The Hawkins Scholarship is awarded annually to two University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) juniors who demonstrate outstanding academic achievements, a commitment to serving others in their community and a strong trajectory towards leadership.
Vianey Martinez, a Franklin High School alumna and computer science major, is also a member of UTEP’s Undergraduate Fellows Program.
She distinguished herself in the applicant’s pool by completing a 12-week internship with Microsoft in Seattle, Washington, where she worked alongside international scholars. Martinez plans to pursue a graduate degree in artificial intelligence (A.I.) at UTEP.
“What really resonated with me was the highlight on leadership for this award,” Martinez said. “I’m a big fan of advocating for women in computer science and engineering.” Martinez explained that receiving the scholarship will ease financial pressure and allow her to focus more on her academic and leadership goals.
“I have a single mom, so this was really great help, me being able to help her,” Martinez said. “It’s going to give me less pressure to work for money and more focus on just getting through my classes and growing in my leadership as well. It’s a big part of my goals this year.”
She was recently interviewed for SuperForce, a program created by SuperCity that offers apprenticeships to El Pasoans interested in training with A.I. software. The program aims to expand access to emerging technology and workforce opportunities in the region.
“It’s a really great way of bringing AI to El Paso, and they have these rules to improve our community,” Martinez said. “I’m really excited that [this] opportunity has come to me through Hawkins and the panel I have met. I’m really looking forward to seeing how far I can go with that.”
Ryan Boatright, an Austin, Texas native, has attended UTEP for the past three years and is majoring in political science with plans to attend law school.
He currently serves as President of the Student Government Association (SGA) and has completed internships with U.S. Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, Texas State Senator César Blanco and two county commissioners.
“I’ve been entrusted with something that a lot of other very qualified people applied for,” Boatright said. “I want to do something impactful and make my community proud.”
Boatright said his motivation to pursue law stems from personal family experiences. He pointed to his father’s battle with stage four cancer, which Boatright said was linked to exposure to a commercial weeds deterrent product later addressed through litigation. He explains it as “the story that motivates everything I want to do in life.” Since then, his father has been in remission.
“The only way to hold them accountable was through the legal system. That’s kind of been my whole motivation, watching the process unfold,” Boatright said. “That’s what inspires me and pushes me to go to law school and continue to fight for people like my dad.” Boatright plans to use the scholarship to expand his academic and professional experience beyond El Paso by applying to the Archer Fellowship Program in Washington, D.C., where he hopes to intern in congressional offices.
Aiming to make a difference in the world, junior Ryan Boatright hopes to hold large corporations accountable by pursuing a career in the legal system. (Nathaniel Flores)
“Since I was a freshman, I’ve dreamed of doing the Archer Fellowship,” Boatright said. “Getting this scholarship has made it seem like I can apply for that and if I’m accepted, I’ll have the resources to go, so I’m applying for that right now.”
Martinez and Boatright are the sixth pair of students to be awarded the Hawkins Scholarship since its creation in 2020 by President Heather Wilson. As they look ahead, the scholarship provides added stability as they pursue careers rooted in service, leadership and community impact, a strong devotion for both recipients.
Vanessa Orozco is a contributor and may be reached at [email protected]
