Each year, thousands flock to NRG Stadium to celebrate cowboy culture at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR). Beyond its musical stages, agricultural exhibits and carnival midway, the annual event helps countless students realize their dreams of earning college degrees.
Nearly 300 Coogs from the University of Houston are currently benefiting from scholarships awarded by HLSR. These students include Heather Meyers, Mariana Revuelta and Marc Girgis.
For Meyers, her HLSR scholarship eased financial burdens and allowed her to become more engaged on campus.
“My favorite part of UH is its culture of community,” she said. “Since becoming involved in campus life, I’ve found that my time on campus has become more fulfilling. If I could share any advice with incoming UH students, it would be to get involved.”
She first learned about the scholarship from her high school art teacher. Meyers submitted artwork to the HLSR Art Show as a freshman and senior and later completed the required scholarship application and essay. Time passed, and she forgot she had even applied. Then she received news that would shape her higher education journey.
“I was very surprised to hear I had received the scholarship. I received notification in July 2022, about five months after I applied,” she said. “It was such a blessing to receive this scholarship, which essentially doubled my anticipated financial aid just a month before I was scheduled to start college.”
Growing up in Sour Lake, Texas — not far from the state’s Golden Triangle — she was well aware of the threat of hurricanes. Her curiosity and interest in forecasting led her to UH’s Atmospheric Sciences program and into Associate Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry Yuxuan Wang’s classroom. Meyers excelled in Wang’s Principles of Air Pollution and Atmospheric Biogeochemistry courses and will soon join her research lab as a graduate student.
“My courses require a paper and an oral presentation,” Wang said. “The topics of Heather’s projects were firework-related air pollution for the former course and warfare-related air pollution for the latter. I advised her that literature on these subjects might be limited. She willingly took on the challenge and wrote the most interesting and comprehensive term papers on each topic.”
Like Meyers, Revuelta, an economics major, has immersed herself in campus life and is grateful for the financial supportprovided by the HLSR scholarship. She recalls receiving the news on her birthday.
“It was a celebration I will never forget,” Revuelta said. “I am truly grateful and blessed to receive support for my college career.”
Revuelta admits that the HLSR scholarship has been transformative, but her road to UH was not easy. She shared her hardships in her essay to the HLSR scholarship committee. Despite those challenges, she remained focused on her academics.
“Even during those difficult moments, my love for school and learning remained constant,” she said. “That passion helped me stay focused on my goal of earning a college degree and continuing to grow.”
The HLSR scholarship has provided Revuelta with additional financial freedom, allowing her to support her grandmother and focus on her classes. Still, navigating a new campus and adjusting to a university learning environment can be challenging.
Fortunately, she found support through PALs at UH.
PALs (Peer Assistant Leaders) are experienced students who offer one-on-one coaching sessions to help newer Coogs feel at home and find their place on campus.
“The Peer Assistant Leaders have served as valuable mentors during my time on campus,” Revuelta said. “They have introduced me to many available resources and have guided me in navigating college life successfully. Their guidance has shown me how to succeed and make the most of my college experience.”
While HLSR scholarships provide access to higher education opportunities, they also open additional doors for students.
Girgis can attest to that. His status as an HLSR scholarship recipient increased his visibility within Houston’s professional community.
“One of the most meaningful moments came when I was invited to deliver the invocation at NRG Stadium in March last year,” he said. “Standing there, representing the Rodeo and UH, felt like a dream come true. That moment unexpectedly opened the door to an internship with Goldman Sachs after one of my interviewers saw me on the NRG screen.”
Girgis is an Honors College student and a finance and marketing double major in the C. T. Bauer College of Business. He was drawn to UH because of its academic reputation but initially struggled to balance school and work. The HLSR scholarship changed that. Now, he is on track to graduate debt-free next spring.
Beyond financial assistance, the HLSR scholarship has allowed Girgis to devote his time and talents to the UH Ambassadors Program. He was also selected for the Ted Bauer Business Scholars Program and has proven to be a strong student.
Joseph Thompson taught Girgis in a section of Business Principles and was impressed by Girgis’s attitude and willingness to participate in class discussions. Thompson also found Girgis to be quite knowledgeable regarding social media and its impact on branding and marketing.
“Marc was a great student who always made a meaningful contribution in the classroom,” said Thompson, lecturer in the Department of Management and Leadership. “He always showed up to class with a smile and a positive demeanor.”
Girgis, Revuelta and Meyers are just a few examples of UH students who are realizing their academic dreams through the generosity of HLSR and its donors. Since 1932, HLSR has awarded more than $600 million to students from throughout the state.
“The power of this program is that it does more than pay tuition,” Girgis said. “It turns belief into opportunity and creates momentum that can change people’s lives.”