IT Scholarship 2022

A man with a heart of gold. This is about a strong will-powered and optimistic person who I proudly call my father. I had always observed him, giving off positive vibes despite battling with the debilitating diseases. He always had this beautiful smile on his face that will always be remembered. What an amazing soul he was! No words are sufficient to describe the best qualities he had. We miss you so much and you will always be in our hearts. Thank you for everything!

Hector "Tito" Bermudez went to be with his Heavenly Father on May 10, 2022 at the age of 63. He was born Jan. 31, 1959 to Norberto Bermudez and Elvia Davila Sanchez in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico. He spent much of his childhood years living in Mexico where he completed his primary and secondary schooling before immigrating to the United States and becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1996. He remained in the U.S. to live out the rest of his years surrounded by his family. He worked as a CNC machinist in the oil and gas industry for more than 25 years where his dedicated work ethic served as a role model to his sons. In his free time, he enjoyed drawing and oil painting as well as gardening. He enjoyed music to the fullest—singing, listening and dancing to his favorite bands. His truck was one of his other passions. He was a loving son, husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and nephew who enjoyed spending time with his family as much as possible. Above all, his sons were his proudest accomplishments!

I am a senior pursuing a bachelor's in computer science with a mathematics minor. My interest in technology started at a young age, which led me to apply for this position. I have been with USS since April 2021 and it has been a good jump start in knowledge. To expand in other fields of interest, this upcoming summer of 2023, I will be working as a software engineer intern at Raytheon. I chose UHD because of its diversity and inclusion. It has also presented me with great opportunities I am very grateful for. This scholarship means I can achieve much more than what I already have.

My name is Jordan Garcia (clearly) and I am currently a junior majoring in computer science with a minor in mathematics and fine arts. I am a first generation college student and will also be the youngest in my family to graduate at 21 with a bachelor’s degree. I am hoping to work for Pinterest because it is the only social media that is drama free (and they have free food all the time).

I chose UHD because it had an immense amount of financial opportunities compared to other public universities. It is also conveniently located near a lot of food places! On a more serious note, the campus is quiet and I really like that it doesn’t feel overwhelming or unwelcoming. I’m not big on crowds so less people was better for me and my focus. To summarize, the quiet student life here is what drew me to UHD and now, the friends I’ve made have made the experience even better.

This scholarship makes me proud because it was something I know was earned through my own work. I was very excited to share the news with my parent and even more excited when I found out it was first place. I’m very appreciative of the scholarship and now I can use some of it to buy more food. 🙂 Just kidding…a little bit. I should also note I am a sarcastic person at heart if that wasn’t obvious by now. 😊

I am honored to be recognized for my hard work in the Information Technology field here at UHD. This award will go toward the funding needed to complete my Bachelor's in Computer Science Degree and additional skill classes required to exceed expectations in the real world.

From a young age, I have appreciated learning advanced technologies and setting my knowledge up for a challenge. I have learned to work with Python, C++, and Java programming languages throughout my academic career. I have been challenged to work independently and in groups to complete projects for my various classes. Furthermore, my current employment in Information Technology at the University of Houston-Downtown has been a memorable experience. Apart from having the opportunity to apply my IT skills in a real-world setting while being able to dedicate time to my education, the work environment has been nothing but a positive experience.

Once again, I sincerely thank you for the support of my educational and professional career. As I continue my education, I strive to one day give back to others as much as the University of Houston-Downtown has given back to me.