La Feria News

Three Our Lady of the Lake University Students Become First Scholarship Recipients

OLLU scholarship recipients, from left to right, Estefany Cerda, Amy Peña and Jessica Todd. Photo: Tony Vindell/LFN

by Tony Vindell/LFN

Three students enrolled at Our Lady of the Lake University in La Feria have become the first recipients of a new scholarship program funded by a Rio Grande Valley-based business.

Each student received $1,666 from Noble Texas Builders, which earlier this year gave the university a $25,000 donation.

OLLU and TNB staff held a scholarship presentation and heard from each of the three students on Thursday. Sept. 19.

The students are Amy Peña of La Feria; Estefany Cerda of Progreso; and Jessica Todd of Brownsville.

Peña, who is pursuing a leadership studies degree, said this first time she has received is the money for higher education.

“I am really happy for it,” she said. “College is expensive and this is going to help me take care of some expenses.”

Cerda is after a master’s degree in organizational leadership while Todd is working toward a philosophy degree, or Ph. D, in leadership studies.

Todd, who works for the Brownsville school district, said she hopes to get her degree by 2020.

Each scholarship was for $1,666.

The three scholarships are the first ones awarded based on a combination of grade point average, financial needs and committee recommendation. Each student wrote a 500 word essay stating their goals and their opinions about the college and its donors.

Patricia Blanco, the campus director, said the scholarships are part of the $25,00O NTB donated and will be awarded to students over a five-year period.

Did you like this? Share it: