar.edu/scholarships-cyfair.