Education

Huntsman Corp. Awards $20,000 Scholarships to Spring ISD Seniors in Third Year of Partnership

March 29 2023

As the weather warms up and the school year winds down, it can mean only one thing for many graduating seniors: scholarship season.

And on Tuesday evening, 19 Spring ISD seniors had a pretty big reason to celebrate – up to $20,000 in scholarship funds from Huntsman Corporation. For one of those students, Westfield High School senior Jessica Ly, it means a lot of pressure has been taken off her and her family as she heads to the University of Houston in the fall to major in architecture.

“I feel a lot more confident in my ability to attend college,” Ly said. “My family is a low-income family, so I’m really grateful for this scholarship. It’s going to help me focus on my studies, rather than figure out a way to pay for college. A lot of stress has just been taken off my shoulders.”

For another student, Diego Rosales Abirasniette, a Spring High School senior and the first in his family to attend college, this changes the lives of his entire family, who came to the United States from Guatemala in 2016.

“It makes me feel like I can set an example,” he said. “My brothers, although they’re older than me, they can see this as an example and take that into their lives as well.”

The seniors gathered with their friends and family, as well as campus and district representatives, at the Randall Reed Center for the Huntsman Scholarship Banquet. Several representatives from Huntsman Corporation were also in attendance, including the company’s Chairman, President, and CEO, Peter Huntsman, who believes setting up future generations for success is a vital part of his company’s investment in the community.

“[These students] will have more opportunities than any generation before,” Huntsman said. “Take advantage of that. Make the most of it.”

The Huntsman Scholarship Program, now in its third year, recognizes the achievements of students from Spring ISD’s high schools with a $20,000 scholarship – $5,000 per year – for attending an accredited college or university and majoring in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) or business-related fields. The scholarship is renewable for up to four years by maintaining a 3.0 grade point average. In addition, three students received scholarships toward pursuing certificates or an associate degree in STEM, transportation, distribution and logistics, manufacturing, or energy.

The total financial commitment from Huntsman to this year’s scholarship recipients is over $325,000.

Applications for the Huntsman Scholarship Program were evaluated on unweighted grade point averages, class rank, academic achievement, leadership, career goals and letters of recommendation.

“We want to thank the Huntsman Corporation, especially Mr. Peter Huntsman,” Superintendent Dr. Lupita Hinojosa said. “Thank you so much for believing in our students, for believing in their potential, and supporting their future careers.

Recipients of the 2023 Huntsman STEM Scholarships include:

Dekaney High School