A Remarkable Journey

Summer 2015 - In 2010, after his father lost his job, Alejandro Gonzalez and his family were forced to leave their home and move into a local shelter. As a high school student with his sights set on going to college, Alejandro found himself in an unimaginable situation - being homeless.

But this new challenge did not deter Alejandro from his goal.

"Something just kept telling me, 'You've got to try. There's some hope.' So I stayed in my AP and Pre-AP courses in high school just to see how it could turn out," the San Antonio junior said.

A Challenge Overcome

With the support of his teachers and school staff, Alejandro graduated from high school summa cum laude with an acceptance letter to Baylor University, his dream school, in hand. However, even with these triumphs, Alejandro still faced the challenge of paying for tuition.

"I remember being extremely overwhelmed by the cost to attend Baylor," Alejandro said. "I just thought, 'How am I going to pay for all of this?'"

Then the scholarships began to come in, and Alejandro discovered that his dream to attend Baylor was becoming a reality. He chose to pursue a degree in Management Information Systems and, for his sophomore year, was awarded a very special scholarship - the Walter M. and Elizabeth Parkhill Scott Endowed Scholarship in the Hankamer School of Business.

The Scotts established this endowed scholarship to provide worthy students the opportunity to obtain a quality academic education in a Christian environment. "Scotty" and Elizabeth (BA '42) made generous annual gifts during their lifetimes that were further enhanced through matching gift programs. They also took advantage of Baylor Charitable Gift Annuity benefits."

A Legacy of Giving

Through lifetime giving, life-income gifts and a bequest in their estate plans, the Scotts were able to help open the doors to a Baylor education for Alejandro.

"I wish I could thank the Scotts in person. I would write a five-page thank you letter to them," Alejandro said. "The amount of support they gave me, along with other people, was just tremendous."

The Scotts'' legacy of giving not only continues to produce opportunities for education, but it has also inspired the potential for a new giving legacy.

"Once I get settled into my professional career, I just want to give back to the University," said Alejandro. "So many people invested in me and in my education. I want to do the same for other students."