Fall 2024

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Dear Scholarship Committee,

 

I am happy to announce that I have completed my degree requirements for my Bachelor’s of Science degree of Civil Engineering at the University of New Mexico. This of course could have not been done without your generous support, all these years. I thank you again for your financial support, belief, and patience. If there is anything I have learned, it is that the fall semester goes incredibly fast. It was indeed busy as I took on a full 15 credit schedule. All civil engineering courses which to my knowledge I have never done before? Maybe an attempt but this was a big question whether or not I could handle it. Regardless I was determined to finish even if that meant sacrificing more of my

personal time. It paid off! I owe credit to the support of my amazing professors and classmates. The commitment and standard to success that the department holds to the students is what got me to the finish line. All these years working with these professors and students, I would not trade it for the world. Being able to conduct research in an engineering laboratory is the last thing I thought I would be doing. The outreach to grade school students served a meaningful purpose and it has made me realize how important our children are. How critical their education and career goals are. I can now pass on my knowledge and hopefully can impact in a positive way. I have had many great extracurricular experiences and would like to give them a shoutout as well. These experiences

too have shaped me into individual I am today. Through the good and bad experiences, I am grateful for every second of it.

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There are many questions that remain for the future. My commitment to return back for graduate school remains strong as this was only a part of my promise. As for right now, I am also happy to announce the employment of a new career. I continue to uphold the promise of helping my hometown community through this new position. I want to thank you again and pray that you get it all back in return. You are all wonderful people as it has been my pleasure to get to know everyone. I can only hope we can remain close.

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Dawaeh, Ahéhee!

Derek Capitan