A Class Act

Laura Orozco Domínguez believes she was destined to be an educator. From an early age, she loved hearing her mother’s stories about her teaching career in Mexico. “It sounded like a fun and fulfilling life,” says Laura, who frequently set up make-believe classrooms for her cousins and friends.

Laura’s early education was influenced by her third-grade teacher, who did so much to engage with her students. “Ms. Sanchez made us all mixtapes,” Laura recalls. “She stayed after school to help us practice dance routines for the year-end talent show. She went above and beyond to make connections with students.”

Aspirations Achieved

These two role models are on Laura’s mind as she prepares to graduate from The University of Texas at Austin’s College of Education with a degree in bilingual education. Her journey toward her dream career was made possible by the Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers. Without it, Laura’s progress would have been hindered.

“For low-income students, scholarships are vital,” says Laura. “Without a scholarship, I would have had to wait to finish my degree. It has allowed me not to worry about working another two or three jobs, which would have been very difficult when I’m already working full-time as an unpaid student teacher.”

Laura hopes to teach third-grade students in northeast Austin, where she was born and raised. Receiving her diploma will be a special moment to share with her mother. “My mom didn't get the chance to go immediately to college,” says Laura. “It was something that she had to fight really hard for. I'm doing this for both of us.”

Help a Student Reach Graduation Day

Access our FREE guide, “Scholarships: Open Doors to Opportunity,” to discover numerous ways to fund scholarships at UT (by the way, you don’t even need to write a check). For additional ideas on making an impact at the College of Education, contact the Gift and Estate Planning Team at 512-475-9632 or giftplan@austin.utexas.edu.