Freshman Earns National Industry Scholarship

SOCORRO, N.M. August 13, 2012 – Incoming freshman Devon Castro of Albuquerque is headed to New Mexico Tech with a national scholarship to help defray his room and board costs.

Devon Castro Incoming freshman from Albuquerque

Castro, who graduated from the Southwest Secondary Learning Center, was one of 16 students across the country to earn an award from the Nexstar Legacy Foundation. Devon Castro, an electrical engineering major from Albuquerque, was awarded the John MacGregor Honorary Scholarship worth $2,000. The Foundation recently announced its first round of 2012-2013 scholarship award winners, with $34,500 awarded to 16 students from a field of 86 high school, college and industry professional applicants. The award winners are pursuing education in preparation for careers within the plumbing, HVAC and electrical industry.

“I was amazed,” Castro said. “I was happy that the work I put into the scholarship paid off. This will be a big help.”

Castro wrote an essays about why he wants to go to college and about his career goals. He also submitted a résumé, his transcripts and letters of recommendation. He already has 40 college credits and finished high school with a 3.94 GPA.

“The mission of the Nexstar Legacy Foundation is to give back through an industry that has been so good to us,” said Foundation President Bill Raymond of Frank & Lindy Plumbing & Heating Service Company of Peekskill, New York.

Each year, scholarships are awarded to students based upon merit, chosen by a scholarship selection committee comprised of industry leaders both inside and outside of the Nexstar Network organization. Castro said he has thought of majoring in electrical engineering for several years, making him a good candidate for the Nexstar scholarship.

The program is the major gifting program of the Nexstar Legacy Foundation. The largest annual award is the Frank Blau Jr. Award of $6,000, awarded to a student who is enrolled in a four-year program with the intent of working in the industry. Foundation VP and Scholarship Chair Julie Wieman said,

“We want to inspire people to discover the prestige, earning power and stability of careers in the plumbing, HVAC and electrical industries by being the leading resource for career information, training, and financial aid,” Wieman also is president of MacGregor Plumbing & Heating in Harbor Springs, Mich.

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By Thomas Guengerich/New Mexico Tech