“During high school, I heard about Saint Paul College and was influenced by the Power of YOU program that was offered to students. Saint Paul College was the only community college I was interested in attending."
Just one year out of high school, Marques Watson already knows that life can be totally unpredictable. He also knows that hard work and planning can reap unexpected rewards.
About one year ago, Watson learned he would be the first recipient of the Philando Castile Memorial Scholarship at Saint Paul Central High School. He was overwhelmed with gratitude at being chosen and is keeping his promise to honor and represent Castile’s legacy by excelling in his studies at Saint Paul College and beyond.
First Generation
“I am the first person in my family to go to college, and everyone in my family wanted me to go college,” says Watson. “I was taught that being in school and furthering my knowledge would result in me succeeding and going far in life.”
Scholarships and Power of YOU
Watson knew he and his family couldn't afford college tuition, so when his Saint Paul Central High School AVID counselor gave him a list of scholarships, he applied for just about every scholarship on the list. That led to the Castile scholarship. He also is benefiting from the Power of YOU program, where he is able to attend Saint Paul College tuition-free for the first two years.
Bike Mechanic to Engineer
“I became interested in engineering when I started my job at a bicycle shop,” says Watson. “I really enjoyed working with my hands and working with bikes so I figured why not go to school to find a career in something that I enjoy doing?” He’s now in the Engineering Broad Field Associate of Arts degree program here and plans to transfer to a four-year college to get his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering.
This article originally appeared in our College Magazine - Fall 2018.
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