“Thank you to all the donors of this scholarship, but more importantly thank you to Rick and Julianne Romano. I never had the privilege to meet Nik Romano, but I hope to someday embody his character. I am grateful to receive this scholarship because of the incredible story that comes with it. I have always valued meaning in things both given and received, so when I was offered the Nikolas Andreas Romano Legacy Endowed Scholarship, I wanted to learn whose legacy I’d be carrying. The comments of others speak volumes towards Nik’s character. I hope to one day touch the lives of those around me in the same ways as Nik. I want to be as kind and generous as Nik was, that I help all my fellow friends, roadrunners, and even strangers.

I am grateful to receive this scholarship because it inspires me to do better. After reading Nik’s story I am proud to be a recipient and truly believe that whatever I accomplish in the future will have Nik’s legacy in it. I will do my best so that Nik’s legacy will continue on at UTSA and extend to whichever part of the world I end up.”

“This scholarship brings me one step closer to achieving my dreams and aspirations. Currently, my goal after graduation is to pursue a career in residential construction. When I first made the step to decide to change my plans I was scared, because I had spent my entire high school career planning and building up a resume for engineering. I had taken advanced math and science courses, participated in engineering clubs, and did some engineering skills camps over the summer.

I would like to say thank you to the doners of the Nikolas Andreas Romano Legacy Endowed Scholarship. I was surprised and honored to be selected for this scholarship. Receiving this support means so much to me. College can be financially overwhelming, and this scholarship will make a big difference in helping me manage those costs. Thanks to your kindness, I’ll be able to focus more on my classes and continue working toward my degree. I truly can’t thank you enough.

Your support of UTSA and students like me is deeply appreciated. Thank you again for making an impact.”

“I am writing to express how sincerely thankful I am to the donors of the Nikolas Romano Legacy Endowed Scholarship for this award.

I have been going to school part-time throughout my adulthood for almost ten years. I left home at a young age and had to get a full-time job to take care of myself. I have always dreamed of a career that I could build things and create; one that I would enjoy waking up to each morning. That was my motivation in going back to school in the evenings after work. I have been paying out of pocket for each semester to avoid going into debt. I am finally a senior with only three courses left to graduate. This scholarship is such a blessing and will provide me with great assistance in my last semester. It could not have come at a better time. I’ll be starting an internship for Marksmen General Contractors, which I hope to be hired as a full-time employee following graduation. My internship will force me to leave my current job and take a pay cut so; this assistance is such a grace that I do not take likely. You are helping me finish my goals of a degree and having a career in a field I’m passionate about.

I want to thank you again for this support. I humbly want to say that it is an absolute honor.”

“I humbly thank you for giving me the opportunity to accept this generous scholarship. I am grateful for the support.

Like other students, I have struggled to find a balance between work and school, but with this scholarship my anxiety will be relieved. It is a great honor to accept this scholarship and I vow to put it to good use. Sincerely, I thank you, my wife thanks you, and my entire household thanks you. I know that my senior year at UTSA will be my least stressful because money will no longer be a factor. This will allow me to graduate, get a job, and transition into the field. It’s not just the money as to why I am grateful, it is also the fact that I am being recognized for academic excellence. I thank you all for being the first people to do that for me.”

“I want to take some time aside and thank the donor of the Nikolas Andreas Romano Legacy Endowed scholarship. It means a great deal to me and I can’t thank them enough. It makes my family proud and it brings me immense gratitude. I have put a lot of dedication and hard work into my future career since graduating from high school, and I feel like it is finally paying off. To be recognized and selected for this opportunity fills me with joy. I didn’t think I was going to be awarded any scholarships while I was attending college, so this is a great honor.

Throughout my college experience I have had to use loans to pay for my schooling. Receiving this scholarship takes a big burden off of my shoulders. The generosity from the donor is much appreciated and something special I will hold within me. Their kind and thoughtful gift brought me a smile when I found out I was selected. If I could see them in person, I would reassure them that their donation will not be in vain and I will make sure it doesn’t go to waste. Finishing college will be a great accomplishment that nobody can take away. Thank you!”

“I am writing to express my biggest thank you for selecting me to be a recipient of the Nikolas Andreas Romano Legacy Endowed Scholarship award. I am honored to receive this award and want to pay my respects to Nikolas Andreas Romano’s family. I cannot imagine what it is like to lose your child, and I will keep you in my prayers to persevere through these hard times. I read a bit into the life of Nikolas and would like to say he seemed like a cool and genuine human being. I can tell if I had met him during my time at UTSA, I would have been friends with him. I would like to add that a few days before I got offered this scholarship, I had applied to Catamount Constructors and after reading his story online I had discovered that he worked there, I was mind blown. It could have been a coincidence but who knows.

Again, I want to say a big thank you again for choosing me to be a recipient of this scholarship, it means a lot to me and will help relieve my family’s financial stress. Without people like the donors of this scholarship the world would be a lot more stressful and overwhelming. I plan to reach a point in which I too can help someone in need and help the communities around me to make the world a better place.”