Dear H-E-B, Thank you for your generosity in awarding me the 2026 H-E-B Scholarship. I am truly proud to be an H-E-B Scholar, especially because H-E-B was my first job when I was 16 years old. My time as an H-E-B Partner taught me important lessons about customer service, responsibility, and serving my community. I will always remember the people and customers I met and the experiences I had, including working during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Texas winter storm. H-E-B has always been a company that gives back to the community, so receiving this scholarship feels especially meaningful to me.

After graduating high school, I carried the lessons I learned at H-E-B with me. I eventually discovered my passion for healthcare after attending a job fair at University Hospital. At 18, I became a certified nurse aide and began working with patients, including those recovering from serious injuries. Watching patients heal and regain their abilities inspired me to learn more about healthcare and the important role nurses play in caring for others.

My journey has not always been easy. I joined the United States Marine Corps and completed the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton, California. After learning that my son was on the way, I returned home. Shortly afterward, I was involved in a serious motorcycle accident that required surgery and changed the direction of my life. Although I was ultimately discharged from the military, I refused to let that experience stop me from building a better future for myself and my son.

I returned to University Health, where I now work full-time nights as a Critical Care Technician in the Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit. I am also a full-time college student at Alamo Colleges, completing my prerequisites for nursing while raising my son as a single father. Balancing work, school, and fatherhood is challenging, but my son is my biggest motivation. I want to create a better future for him and show him what is possible through hard work, perseverance, and education.

Working in the ICU has confirmed that nursing is the career I want to pursue. Caring for critically ill patients and supporting nurses has given me a deeper understanding of the responsibility and compassion required in healthcare. My goal is to earn my nursing degree and become a critical care registered nurse. From there, I hope to gain experience in emergency medicine, become a flight nurse with University Health, and eventually pursue a graduate degree to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.

Receiving this scholarship will help reduce the financial burden of college and allow me to focus more on my education and my future. It will help with tuition, books, and other educational expenses as I continue through my nursing journey. More importantly, it reminds me that the hard work I have put into rebuilding my life and pursuing my goals is being recognized.

H-E-B has been part of my life since I was a teenager, and it means a lot to me that the company where I had my first job is now helping me pursue my dream of becoming a nurse. I am sincerely grateful for the trust and support you have placed in me. I promise to carry that support forward by providing the same dedication and compassion to my future patients that I have learned throughout my journey.

Thank you again for believing in me, supporting students, and investing in the future of healthcare. I am honored to be an H-E-B Scholar and excited to see where this journey takes me.