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David Adeyi, an Army man, has a passion for justice, poetry, music, and is an athlete who runs track, plays soccer, basketball, and table tennis. He won medals in the Army for all except basketball. He is widely traveled and counts 28 countries visited. He works part-time and is an Army reservist in the Texas Army National Guard. He volunteered with the Red Cross during Katrina and Rita. He will graduate in pre-law, with a minor in accounting, and plans to attend law school. He wants to work to eliminate AIDS and poverty/illiteracy in Africa. |
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Michelle Aiello is a transfer student from North Harris/Montgomery County Community College. She is majoring in education so that she can give back to children the wonderful gifts of reading and writing that were instilled in her by so many inspiring teachers. She and her husband, Bobby, are currently raising her sister's daughter who was in kindergarten when she came to live with them. A substitute teacher in the Klein ISD, she will be the first person in her family to graduate from college. Besides teaching in her future, she plans to write children's literature. |
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Adolfo Aranzales is a major in Structural Analysis and Design and is the first person in his family to attend college. His father died 14 years ago and his mother has worked very hard to give him and his younger brother every possible advantage and opportunity to succeed. He currently volunteers his time counseling several immigrant high school seniors who want to attend college. This past January he was accepted as a FOCUS scholar to attend the graduate school weekend at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. He wants to get his master's in engineering and eventually obtain his doctorate and become a professor. |
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Damaris Chavez is a Criminal Justice major. She is the first person in her family to attend college. She graduated with honors from high school and in her first three years of college was named to the Dean's List five times. She also received the Pioneer Scholarship this year from UHD. She currently volunteers at a shelter for battered women by helping with the children while the mothers are attending a self-esteem class. She plans to attend law school and work for the Harris County District Attorney's office or the U.S. Attorney General's office. |
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Emily De La Garza is a Computer Science major who plans to attend graduate school in the computer science field. She works part-time as a physics tutor in the Science Learning Center and as a peer mentor for the Scholars Academy at UHD. In 2005 she participated in an astronomy research project in the Center for Adaptive Optics at the University of California, Santa Cruz and during summer '06 took part in the Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate and Virtual Grid Application Development Software research program.
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Maria Garcia is an Accounting major with a minor in Finance. She is the first person in her family to attend college. She does the bookkeeping for a private business, which she really likes because she hopes to have her own business someday. She spends as much time with her family as possible because her mother is disabled. She hopes that by attending college, working, and helping with the family she will be a positive role model for her two little sisters. |
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Nicholaus Gaytan is an Accounting major who plans to complete his degree in three years. A decorated ex-Navy man, he spent 4 of his 5 service years aboard the USS Columbia, a nuclear powered fast-attack submarine. He is a veteran of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He maintains a 4.0 GPA, was inducted into the all-discipline Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi the fall of 2006, and is a member of the board of directors in UHD's Professional Accounting Society. He plans to attain his CPA and an MBA or a law degree. |
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Lauren Gracia is majoring in Applied Mathematics with a minor in Accounting. She deftly balances going to school full-time, working full-time, being a tutor, a peer mentor and an active member in the Scholars Academy. She will be the first person in her family to graduate from college. She works full-time at AMC Katy Mills movie theatres. She has received the Scholars Academy scholarship, Peer Mentor scholarship, Tutoring Scholarship, Mary Gibbs scholarship and an AMC scholarship.
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Christopher Paul Graves is a History major who plans to obtain his masters degree and a doctorate and become a psychotherapist. Since the fall of 2004, he has worked in the UHD Writing Center. At that same time he was promoted to lead peer tutor and a supplemental instructor for the Learners' Community in English and history. He also serves as the vice president for the Americans for Informed Democracy branch at UHD. He has received the award for Outstanding Student in Introductory History, first place in the Sophomore Literature Essay Competition and first place in the Upper Division Literature Essay Competition. |
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Maria G. Hernandez is majoring in Finance, with a minor in Accounting. She is a full-time mom to one-year-old daughter, Melissa. She also manages to do volunteer work at her church and help her parents with their lawn service business. She is a recipient of the Jones Johnson scholarship for the fall 2006 and spring 2007 semesters. She is striving to graduate with honors and eventually would like to have her own financial consulting business or a real estate business. |
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Nguyen Lam is a Chemistry major. He is president of the UHD Environmental Club and vice president of the UHD Health Professions Organization. He works in the chemistry stockroom, does math and science tutoring and is a supplemental instructor for a variety of math courses at UHD. He belongs to the Joint Admission Medical Program and to the Scholars Academy, where he is a member of the Honor Corps. He is a recipient of the Jesse H. Jones scholarship. His goal is to become a doctor and work in rural areas where help is needed the most. |
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Andrea Lewis is following a family tradition by attending UHD where both her mother and sister graduated. During the week she works at Wesley Community Center and on Saturdays at The Rock School day care. She also volunteers with a group called Girls in Action at her church and participates in community service projects with her sorority. She is a member of Tau Sigma National Honor Society. She plans to teach in the Klein or Spring Independent School Districts. |
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Sadia Lunsford is majoring in Communications. She has two younger siblings who also attend UHD. She was the recipient of the inaugural Beverly Kaufman Women Professionals in Government Scholarship. She worked full-time for former Harris County Judge Robert Eckels. She has done volunteer work for the March of Dimes, Santa Brings a LawSuit which benefits women returning to work, and some political events. She hopes to continue working in the Harris County Judge's office or another Harris County Department utilizing her degree in Communications. |
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Jimmy G. Mai is an English major with a minor in Drama. He is the first person in his family to attend college. He has been awarded several UHD full-time scholarships, a UHD Study Abroad scholarship and a history award for 2004-05. He works full-time as a security guard at an apartment complex and part-time as a supplemental instructor for the Learners Community. He is also a part-time tutor at the Writing Center. He volunteers at McArthur Elementary school as mentor and tutor for ESL students. He plans to attend graduate school and wants to be a playwright.
