Working full time while maintaining a 4.0 grade-point average is not only possible, but achievable, say two students chosen as the Outstanding Students for the Spring from the University of Houston-Victoria School of Arts & Sciences.

Moatez Adham, who is finishing his bachelor�s degree in biology, and David Phillips, who is taking online classes toward his master�s degree in computer information systems, each have maintained a 4.0 GPA while holding down jobs.

David Phillips

�I have a full-time job, three kids and a wife. It�s just a really busy life, so managing my time is probably the biggest challenge,� said Phillips, a senior analyst for Verizon Wireless who lives in Arlington. �It�s important, especially with online classes, because you�re not going to class at a particular time. It�s very unstructured.�

Likewise, through most of his college career, Adham has taken 20-hour semester course loads while working 45 hours a week. In addition, he has volunteered at OakBend Medical Center in Houston and in UHV�s science labs.

Moatez Adham

�Where there�s a will, there�s a way,� said Adham, a Sugar Land resident who plans to take the Medical College Admission Test and apply for medical school in the coming months. �I really owe it to my parents because they raised me to organize my time properly and do my best.�

He also credits his professors at UHV for making his coursework easier.

�One of the most important attributes in a teacher is the ability to communicate,� Adham said. �I had some great teachers at UHV who not only communicated effectively but exceeded expectations.�

He and Phillips also exceeded their professors� expectations. Each semester, faculty in the school select two outstanding students � one undergraduate and one graduate � based on their academic records and related achievements. Both students receive $250 from the School of Arts & Sciences Faculty Excellence Fund, a fund established through donations from the school�s faculty.

�We are proud of David and Moatez for their perseverance and commitment,� said Jeffrey Di Leo, dean of School of Arts & Sciences. �These are the kind of students who become leaders and pacesetters, and their accomplishments show that.�

Phillips urged other students working toward higher degrees to persevere.

�Dig in, and don�t give up until you�re done, even if it takes longer than you expected,� he said.

Students also should avoid viewing a 4.0 grade-point average as out of reach, Adham said.

�A 4.0 exists. That�s why I got it,� he said. �It�s not like something impossible. If it exists, then it can happen. Believe in yourself, and you can achieve it.