Contact: Debra Dennis;
ddennis@dallascollege.edu
For immediate release — Oct. 11, 2020
(DALLAS) — For 30 years, the Myers-LeCroy scholarship has changed the lives of high-achieving students whose leadership, service and scholastic accomplishments have propelled them to academic and personal success.
The scholarship was established in 1990 to honor former Dallas College Chancellor Jan LeCroy. Dr. LeCroy, his wife, Dr. Nancy LeCroy, and Dallas businessman Mike A. Myers partnered to mentor the recipients.
Myers, owner and chairman of Myers Financial Corporation, and Dr. Nancy LeCroy continue their personal involvement with the program by interviewing finalists and helping to select and mentor the scholars.
“For the last 30 years, I have enjoyed mentoring some of the finest young men and women I have ever known,” said Myers, who has provided scholarships to more than 265 high achievers. “Each year always brings new talent, knowledge and leadership from so many extraordinary students with the ability to not only change their lives for the better, but to help shape the future.”
Scholars receive full tuition, which includes books, for up to six semesters.
This year’s recipients, the campuses they attend and their chosen fields of study are:
- Victoria Davis of Mesquite, Eastfield Campus, science;
- Bethany Eads of Lancaster, Cedar Valley Campus, science;
- Maria Blessia Lee of Carrollton, Brookhaven Campus, marketing;
- Jared Macias of Dallas, Eastfield Campus, radiation therapy;
- Mackenzie Palmer of Carrollton, Brookhaven Campus, business and management;
- Harris Jennings-Pierce of Carrollton, Brookhaven Campus, arts and entertainment design;
- Alaysia Richardson of Dallas, Eastfield Campus, arts;
- Valentina Torres Nieto of Dallas, Richland Campus, science;
- Takylia White of Mesquite, Eastfield Campus, science;
- Kathryn Zepeda of Dallas, El Centro Campus, culinary arts
Biographical Sketches
Victoria Davis
Victoria Davis
Victoria Davis is studying science at the Eastfield Campus. At Mesquite High School, she was vice president of the Student Council for two years and led the junior varsity and varsity drill teams. Her grade point average never slipped lower than 3.5. Davis, who was diagnosed with diabetes at age 12, is a founding member of Sweet Talk, a support club for Mesquite High School students diagnosed with the disease. Her academic goal is to obtain an Associate of Science degree and transfer to Texas A&M-Commerce to complete a bachelor’s degree in science. Focused and disciplined, Davis’ goal is to attend medical school to become a pediatric endocrinologist.
Bethany Eads
Bethany Eads
Bethany Eads is a freshman at the Cedar Valley Campus where she is majoring in science. Eads believes that leadership today is responsible for the people of tomorrow. During her junior year of high school, her father was diagnosed with dementia. Her mother and role model needed to work more to support her family and pay medical bills, so Eads became her father’s caregiver. Although her father passed away during her senior year, Eads graduated with all A’s. She knows that true leaders face struggles, and they may stumble a time or two, but in the end, it is all about how they recover. Eads is involved in her church as a member of the worship team, a youth group leader, youth prayer pastor and coach of fine arts. She plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in science and enroll in medical school. Her dream is to become an emergency room physician and open a critical care clinic for less fortunate patients.
Maria Blessia Lee
Maria Blessia Lee
Maria Blessia Lee studies marketing at the Brookhaven Campus. Lee, a trained and disciplined athlete, was a short-track speedskater on the National Team of Indonesia at the age of 17. She became the fastest woman skater in her country and won multiple national and international titles. Lee brings the same discipline and competitiveness of her sport to her education; she achieved a 4.0 GPA for her first year in college, and it has opened her eyes to opportunities beyond a career in sports. She still plans to compete in the Olympics and wants to become a businesswoman and entrepreneur. She plans to major in marketing and would like to have her own sports and rehabilitation center to help athletes reach their Olympic dreams. She plans to complete her bachelor’s degree by 2023 and pursue a master’s in data analytics to better understand consumer patterns and predict buying trends.
