Nina Delafuente, a senior kinesiology major from Brady, has enjoyed the opportunity to pursue an education while also playing tennis at Howard Payne University. Receiving HPU’s Heart of Texas Scholarship made college an attainable her.
Delafuente was hesitant to apply for Howard Payne because she grew up so close to the university, but after she visited campus, she realized that there was no place she would rather be.
“This place is so homey,” she said. “People remember your name and it really just feels like my second home.”
Delafuente believes that HPU was the best decision for her.
“I love it! I can go home all the time,” she said. “It’s a good distance where I have separation, but I also have my family if I need them.”
The Heart of Texas Scholarship was introduced to Delafuente at a young age and was something she considered when making her college decision.
“I was in 8th grade and one of my teachers was an HPU alumna and she told us about Howard Payne and how since we’re so close there’s several scholarships that could help,” said Delafuente. “Then I came on my visit, and I talked to PJ Gramling, and she told me that the scholarship was perfect for me. I met all the GPA requirements, and I was within the radius, so I had to apply.”
Delafuente is grateful that she did apply to HPU and for the Heart of Texas Scholarship because it has allowed her to find her a Christ-centered community that will support her and allow her to grow.
“My favorite thing about HPU is the Christ-centered community that we have here,” she said. “Everybody loves the Lord so much and I feel like Howard Payne does a great job of showing that through every event, every sports team, everything we do is Christ-centered and I love that.”
Delafuente has played tennis at HPU for three years and has been captain of the team for two of those years. After she graduates, she plans on becoming a teacher, as well as coaching basketball and tennis.
Delafuente encourages local high school students to apply for HPU and for the Heart of Texas Scholarship because it helps financially and provides the opportunity for a private Christian education.
“HPU is really an amazing place to be,” she said. “The scholarship helps so much; it takes a lot of the burden off financially and there is less stress because of it.”
Local students are eligible to receive the Heart of Texas Scholarship, a $60,000 scholarship awarded over four years, if they are from the Heart of Texas area and meet unconditional admission requirements and enroll full-time in the fall and spring semesters. Qualifying students will have graduated from high schools or homeschools in Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, McCulloch, Mills and San Saba counties. Transfer students are also eligible to receive up to $7,500 per semester through the scholarship.
For more information about this scholarship and other opportunities awaiting students at HPU, contact the Office of Admission at (325) 649-8020. More information may also be found online at www.hputx.edu/heartoftexas.