From Dreams to Reality!
Congratulations to our previous AAUW North Dallas
Nancy Watten Scholarship recipients.
Presented below are the essays submitted to our Scholarship Committee by candidates as a component of the application process.
Congratulations Kendra Dukes. Nancy Watten Scholarship Recipient 2024
Since I was old enough to make decisions, I have known that education is essential to gaining access to limitless possibilities and creating a meaningful and influential future. Motivated by this understanding, I bravely left my home in Louisiana, seeking a brighter education for my children. I am 39 years old wife of 21 years and the mother of eight children. I have dedicated my life to education for the last 25 years I have spent in the education sector. I was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. I even attend Southern University when I graduated high school but with being a mother of a special needs child and wife, I had to put my dream of becoming an educator on hold to better meet my family needs. It wasn’t until my son was part of the dual credit program with Dallas ISD and Dallas College that I decided to use Dallas College to follow my dream of teaching. Presently, I study at Dallas College, majoring in a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. At the same time, I am an uncertified teacher working in the Duncanville ISD. I have a burning passion for education, propelling me further into my academic inclinations, and I dream of becoming a certified teacher to shape future generations. I understand that to achieve a goal, one must work for it. This decision, although fearsome, became one steppingstone to a string of transformative experiences. My experience spans the last 25 years and is characterized by a deep passion for shaping young minds. My employment as an uncertified teacher at Duncanville ISD has further strengthened my resolve toward this cause. Every day offers me a chance to make a difference, and I find the highest pleasure in being a partner in my students’ academic journey.
In conclusion, just as the Chinese philosopher Confucius said, “If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a future, educate people.” My plans are for the future, and I am very dedicated to education. Indeed, education is an investment in the future.
Congratulations Brandy Gutierrez. Nancy Watten Scholarship Recipient 2023
My journey as a returning student started out slowly, and I was filled with apprehension. The two previous times I had attempted an associate’s degree, I was not able to complete my classes so that I could graduate. Several years went by before I attempted my degree again. In the fall of 2019, I drove to the Eastfield campus and began my first college course with Dallas College. I took one small step at a time. The end seemed so far away, but I began to feel hopeful as I continued to receive A and B grades in each of my classes. Finally, in the Fall of 2022, I finished my last associate’s class, signed up for graduation, and began my bachelor’s degree in early childhood education with Dallas College. I had finally made it! What an honor it was to throw my hat in the air and celebrate with my family, including my dad who flew in from Illinois.
My future plans as a student are to complete my bachelor’s degree in the fall of 2025. I will walk with honors from Phi Theta Kappa and Honors Society. Once I graduate, I plan to continue working in Early Childhood Education with Dallas ISD as a teacher for first or second grade. I look forward to changing the lives of children around me just as several specific teachers have done the same for me. I plan to use my scholarship to continue the financial support of my academics. I feel honored to receive the AAUW scholarship and I hope my words are an encouragement for those who want to accomplish their educational goals.
Brandy Gutierrez
Congratulations Vanessa Trevino. Nancy Watten Scholarship Recipient 2022
My name is Vanessa Trevino, and I am a first-generation college student born and raised in Dallas, Texas. I completed my Associate of Science at Eastfield College in 2016, and while it took me some time to continue my education, I am now heading into my second semester of nursing school at the University of Texas at Arlington with a 3.78 GPA. I volunteer within my community when I can, and I was recently selected as the treasurer of the Health Innovation Constituency Council, an organization that serves as a liaison between the student body and faculty at UTA.
I chose nursing because I deeply care for others, and in my opinion, nursing is much more than just a job; I genuinely want to be an asset to society. My ultimate goal is to become a nursing professor, but I have aspirations to complete my master’s degree and become a CRNA first. The AAUW North Dallas Scholarship award will allow me the luxury of what is most important on this career path: learning. Also, it is going to afford me the time to continue to give back to my community through volunteer work, while still maintaining my GPA. This scholarship will go towards tuition and the necessary books and software programs required to complete my degree. To be an AAUW North Dallas Scholar is an incredible honor; thank you for believing in students like myself and allowing us the opportunity to make a difference in the world.