Jared Macias
Jared Macias
Jared Macias is studying therapy at the Eastfield Campus. He attended Legacy Preparatory Charter Academy in Mesquite where he maintained a 3.8 GPA and took dual credit classes at Eastfield where he made all A’s. Macias was on the debate team, was in National Honor Society and participated in chemistry competitions. Mirroring the intentions of Mr. Myers and Dr. LeCroy, Macias wants to impact those around him for the better. Through this experience, he hopes to learn more about scholarships to share and take back to his high school and the community. He has a passion for serving others, fueled by his grandfather’s battle with liver cancer. (Macias’ grandfather passed away in 2012.) Macias was crushed to see his otherwise healthy, happy grandfather suddenly become ill. He is pursuing a career as a radiation therapist so that he can help others. His goal is to obtain a bachelor’s degree. This scholarship, he said, enables him to focus on his education and work his hardest to get accepted into one of the programs. He believes his passion for the field will help set him apart as a candidate as well.
Mackenzie Palmer
Mackenzie Palmer
Mackenzie Palmer studies communications at the Brookhaven Campus. During high school, she competed in speech and debate clubs, where she held leadership positions. As a dual credit student at the North Lake Campus, she accepted an invitation to join the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Palmer qualified for the Region 11 Regional Tournament of the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association in Team Policy Debate, Biblical Thematic Speech, Informative Speech, Duo Interpretation Speech and Apologetics Speech in 2019 and 2020. She achieved these honors all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Her goal is to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in communications, which she plans to use as a means of impacting the way companies and ministries view the use of media. Faith plays a big role in Palmer’s life. Through organized discussions on faith and discipleship, she shares how faith has changed her life.
Harris Pierce
Harris Pierce
Harris Pierce is studying art and entertainment design at the Brookhaven Campus. He wants to challenge himself academically and serve others in his community. During his time at Creekview High School, he took dual credit law classes through Brookhaven, along with numerous AP classes, and was a member of the National Honor Society. Pierce graduated from Creekview’s Law and Criminal Justice Academy in 2020. Pierce uses comedy to help others cope with the daily stresses in their lives. At 17, his father was diagnosed with cancer. It marked his first real encounter with the disease, and he did not know how to react. The shock of the diagnosis and the difficulties of the treatment were challenging. He used storytelling and humor to help him and his family cope as his father recovered. Pierce plans to earn several degrees after attending Dallas College. A volunteer at his church, each summer he leads the video production camp for participants on the autism spectrum. The group drafts an idea for a movie, and he works with them to explore their creativity, develop the ideas and lead social skill activities. This program was awarded as one of the best recreational programs in Texas.
Alaysia Richardson
Alaysia Richardson
Alaysia Richardson is pursuing an Associate of Arts degree at the Eastfield Campus. During her time at John Horn High School, she was enrolled in the gifted and talented program, took dual credit and honors classes, and was on the honor roll. She also excelled in volleyball while working a part-time job. Richardson’s love of fashion design started when she was 7. She made dresses for her dolls after teaching herself to sew. She took all levels of fashion design in high school. Additionally, she made both her junior and senior year prom dresses. Her designs even earned a third place award at the Family, Careers and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) competition. She was one of five student designers to advance to state although the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Richardson has launched a successful sewing and embroidery business, A. Danae Designs, which she started during her sophomore year. Richardson sells knitted headbands, beanies, scrunchies, monogrammed sweaters and embroidered keychains, among other items. Her goal is to attain a bachelor’s degree in fashion design.
