Born and raised in Irving, Texas, Carmen Guerrero attended Brandenburg Elementary and Travis Middle School before being admitted to Jack E. Singley Academy. While a student there, her specialty was in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Carmen was a member of the National Honor Society on campus and pursued sports at the same time.
Carmen has played soccer since she was 5 years old! While attending Singley for academics, she commuted all four years of high school to MacArthur High School to be involved in cross country and soccer. Pursuing her passion and doing what she loved most allowed her all the motivation to work hard and keep her grades up. She says, “they helped me keep my grades up and allowed me to develop myself as a person.” Carmen had the support of her coaches and teachers who guided her through the many challenges of high school. She credits them and their support for all the recognitions she received while attending those schools.
Through the National Honor Society, Carmen explored opportunities outside of her comfort zone and was excited to be able to volunteer and contribute to the community that she calls home.
All of her accomplishments made her the recipient of the 2019 HIPPY Academic Scholarship presented by the Irving Schools Foundation. The Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program belongs to the Irving ISD and is intended to prepare students and their parents for academic success at a very young age. Carmen says, “My mom put me in HIPPY at a young age and helped me become more advanced in my studies. She knew little to no English, but she was there helping me learn and put in so much effort to ensure that me and my siblings were ready for school.”
Carmen’s greatest inspirations are her parents. “Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Their support is something I will forever cherish, as they’ve stuck with me through thick and thin and I want to give everything they’ve sacrificed for me back.”
Carmen is a first-generation college student. Upon graduating from Singley, she pursued the Dallas Promise and attended the North Lake Campus of Dallas College. She was recruited to play soccer. The Dallas Promise took away a financial burden from her family and granted her the opportunity to obtain her Associate’s of Science in under 2 years. That is her greatest accomplishment. “ I am the oldest of three, and my siblings look up to me daily, and my parents have bestowed this responsibility that I have to set an example and be a role model for them to follow. It’s a big responsibility that I was not the most confident with, but I have tried my best to be someone my siblings can look up to and know I will always be there to help and support them.”
Carmen recently transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington. She is currently a junior pursuing a Bachelor’s in Exercise Science with a minor in Spanish for Global Health and Human Services where she’ll be able to work towards a Master’s in Athletic Training. “I transferred over the fall and I am loving my major! I was very unsure about what I wanted to study, but through the semester I’ve learned that exercise science is for me, I am loving every single piece of it, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt more comfortable or at home.”
Carmen was prepared to attend UT-Arlington thanks to the opportunities Singley and Dallas College offered. She was recently inducted into UTA’s Society of Kinesiology Scholars (SOKS), a student-run organization dedicated to health and fitness through professional and social opportunities, fundraising, and various community service outreach programs.
Her goals this school year include finishing off strong with straight A’s and to complete her degree requirements in 2 years or less. She’s also looking forward to exploring internship opportunities!
The 2022 ISF scholarship application portal opens December 1st. We asked Carmen for her advice to graduating seniors looking to apply: “Apply early! As soon as the application opens make sure you’re gathering your references and answering the questions as thoroughly and accurately as possible! ISF is a great opportunity that you cannot take for granted, their support is the best!”
“My scholarship was a huge blessing not only to me, but to my family as well, it was a constant reminder that hard work doesn’t go unnoticed, and thanks to the support received from ISF, I can continue working towards my goals.”
On behalf of the ISF team, we congratulate Carmen for all of her accomplishments so far. We can’t wait to see what she does next!
