In a ceremony Tuesday, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley presented a scholarship covering graduate and undergraduate degrees to a top graduating senior at the South Texas ISD’s Medical Professions high school in Olmito.
Alma Rodriguez received two scholarships, including the university’s newest and top award, the Luminary Scholarship, valued at up to $137,000. The scholarship covers her undergraduate degree in full, along with two years of campus housing, and tuition and fees for graduate school.
Rodriguez is this year’s Medical Professions salutatorian. She will enter the biomedical program at UTRGV in the fall, with long-term goals of attending the UTRGV School of Medicine and becoming a cardiologist.
She credits her experience at Medical Professions with preparing her for college and a challenging career, as well as helping confirm her interest in the medical field, and exposing her to the specialty closest to her heart, cardiology.
She said her interest in cardiology began through health science technology courses she took during her sophomore year and again when she studied cardiology as part of the school’s pharmacy program.
UTRGV describes the Luminary Scholarship as offering the brightest incoming college freshmen from all disciplines a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in an unparalleled learning environment. and states that “their accomplishments will ultimately help elevate UTRGV’s status as a global leader in higher education.”
Qualifications for the scholarship include a commitment to live on campus for the first two academic years and a pledge to work in the Rio Grande Valley for each year beyond their undergraduate education that is funded. For example, a three-year graduate or professional program would require a three-year commitment to working in the Valley post-graduation.
South Texas ISD is a public magnet school district headquartered in Mercedes that serves Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties.
