Future Mavericks awarded Univision’s full-tuition scholarships
Two incoming freshmen at The University of Texas at Arlington have earned Tu Futuro scholarships from Univision Dallas-Fort Worth that not only bring life-changing educational opportunities but will enable them to make impacts in their communities.
Univision Dallas-Fort Worth, the area’s leading Spanish-language station group and the most-watched television station regardless of language, and UT Arlington, designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and ranked among the Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanic Students, have partnered together for the Univision Tu Futuro Tu Comunidad Scholarship.
“At UTA, we believe in the strength of partnerships, especially when these partnerships support our communities,” said Troy Johnson, vice president for enrollment management at UTA. “Working together with this global company to inspire families and inspire youth has been so rewarding.”
The program launched in January 2021 and is part of Univision Dallas Fort Worth’s Contigo (With You) community empowerment initiative. The honorees, Miranda Alexis Escalona and Ana Belen Gonzalez, will both receive full-tuition scholarships, covering the costs of their four-year undergraduate degrees at UTA. They also received a surprise $500 gift card from Nebraska Furniture Mart to help create their ideal dorm room space while living and studying in Maverick country.
Escalona, a senior at North Mesquite High School, is interested in a career in psychology. She lost her dad at age 15 and now aims to become a pediatric grief counselor to help children learn to process their emotions in a healthy way.
“I want to be the person who understands when nobody else does,” she said. “I was only a freshman in high school and feeling things no kid should ever have to. Therapy has brought me a long way, and I have learned the importance of not being afraid to be vulnerable.”
Gonzalez, from Trini Garza Early College High School, grew up in the small Mexican town of Tepatitlan in Jalisco. She aspires to study architecture at UT Arlington and hopes to one day give back by designing and decorating “special places to call home” for others.
“My passion has always been to be an interior designer,” Gonzalez said. “This dream began when I would pass by the poor neighborhoods in my town while going to school every morning. My parents taught me to give back to the ones who were there for me and who truly need it.”
All applicants were required to meet UTA admission criteria and write an essay sharing how a college scholarship would help them positively impact their communities. Representatives from UTA selected the winners from more than 500 applicants.
“Our culture and the community we serve is driven by passion. We decided this year to have two winners because of the touching stories of so many applicants—we couldn’t possibly narrow it down to only one,” said Mark Masepohl, president and general manager of Univision Dallas-Fort Worth. “We look forward to this scholarship and partnership with UT Arlington getting bigger and better every year. Our Contigo platform is focused on helping our next generation of students get the education they deserve. We want to thank our partners UTA, Nebraska Furniture Mart, Luxor Staffing, AT&T Fiber, Friendly Chevrolet, and the Law Office of Domingo Garcia for supporting us in this endeavor.”
Yalitza Gonzalez, last year’s recipient, said she was grateful to celebrate this year’s winners and reflect on her first year at UTA.
“I love to see more people like me, with a background like mine, come thrive on our diverse campus,” said Gonzalez. “This scholarship has had such a big impact on my life and I’m here now living my dream.”
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About TelevisaUnivision Communications Inc.
As the leading Spanish-language media and content company in the world, TelevisaUnivision features the largest library of owned content and industry-leading production capabilities that power its streaming, digital and linear television offerings, as well as its radio platforms. The company’s media portfolio includes the top-rated broadcast networks Univision and UniMás in the U.S. and Las Estrellas and Canal 5 in Mexico. TelevisaUnivision is home to 36 Spanish-language cable networks, including Galavisión and TUDN, the No. 1 Spanish-language sports network in the U.S. and Mexico. With the most compelling portfolio of Spanish-language sports rights in the world, TelevisaUnivision has solidified its position as the Home of Soccer. TelevisaUnivision also owns and manages 59 television stations across the U.S. and four broadcast channels in Mexico affiliated with 222 television stations, Videocine studio, and Uforia, the Home of Latin Music, which encompasses 57 owned or operated U.S. radio stations, a live event series and a robust digital audio footprint. TelevisaUnivision is home to premium streaming services PrendeTV and Blim TV, which altogether host over 50,000 hours of high-quality, original Spanish-language programming from distinguished producers and top talent, and the two-tier global streaming platform ViX. The company’s prominent digital assets include Univision.com, Univision NOW, and several top-rated digital apps. For more information, visit televisaunivision.com.
About The University of Texas at Arlington
With more than 48,000 students, The University of Texas at Arlington is the fourth-largest institution in Texas and one of 146 universities nationwide to receive the R-1: Doctoral Universities—Very High Research Activity designation by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. In 2021, UTA received the Texas Tier One designation reserved for the state’s top institutions for academic and research excellence. The University has 19 National Academy of Inventors fellows, the most of any institution in Texas. UTA ranks No. 1 nationally in the Military Times’ annual “Best for Vets: Colleges” list, is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution and has approximately 250,000 alumni making an impact across Texas and beyond.