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Janna Delyce McKeehan is currently a Management major, with a minor in Accounting. She works part-time for Citigroup, SmithBarney. She has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and Operation Paint Brush, as well as UHD's Career Expo. She is a member of the Professional Accounting Society and was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society in December 2006. After graduation she hopes to work within the accounting department of her company and eventually would like to work for a sports organization like the Houston Astros. |
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Megan Murray says that she chose UHD because the school understands and works with students who juggle work, school and family. Her mother is her greatest inspiration because she went back to school and graduated from college at the age of 38. She is a freelance writer, a mother, a wife and a political volunteer. Her greatest accomplishment to date is having the courage to return to school. She hopes to work in the communications/public relations field when she graduates. |
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Shafeeq Noorudeen is majoring in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry. He is an honor student in the Scholars Academy at UHD and has been inducted into the national honor society Phi Kappa Phi. He has also been accepted into the Joint Admission Medical Program of the State of Texas. At UHD he has been a volunteer with the Crossroads Festival and Career Expo and has been active in the Student Government Association. He volunteers at hospitals, elementary and high school events and just recently became a volunteer at Houston Hospice. He plans to become a physician. |
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Nathaniel Reza Nouri spent eight years in the military, including one year in Iraq. He is a full-time student who currently volunteers in the Student Government Association's food drives, Career Expo and Ed's Bayou Clean-up. He has also been a volunteer firefighter, an assistant scout master, and has worked in Habitat for Humanity. He has been a recipient of the UHD Study Abroad Scholarship and hopes to go to London. He has won several awards, commendations and medals while in the military. He hopes to become a firefighter with the Houston Fire Department and also help his family with their flower shop. |
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Kristi Pennington hopes to attend the University of Texas Dental School and eventually open her own dental practice. She works part-time 20 hours a week and loves sports, both playing and watching. She loves all the Houston teams and likes to play basketball and volleyball whenever she can. She is a member of the Scholars Academy. She has volunteered at Jones Elementary School teaching 5th graders microbiology and helping Ortiz Middle School students build an organic garden. In the summer of 2006 she attended the Medical and Dental Educational Program at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. |
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Donald Pieper III is a Political Science major. He is an ex-marine who assisted with rescue operations in New York City during 9/11 and was also stationed in Iraq. He is the proud recipient of the Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal. He works full time for the Houston branch of a national hydraulics company. He plans to attend law school when he graduates next year. At UHD he was assistant editor of the Bayou Review and the editor of Dateline. He and his wife have two cats and a cockatiel. |
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Juan C. Razo is a Biology major who plans to continue on to medical school. He volunteers at UHD in the Science Learning Center. Last summer he taught microbiology and hygiene to elementary kids and this summer plans to volunteer in a hospital. He is the first person in his family to attend college. He is a member of the National Honor Society Phi Kappa Phi. If he doesn't attend medical school his second choice will be to pursue a PhD and work on stem cell research. |
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Angelia Sheppard is an Education major. She is a full-time student and full-time mom. She volunteers at her son's elementary school and her daughter's middle school. She also teaches Sunday school and volunteers in church programs. She is president of the Urban Educators Literacy Society, a member of the National Scholars Honor Society and on the Dean's List. She plans to teach elementary students and to continue on to graduate school to obtain a masters in education. |
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Nick Spampinato is a Biology major with a minor in Chemistry and is the first person in his family to attend college. He is a tutor at UHD in organic chemistry, genetics and general biology 1 and 2. He is currently doing undergraduate genetics research for UHD. He is an assistant at the Science Learning Center. He is a member of the international Honor Society Phi Kappa Phi, a member of the Scholars Academy and has been on the Dean's List for four semesters. He plans to go to medical school and become a heart surgeon. |
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Antonio Joel Tito works as a research assistant in the Chemistry Department. He is a full-time researcher and full-time student. He volunteers at his brother's school as the chess coach and as the chess master for their chess club. He is the founder of the UHD Chess Lyceum. He also likes to play soccer and many other sports. He is a member of the Scholars Academy and has been the recipient of the Welch Foundation Scholarship, the Cain Scholarship, and the Dickerson Leadership Alliance. He plans to go to medical school and study pediatric neurology and neurobiology. |
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Anabel Vallejo is an Early Childhood Education major and the first person in her family to attend college. She has always been on the Dean's List at UHD. She works full-time as an optician for Lenscrafters. She is a teacher's assistant at Scarborough Elementary school. She participates in marathons to raise money for charities and is an active member of The Lion's Club. She hopes to become a teacher and work in the Aldine Independent School District. |
