The Lone Star College-CyFair experience has not only provided Alis Rodriguez and Derrick Rivera perspective on their future teaching and filmmaking careers, but also a financial helping hand along their journey.
Both Rodriguez, from the Barker Cypress campus, and Rivera, from LSC-Fairbanks Center were recently honored as scholarship essay recipients at the LSC Foundation’s 26th Annual Chancellor’s Breakfast, where six essay winners across the Lone Star College System inspired guests with their stories.
Sharing about the influence and support her mother and grandfather have impacted her commitment and desire to learn, Rodriguez said she is excited to see her goals - to transfer to Prairie View A&M University, earn her master’s and become a senior literature teacher in the Cy-Fair community - become reality.
“I have a passion for teaching and an equal love for reading,” she said. “I hope to see the students in my classroom flourish and that they will know I am always there for them. I just want to prepare them for the rest of their lives.”
Rivera, whose father dropped out of middle school and two brothers did not finish college, had not planned to attend college either. However, he soon learned film schools were part of universities. So with a new found passion for visual storytelling, he chose to begin rebuilding his GPA at LSC-CyFair.
“I decided upon filmmaking because I want to maintain my creative freedom, but still be able to impact individuals in a healthy way to inspire change for the better,” said Rivera.
Working toward graduating in 2020 with his associate of arts degree, Rivera plans to continue his education at the University of Texas at Austin.
In addition to Rivera and Rodriguez from LSC-CyFair, the other scholarship essay winners include Alberto Gonzalez, Amber Hatton and Ruth-Anna McDonald from LSC-Kingwood; Sarai Barragan and Mary Vallery from LSC-Montgomery; Johnesia Davis and Dusti Miller from LSC-North Harris; Marisela Flores and Edward Waltz from LSC-Tomball and Luis Rodriguez from LSC-University Park.
Each of the essay winners received $1,000 scholarships made possible thanks to the generosity of LSC Foundation donors and supporters. Since its inception, the LSC Foundation has provided more than $14 million in scholarships to nearly 14,500 students, as well as more than $6 million in program support.
For information on other foundation events, go to LoneStarCollegeFoundation.org. For information on LSC-CyFair, go to LoneStar.edu/Cyfair.