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DREAM BIG, AND THEN, DREAM BIGGER!
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About: The Hawkins Scholarship, established by UTEP President Dr. Heather Wilson, provides two $10,000 scholarships to two UTEP juniors of outstanding intellect and character who are committed to the service of others. This award seeks to recognize students who show promise of becoming leaders capable of addressing important challenges facing humanity and may be awarded to a student in any field. Each $10,000 scholarship may be used to pay for tuition, fees, room, board, books, or other educational expenses. Other educational expenses may include the cost of special academic experiences abroad or away from campus and other expenses to prepare for the student’s graduate education.

 

Selection Process: The Hawkins Scholarship selection process is modeled after that of the nationally competitive and highly prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. This process is designed to prepare students to apply for nationally competitive awards by offering them experience with proposal writing and high-stakes interviews. From the initial pool of applicants, a committee of distinguished alumni and community leaders will select 10 Finalists. These Finalists will then engage in extensive preparation for a reception and interviews with the committee to select the two recipients. 

 

The selection criteria are as follows:

  • Academic excellence
  • Moral force of character and instinct to lead in ways important to humankind
  • Energy to use their talents to the fullest as demonstrated by mastery in areas such as sports, music, debate, dance, theater, and the arts
  • Truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness, and fellowship
  • Financial need is not a criterion for selection 
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Junior cellular & molecular biochemistry major Valeria Lopez (left) and junior electrical engineering major Arian Perez Ramos have earned the Hawkins Scholarship – Learn more here!

 

FELLOWSHIP OVERVIEW

FELLOWSHIP OVERVIEW

The 2024-25 Hawkins Scholarship application will become available in August of 2024 and will be due by October 3, 2024 at 11:59 PM MST.

To meet the minimum qualifications for this award, one must:

  • Be a UTEP junior who intends to apply for admission and attend graduate school in the fall of 2026 (this includes medical school, law school, etc.)

  • Be at least 17 years old and not have passed their 23rd birthday on October 1, 2024

  • Be on track to complete an undergraduate degree from UTEP not later than July 2026

  • Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.7 on a 4.0 scale

 

Important to know:

  • Citizens of any country are eligible to apply

  • Students in any major are eligible to apply

UTEP Office of Student Fellowships and Awards

studentfellowships@utep.edu

 

The Hawkins Scholarship is named for First Lieutenant William Deane Hawkins. A resident of El Paso and an excellent student, Hawkins graduated from El Paso High School when he was 16 and was awarded a scholarship to attend The University of Texas at El Paso (formerly known as the Texas College of Mines) where he studied engineering. After Pearl Harbor was attacked, Hawkins joined the Marine Corps. In November 1943, Lieutenant Hawkins selflessly led his men into action against Japanese-held Tarawa located in the Gilbert Islands. Sadly, he was killed in action during this effort. He risked his life to accomplish the mission inspiring his comrades during the most crucial phase of the battle. Lieutenant Hawkins was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic acts above and beyond the call of duty.

 

 

First Lieutenant William Deane Hawkins