Alyson York, middle, puts her claws out alongside Xavier Garza-Gomez, interim dean of the College of Business, left, and Chien-Ping Chen, professor of economics, right, inside University North.

Alyson York expected a routine meeting when she arrived inside University North at Texas A&M University-Victoria to meet with the interim dean at the end of September. 

Instead, she learned she had received the College of Business’ Friends Residential Scholarship.

“I was so surprised and grateful,” York said. “This will definitely take some stresses off; all my life, I’ve needed a plan for everything. With this scholarship, it now allows me to take on my classes at a better pace.”

The College of Business’ Friends Residential Scholarship is intended to support business students who choose to live on campus and contribute to the Victoria community. The scholarship was established through a generous five year commitment from the Haberling Mcleroy Family Foundation to strengthen Victoria’s economy by investing in its future business leaders.

Xavier Garza-Gomez

“Alyson exemplifies the kind of student this scholarship was created to support,” said Xavier Garza-Gomez, interim dean of the College of Business. “She has demonstrated a strong commitment to her academic goals while embracing the residential experience at A&M-Victoria. We are grateful to the Haberling McLeroy Family Foundation for investing in students like Alyson and helping them focus on their education, personal growth and future careers.”

The scholarship is intended for eligible business students with a focus on attracting juniors and seniors pursuing degrees in areas such as accounting, marketing and business management. It provides approximately $8,000 toward room and board in the residence halls for the fall and spring terms.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, be enrolled in the College of Business, have completed at least 45 credit hours, maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher and live in a residence hall during the semester of the award.

For York, the scholarship will give her more flexibility as she balances classes with work. In the past, she has often taken five courses a semester but found that a four course load is easier to manage, she said. With that added support, she may be able to take her time to fully grasp the material rather than rush to finish her degree.

An accounting major in her junior year, she is expected to graduate in 2028. She hopes to work in forensic corporate accounting and is also considering pursuing a CPA certification.

She chose A&M-Victoria in part because she wanted a smaller campus where she could get to know her professors, she said. Family ties to Victoria made the move from San Antonio feel more familiar, too.

York’s path to accounting began with a different interest. In high school, she studied architecture at a construction-focused magnet program, where students designed and built a tiny home as part of their projects. Instead, she explored the financial side of that project, and it made her realize that accounting would be something that suits her.

York credits her family, especially her dad, with supporting her through her college journey thus far. She often leans on her grandmother for advice, York said, including when she had to weigh a class schedule against other responsibilities. And her numerous cousins in the Victoria area who all check in on her through hangouts, and her three brothers.

“I am really grateful to my family for all of their support,” York said. “There’s a lot of personalities, but it’s never a dull moment for sure, and I am really fortunate to have so many people to back me up.”