Odessa College has announced the 10 finalists who were randomly selected for a chance to win a $10,000 cash prize. The finalists were picked from a pool of the OC students who enrolled in a Fall 2024 credit course, and the winner will be revealed on Oct. 29. The first runner-up will receive a $2,000 scholarship, and the second runner-up will receive a $1,000 scholarship.
The finalists are as follow:
- Lauren Lattin – majoring in Biology
- Camdyn Mays – pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree in Entrepreneurship
- Jose Rodriguez – majoring in Automotive Technology
- Alyssa Lozano – majoring in Physical Therapist Assistant
- Robert Evans – majoring in Occupational Safety and Health
- Raul Estrada – pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree in Entrepreneurship
- Lianet Moreno-Lozano – a Pre-nursing student
- Saul Venegas – majoring in Automation and Instrumentation
- Samantha Hernandez – a Pre-nursing student
This announcement comes as Odessa College celebrates another milestone, setting a new enrollment record for the 2024 fall semester. With 10,109 students enrolled in college-credit courses, OC saw a 14.8 percent increase over the previous record of 8,802 students set in fall 2023, a news release said.
The $10,000 donation from the Sewell Family of Companies, a long-time supporter and community partner of Odessa College, underscores the organization’s commitment to education and the future success of local students. This generous gift will be awarded to one OC student, chosen from the group of finalists, as part of a special event recognizing the college’s ongoing growth and achievements.
“We are grateful to the Sewell Family of Companies for their continued support and for helping us celebrate this remarkable achievement,” OC President Gregory Williams said in the release. “The $10,000 prize is a wonderful way to recognize and reward our students’ commitment to their education, and we are thrilled to share this exciting opportunity with our campus community.”
