Seven stellar seniors earn full-ride scholarships to UTD

Students, family and staff gathered to honor the newest cohort at the Jindal Young Scholars Program (JYSP) Signing Day on May 2.

Christopher Adkins, Julio Tovar, Jacob Gonzalez, Joshua Jernigan, Ariana Morales, Jenna O’Brien and Samuel Villalobos will enroll in the Naveen Jindal School of Management at the University of Texas at Dallas in the fall of 2019.

The Jindal Young Scholars Program will ensure these seven extraordinary students, who have proved hard-work and dedication beyond academic standards, will have their entire college costs covered.

Joshua Jernigan, a senior at the School of Business and Management, expressed his gratitude for not having to stress about the expenses of higher education.

“It’s a huge burden off of our chest to not have to worry about paying for college," said Jernigan. “My mom is disabled, and I’ve been working hard to help out around the house, and I’m so glad my work paid off.”

Scholar recipient Jacob Gonzalez expressed his excitement that his hard work had paid off.

“Having put in a lot of hard work in extracurricular activities and especially academics, it shows that what you do really matters in high school and it eventually pays off in your future, no matter where you go or what you do," Gonzalez said.

In addition to the School of Business and Management, the seniors currently attend H. Grady Spruce High School and W.T. White High School.