Jeremiah Lockhart, a sophomore in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University, is a self-proclaimed ordinary kid from Duncanville, Texas. Taking a chance on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he applied for and was awarded an extraordinary scholarship – the Gates Scholarship – that will bolster him as he pursues his education at Texas A&M.
Out of around 30,000 applicants, Lockhart was one of just 300 students selected to receive the prestigious Gates Scholarship. With it, Lockhart is able to focus on his studies and extracurricular opportunities without any student loans or financial burden. In order to be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must be in the top 10 percent of their high school class, have Pell Grant eligibility, exceptional personal success skills and proven leadership ability. Applicants undergo a rigorous three-phase process, which concludes with only 300 students awarded.
“My parents worked so hard and have sacrificed so much for me since I was a kid to get me where I want to go and just to get to tell them that they don’t have to pay a thing for me, that they can relax and retire and that I won’t be a financial burden and have everything taken care of, it was a great blessing from God,” Lockhart said. “I’m really happy to be given it.”
Do not let other people define who you are, do not let where you come from define who you are or what you amount to be in life. Just because you are from this small town where most people are minorities or low income doesn't mean you're destined for mediocrity.
Lockhart has been drawn to electrical engineering since he attended an engineering camp in eighth grade.
“When I made that first circuit and saw the LED light up because of how I coded it, I fell in love with electrical engineering,” he said.
From there, he pursued the electrical engineering track in high school and decided to continue that trajectory at Texas A&M. Lockhart feels that his electrical engineering degree from Texas A&M will allow him to reach his dream of becoming an electrical engineer. He recognizes that though it’s not easy, it’s worth it and will position him to achieve great things in his future career.
“The way they teach us is not easy,” Lockhart said. “It’s tough, but it’s for a purpose. It really gets your brain to understand the purpose behind (the lessons), how to implement it and how to put it all together to reach the market. I’m really excited about that and, long story short, I just love it. It challenges me enough that I won’t get bored with it and it’s provided enough satisfaction that all the work I put into it is one of the best experiences I’ve had. I want to use the skills from the electrical and computer engineering department to help mold me into an emboldened innovator that is ready to take on the world's problems and develop impactful solutions.”
He is not only passionate about this field, but also for letting other students know that what he has accomplished so far in his academic career is possible if you put the work in.
“Do not let other people define who you are, do not let where you come from define who you are or what you amount to be in life,” he said. “Just because you are from this small town where most people are minorities or low income doesn't mean you're destined for mediocrity.”
Lockhart is an officer in the National Society of Black Engineers at Texas A&M where he is working to help college students excel academically, exceed professionally and positively impact the community. He is also a member of the Zachry Leadership Program (ZLP), which is a joint program between the College of Engineering and the Zachry Group that provides students with a broader and deeper level of personal awareness and enhanced leadership skills. In addition, he is working with the superintendent of his high school to encourage high school upperclassmen to apply for these big scholarships.
“I don’t want anyone feeling how I felt,” he said. “I’m not a special person, I don’t deserve this, but that’s no way of thinking because anything is possible if you believe in yourself.”