Today, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo officials announced that 98 deserving Texas college students will receive $1.2 million in additional educational funds through the Rodeo’s Achievement Scholarship Program. The Achievement Scholarships are awarded to current Rodeo scholars who are working toward an undergraduate degree, have completed four semesters and at least 60 hours of coursework, and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher at a four-year university.
“2020 has been an incredibly challenging year, but these students have continuously shown true dedication to their academic careers,” said Chris Boleman, Rodeo president and CEO. “They have remained strong in the face of adversity and it is an honor to award these outstanding Rodeo scholars with this year’s Achievement Scholarships.”
Each of these students will receive an additional $4,000 scholarship for each eligible semester. These Achievement Scholarships are given in conjunction with the initial Rodeo scholarship for a maximum combined total of up to $36,000 in educational funding. Of these 98 scholars, nearly 10% are the first in their families to graduate high school, and 28% are the first to attend college. These scholarship recipients attend 15 different Texas colleges and universities, and the top six schools represented are: The University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, University of Houston, Sam Houston State University and Texas State University. These students also represent a wide range of chosen majors. The top seven majors are animal science, biology, agricultural economics, biochemistry, agricultural communications, engineering and nursing.
The Achievement Scholarships represent a share of the Rodeo’s annual commitment to Texas youth and education. In 2020, more than $27 million has been committed to scholarships, junior show exhibitors, educational program grants and graduate assistantships. Since 1932, the Rodeo has committed more than $500 million to the youth of Texas and education. Additional information about the Rodeo’s educational commitments can be found here: rodeohouston.com/Educational-Support/Commitment.
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo promotes agriculture by hosting an annual, family-friendly experience that educates and entertains the public, supports Texas youth, showcases Western heritage and provides year-round educational support within the community. Since its beginning in 1932, the Rodeo has committed more than $500 million to youth of Texas and education. For more information, visit rodeohouston.com and connect with #RODEOHOUSTON online via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for all of the latest news. The 2021 Rodeo is scheduled for March 2 – March 21.
ACHIEVEMENT SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
List as of Aug. 10, 2020
Angelo State University
Emma Duke
Christina Hamilton
Sam Houston State University
Evangelina Covarrubias
Denisse Heredia
Matthias Litzmann
Stephen F Austin State University
Hanna Terral
Tarleton State University
Cade Osbourn
Texas A&M University
Alexandra Bishop
Catherine Bowden
Casey Brusen
Christopher Childress
Reagan Earl
Bennet Folsom
Terrell Ford
Camryn Frederick
Tristan Frerich
Shanna Gleason
Mollie Hagler
Madalynn Hare
Hannah Hastings
Jorja Johnson
Emily Mann
Eric Munoz Petit
Conner Neumann
Lainey Speck
Melodie Tedross
Macey Thurmann
Vivie Tran
Brooke Vyvlecka
Pichaya Yimmongkol
Texas A&M University – Kingsville
Michael Kalisek
Texas State University
Cameron De Leon
Kayla Kopecki
William Phi
Texas Tech University
Bryn Arnold
Ana Avelar
Samantha Barnett
Reagan Bills
John Branch
Ansleigh Brister
Audrey Brown
Jordan Carter
Sidney Dunkel
Megan Dunn
Jayna Grove
Macy Haight
Jace Henry
Hannah Herd
Reginald Lane
Allison Morgan
Savanna Oud
Shelby Steinbach
Shae Lynn Suttle
Bailey Teter
Kamlynn Thomas
Ashlie Thompson
Larson Walker
Tatum Whitewood
The University of Texas at Austin
Sahar Ali
Abigail Alley
Tanaya Behramsha
Katelyn Bishop
Mckenzie Castro
Jenny Dang Ma
Christine Ejiofor
Elizabeth Eversole
Maria Henriquez
Uriel Iglesias
Anna Kurtin
Hung Le
Jun Hin Loi
Samantha Lopez
Miguel-Carlo Magtaan
Saad Majeed
Riley Mckinzie
Bao Tran Nguyen
Tenzin Palkyi
Gabriela Puzon
Troy Richard
Emily Sparkman
Mohammed Syed
Tabitha Tran
Isaias Tristan
Jasmine Tumewu
Parth Upadhyay
Arman Yazdian
University of Houston
Raul Arita
Jonathan Burt
Zoieanne Ellis
Lily Luo
Mansi Parikh
Anu Thomas
University of Texas – Arlington
Blaize Lafleur
University of Texas – Dallas
Crystal Chinn
Kristen Damico
University of Texas – San Antonio
Alexis Mojica
University of Texas – Tyler
Justin Melendez
West Texas A&M University
Bailee Mckay