Edinburg Native One of 3 Outstanding Seniors Honored By Texas A&M Foundation Board of Trustees
Juliette Jimenez ’22 named recipient of the 2023 Trustees’ Outstanding Student Award.
By Dorian Martin ‘06
The Texas A&M Foundation Board of Trustees honored Juliette Jimenez ’22, Emily Orr ’23 and Grace Vaughn ’23 as recipients of the Foundation’s highest student award, the Trustees’ Outstanding Student Award. These students, who have excelled academically and as student leaders, were honored during a luncheon on May 19. Each recipient received a cash prize of $3,200.
Since 2013, 21 Aggies have been recognized with this honor. Billy Lemmons ’83, chair of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, emphasized the award’s prestige. “It’s about more than good grades,” he said. “This award recognizes students’ character, selfless service and the example they set for their peers. We want these extraordinary Aggies who really embody this university’s values to know the impact they’ve already made on others.”
The award was established through an endowed gift from former Foundation trustee Melbern Glasscock ’59 and his wife, Susanne. The couple wanted to recognize students who have overcome significant personal or family financial challenges to attend Texas A&M. Additionally, these Aggies have demonstrated leadership in the classroom and in campus, state or national student organizations. Recipients also have previously received one or more scholarships funded through the Texas A&M Foundation.
“Talking to these students and hearing their stories reminds our team why we are so passionate about our mission of building a brighter future for Texas A&M University,” said Tyson Voelkel ’96, the Foundation’s president and CEO. “They represent what Texas A&M is all about: fostering true leaders of character from all walks of life. We’re proud to have helped support these students in their Aggie journeys and look forward to seeing them excel long after they’ve left campus.”
Juliette Jimenez ’22
Raised in Edinburg, Texas, Juliette Jimenez ’22 grew up in a family committed to hard work and the pursuit of one’s passion. Jimenez and her two older siblings had an affinity for math and physics, and she watched as her brother and sister earned engineering degrees from The University of Texas at San Antonio.
Jimenez opted to not follow totally in their footsteps. Instead, she decided to attend Texas A&M because of its prestigious engineering program and the opportunity to explore her independence.
Her time at Texas A&M has offered unique challenges. Jimenez’s father had multiple knee surgeries starting when she was in high school. He is now disabled, which limited the financial support the family could provide to their youngest daughter.
Determined to be an Aggie, Jimenez relied on scholarships and financial aid to pay for college as a freshman. Beginning the summer after her freshman year, she got her first internship at Chevron. She’s held two internships with Chevron, two with Exxon Mobil and one with Deloitte. “In addition to income, these internships gave me the skillsets to work in a team and make an impact with a company,” she said. “I also networked, grew professionally and was inspired by so many leaders in Fortune 500 companies.”
During her time on campus, Jimenez was also the lead teaching assistant for a mechanical engineering class and served as treasurer for Texas A&M’s Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. She currently serves on the national board of the organization.
Jimenez graduated in December 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a minor in engineering project management and is currently enjoying a short sabbatical. She plans to use the award’s funds to visit U.S. national parks before starting work at Deloitte. She is also using this time to start a financial literacy initiative to assist younger generations from low-income communities.
Looking back, she’s appreciative of her time at Texas A&M. “I got a lot from the university in terms of mentorship,” she said. “I was inspired more than I ever imagined by how much people invested in me.”
Texas A&M Foundation
The Texas A&M Foundation is a nonprofit organization that aspires to be among the most trusted philanthropies in higher education. It builds a brighter future for Texas A&M University, one relationship at a time. To learn more, visit txamfoundation.com.