Fall 2023 Scholarship Winner

Jimmy Anthony Gonzales

Jimmy Gonzales is a college junior at Texas A&M University Kingsville. Our law firm is proud to support compassionate and tenacious students such as Jimmy each semester. In Jimmy’s essay, you learn of the many lessons he has learned while taking the initiative to help others and build relationships with those around him.

Read Jimmy's Essay

First of all, I would like to thank you for this opportunity. I am a non-traditional student and this essay has me reflecting on some good memories in my life. I have been blessed with a hard working back and strong mind, both which have given me opportunities in life to help myself and others. I have always been part of a team and willing to help others, starting with my family at a young age.

My grandmother lives on a ranch southwest of San Antonio by herself. As I got older, so did she and the ranch has a lot of work. I was able to learn to repair a roof, trench a drainage system and landscape the property. This is one of my first and fondest memories because my grandmother would complain during heavy rains how the water would get into the house. After fixing the gutter and placing a drainage system she was very happy with the results. It was cute when she would call me every time after a rain and tell me how the house was still dry. When I went to visit her, she would stomp her feet on the concrete and say “look it’s dry, no water on the floor”. By landscaping the property my family was able to enjoy Easter which we had not done in many years.

Once when I moved to Corpus Christi TX, I lived with my uncle. My aunt passed of cancer and we were two guys getting to know each other and be there for one another. I was going to college and he was able to provide a roof over my head and spend time with family. Paying for college on my own was not easy and without him I would do not think I would have gotten through my sophomore and junior year. There were times I would come home at all hours of the night, I studied all night and even slept on a couch on campus, I would cry with joy because I was living my dream of becoming an engineer. My uncle was disabled so moving from Dallas TX back down to Corpus left the house was quite a mess. I used my talents of organization to set up his computer room and the garage. His pride and joy was a 1969 Chevy Camaro. By organizing the garage, we were able to access tools to get the vehicle running. I was his hands, his back and did all the physical work that he was unable to. I got an education in automobile maintenance. My uncle helping me was two-fold because not only was I able to help him around the House and be a third son but this allowed me to help students at school.

My calculus teacher referred to me as the glue of our study group. I was the one organizing my study sessions for tutoring before and after class, weekends, all night study sessions and keeping us together in calculus 1, calculus 2, calculus 3 and differential equations. There was one particular student who lagged behind but I never failed to include her in all tutoring sessions. There were times when the other students would talk behind her back and I would defend her. People would ask me why I included her? She was just like us, working hard to get through a difficult course and needed some help. She was only here for one summer but by including her, she was able to pass the class and continue on her academic path.

I have moved to Kingsville from Corpus. I started volunteering at a local Taekwondo school. One day a young student came in very sad, usually that meant bad grades are getting in trouble with the teacher, this one was different. His mother told me that the other kids made fun of him for something he was did at lunch. I asked him what was it that you were doing? He extended his arm out with his palm facing the sky and held it there. He was sad for doing this because other kids were making fun of him. When I asked him why he was doing that he said “I don’t know I just felt like it”. From that day forward this was our way of greeting each other like giving each other high 5. He was no longer ashamed but proud to express himself as he saw fit. It did backfire me one day because he was doing this during a sparring session which came across as disrespectful and challenging. However being young it was cute but still we had to correct that.

As I tell these stories of helping that girl through calculus when she was considered an outsider, struggling or showing this little boy expressing himself for no reason was ok, made me feel good. Helping others is a blessing. Helping my family in need and bringing a smile to their face is something you cannot buy.

If I’m able to earn this scholarship it will help me continue on my path for my degree and I am excited to graduate next year. I definitely want to make the best grades possible, to be the best candidate in mechanical engineering that any job would consider. They say it takes a village to raise a child and through my many walks of life I can attest that this is true because the journey for my education is not just me alone. After graduation and finding a job and I want to get myself established. I would like to find ways to give back to the community, whether it is student mentoring, beach cleanup, volunteering or financial donation. Once I finish, I will be able to pay this forward as you have done for me, as my family has done for me. I will continue to give in my community to make others dreams come true.