Valentina Torres Nieto
Valentina Torres Nieto
Valentina Torres Nieto is a first-year student at the Richland Campus where she is pursuing an Associate of Science degree with an emphasis in biomedical engineering. She plans to continue her studies at the University of Texas at Dallas to complete a combined bachelor/master’s degree program. Nieto is a full-time student and works on campus part-time while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Nieto attended Augustinian Salitre School, where she participated in a national entrepreneurial fair team project. There, she sharpened her leadership skills and led her group to second place for their new product’s business plan. During her senior year of high school, she excelled and made all A’s. Nieto wants to build a career path that leads to helping others. As a biomedical engineer, she would help many people through advances in technology. Her career goal is to become the best professional medical engineer. She will continue to strengthen her knowledge and skills, such as problem-solving, critical thinking and time management, which are requirements of the engineering field. In the future, she sees herself well versed in medical and biological engineering, applying her abilities and knowledge as an entrepreneur to develop solutions and medical advances to assist others.
Takylia White
Takylia White
Takylia White is pursuing a science degree at the Eastfield Campus. As an early high school student, she maintained a 3.8 grade point average at Dr. Ralph Poteet High School in Mesquite. A team leader in high school, she was captain of the volleyball team and a teacher’s aide. White is one of four female athletes at her high school to receive recognition as Academic All State. For this award, you must display good moral character, be a high school senior and have an overall GPA of 92 or higher (all four years). She is a licensed patient care technician (PCT) with the state of Texas — an achievement she earned after completing a clinical rotation while in the 11th grade. White’s goal is to transfer to the University of Texas at Arlington and pursue a bachelor’s degree in biochemical engineering. She also has plans to obtain a medical degree from UT Southwestern Medical Center. With these credentials, White hopes to merge her love of children with her love of medicine and become a pediatrician. Her dream is to work with Doctors Without Borders, where she can take her medical training to underdeveloped countries. White is a caregiver, assisting her young brother, disabled grandparents and chronically ill mother.
Kathryn Zepeda
Kathryn Zepeda
Dallas resident Kathryn Zepeda is studying culinary arts at the El Centro Campus. She is a 2015 graduate of Seattle Preparatory High School. Zepeda believes that in many areas of life, you get what you put into it, and it is not in her nature to only give partial effort. She is excited to be a Myers-LeCroy Scholar because of the legacy set forth by remarkable inpiduals who are known for outstanding leadership. Zepeda has a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Dallas. Despite the 4.0 GPA she earned last semester at El Centro, Zepeda is equally proud of her apprenticeship through the American Culinary Federation. She is working toward becoming a certified sous chef by the end of 2021. She is on the path to completing 4,000 hours in a professional kitchen and earning her associate degree in culinary arts. Zepeda is accomplishing all these things while working full time. Her interest in cooking began when she was a restaurant hostess. The general manager asked if she would like to become the “expediter” in the kitchen. She organized a full kitchen and promoted harmony among the nine servers and seven cooks. And she was only 17. She later advanced to other roles in the kitchen. Zepeda’s career goals have evolved slightly, but the food and beverage industry has always fascinated her. She plans to immerse herself in catering, create pop-up restaurants and serve as a private chef.
Three Dallas College students who are returning Myers-LeCroy Scholars for 2020-2021 are Zaray Enriquez, Lizet Velasquez and William Onyedionu.
Myers-LeCroy Transfer Scholarship Awarded to Five Students
In addition to the 30-year anniversary of the scholarship, 2020 marks the first year that the Mike A. Myers Foundation is offering current Myers-LeCroy scholars the opportunity to apply for the Myers-LeCroy Transfer Scholarship. Qualified Myers-LeCroy Scholars transferring to a four-year university will receive financial support for their junior and senior year.
The 2020 Myers-LeCroy Transfer Scholars are:
- Chalieta Audreylia, North Lake Campus, computer science, transferring to the University of North Texas;
- Jaiyeola Johnson, El Centro Campus, nursing, transferring to Texas Woman’s University;
- Mimi Mbaakanyi, Richland Campus, medical laboratory science, transferring to the University of North Texas;
- Usra Qureshi, Richland Campus, information systems, transferring to University of Texas at Arlington;
- Salma Suarez, El Centro Campus, respiratory therapy, transferring to Midwestern State University
For more information, contact Kathye Hammontree in the Dallas College Foundation office by phone at 214-378-1536 or by email at
khammontree@dallascollege.edu.
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