Amanda Villarreal
Class of 2012
Psychology
Amherst College
Awarded by: Hispanic Scholarship Consortium 

Amanda is a psychology major at Amherst College.  Additionally, she is on the crew team and is active member of the Latino La Causa club on campus. She volunteers with the campus Habitat for Humanity group around the Amherst area and with Homes and Opportunities for Latin America.

Adrianne Waddell
Class of 2012
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Rice University
Awarded by: Hispanic Scholarship Consortium 

Adrianne Waddell is a civil and environmental engineering student at Rice University. In preparation for her first year, Adrianne participated in Urban Immersion, a community service program for select incoming students at Rice. She is involved with Engineers without Borders, serves as the lunch hosting chair for Student Admission Council and continues to do community service with Rice Student Volunteer Program (RSVP). Adrianne is also a Justice within her residential college and a Peer Academic Advisor.  She is a first generation college student.

Austin Wright
Class of 2009
Government, Sociology & Communications (Special Honors)
The University of Texas at Austin
Awarded by: Hispanic Scholarship Consortium 

Austin Wright earned his Bachelor of Arts in Government and Sociology in spring 2009 and Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies in summer 2009. Austin also served as an Inman Scholar through the LBJ School of Public Affairs, a legislative assistant to State Representative Lon Burnam and was a researcher with the Global Leadership Program through the Council on Foreign Relations and Rockefeller Brothers Fund in New York City. Passionate about research, Austin wrote a senior thesis in each of his three majors.  His research has been published on topics ranging from bacterial epidemics and government surveillance to Taiwanese, Macedonian, Brazilian and Georgian politics. He has won several awards for his work on terrorism including a Rapoport-King Fellowship, a George H. Mitchell Award and the William Jennings Bryan Prize in Government for Best Thesis of the Year.  He is also a collegiate Extemporaneous Speaking and Persuasive Speaking national champion. After graduating, Austin will become a 2009 Teach for America Corps member: Greater New Orleans area where he will teach high school special education before continuing his academic career in law school and graduate school.  

Monica Yebra
Class of 2012
Communications & Spanish
St. Edward’s University
Awarded by: Hispanic Scholarship Consortium 

A sophomore communications and Spanish major at St. Edward’s University, Monica spent a large portion of the summer in Sevilla, Spain.  She plans on attending graduate school once she completes her undergraduate education since her ultimate career goal is to help youth in any way possible. She is contemplating a career as a high school counselor so she can help high school seniors in their application process for college, and encourage those who are not even thinking of attending college to apply.  Outside of her studies and a part-time job, Monica volunteered as a tour guide for St. Edwards and  was a member for Alpha Sigma Pi, a leadership fraternity.