Graduate Spotlight: James Martinez
May 5, 2020
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Meet James. By his senior year in high school, he had attended 10 different schools. The transitions made it difficult for James to excel academically resulting in his decision to drop out halfway through his senior year. “I was always playing catch-up; I didn’t want to do it anymore. My education stalled, so I ended up obtaining my GED,” he said. After dedicating 10 years to the workforce, James decided to return to school and further his education. |
Fueled by the birth of his son and his son’s autism diagnosis, he was determined to work towards his degree and give back to his community. James initially considered the culinary program, which stemmed from the eight years spent as a chef during his break from school. Yet, his passion and love for sports ultimately influenced his decision to pursue his studies in Kinesiology.
While at St. Philip’s, James was a member of Tiger PAWS Literary Art Journal, a peer mentor for Academic Advising and Phil the Tiger.
His straight-A streak resulted in his induction to the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, recognizing excellence, hard work, good grades, leadership and commitment. Making this accomplishment is something he did not think he could do. “Going from a high school drop-out to an honor student was a big deal for me, I achieved much more than I had ever planned to,” he said.
James will be recieving an Associate of Arts in Kinesiology and attending Texas A&M University -- San Antonio this Fall.
To learn more about the Spring 2020 Graduates Recognition, click here.
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