Edwardo Vazquez.

602 Thorton Court

Cedar Hill, Texas 75104

 

September 16th, 2013

 

Robert Tinajero

Scholarship Committee President

5601 Campus Drive

Ft. Worth, Texas 76119

 

Dear Robert Tinajero,

 

My name is Edwardo Vazquez. I am an undergraduate student at Paul Quinn College pursuing a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. I was recently made aware of the opportunity your organization has made available in the form of a scholarship. Furthermore, I was also informed that you seek candidates with strong leadership qualities, high academic performance, and civic and volunteer work within the community. Therefore, it is with great enthusiasm that I wish to encourage your decision to award me the scholarship reward.

 

As a student I have consistently performed well above the average of the vast majority of my peers. I graduated from Duncanville High School with honors and earned a few awards. Upon arrival at Cedar Valley College I was awarded a grant due to my academic performance. Shortly before leaving Cedar Valley, I was blessed with the opportunity to attend Paul Quinn College on a full ride Presidential Scholarship. Through my college years I have quietly built a powerhouse combination of high academic performance, effective corporate skills, a large network of influential contacts, and a thirst to serve my community.

 

While at Cedar Valley a group of students and I revived the Latin American Student Organization, also known as LASO. I was appointed President of LASO and resigned shortly before my departure from the college. During my tenure at Paul Quinn College as a Presidential Scholar, I have accomplished many things to be proud of. I brought life into the early birth stages of the Latino Student Association at Paul Quinn College. I became the first official president of the association, developed the organizations constitution, and created its current emblem and crest. Last spring I interned at the Center for Fundraising and Philanthropy at my current university. During my internship I helped to organized events, researched potential donors, and volunteered to serve guest at one of the schools largest fundraising events: Community Cooks. 

 

Most recently, I have shifted my attention to the problems my community currently faces. I have joined many organizations with high civic duty engagement activity. As an immigration activist under the guidance of leaders from The North Texas Dream Team I have participated and led rallies against injustice and in favor of equality for my community. I am most definitely not afraid of getting my hands dirty and performing hard labor for those in need. Just a few days ago I took part in a volunteer activity sponsored by “The Mission Continues”; a national fellowship organization. During 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance I aided the restoration of the Texas Fire Museum in honor of all men and women who serve and have lost their lives while on duty.

 

As I approach the end of this correspondence, I wish to address the elephant in the room.  As a College Senior on my last year of undergraduate studies, blessed to have a full-ride scholarship, I myself lose sight of why I would even attempt to apply for funding for my studies. The answer is that I don’t wish to fund my studies. If awarded with the scholarship, I plan on using the award as an initial investment to fund a scholarship for students with high potential and low means of opportunity in order to further their education. 

 

My plan is to give back to as many of the hundreds of thousands young men and women who like myself have felt frustration, anguish, and a feeling of helplessness to achieve a dream. Young men and women whose dreams are obstructed by a cause as insignificant as a lack of legal status in this country. Because I know this feeling myself too well, and because someone took a chance on me in my own worse time, I vowed to give back and raise the education success levels of my community by funding higher education myself one bright star at a time.

 

Thank you for taking my application into consideration. I wish that you can find the logic behind my strategy reasonable; “the method behind my madness”. I understand that there will be many candidates who will seek the award, many of which will be highly qualified to do many things in life. All I ask is that you keep in mind those students for whom this award could make the difference between a life of mediocrity and a change of legacy for their families; yet no one has made them aware of it. Once again, thank you for your time and consideration; I hope to hear back from you soon.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Edwardo Vazquez