Transfer Spotlight: Gary Cooper
Q: What program/degree are you pursuing at San Jac, and when will you graduate?
A: I am pursuing an associate degree of fine arts at San Jac. I will be graduating in May 2024.
Q: Share your San Jac story:
A: During my senior year of high school in the 2021-22 school year, I had no idea what I was going to do after high school. I had just moved to Texas from Indiana, and I was still kind of lost.
One day San Jac representatives came to my school and told me about all that San Jac offered and that I could attend school for free. I wasn’t a big fan of the college idea at first, but I decided to take this opportunity to further my education. I signed up for the Promise [@ San Jac Scholarship] program and enrolled in my classes for that following fall. I have benefited a lot from making the decision to join San Jac.
Q: What have you enjoyed most about your time at San Jac?
A: What I have enjoyed most is taking advantage of all the resources available to help me succeed. My professors always work with me to understand what I need to do to be successful in their class and are always helpful when I need them. I also enjoyed the honors retreat I went on to Trinity Pines cabins. I was automatically enrolled into the honors program without even knowing because of my good grades, and I really appreciated that.
Lastly, I enjoyed my campus tour of the University of Houston-Clear Lake. The tour showed me all that UHCL has to offer and helped me make my decision to transfer to the university. On the tour I met two great San Jac transfer team members and was given the opportunity to design artwork for the design team. I just really enjoy how all of San Jac’s resources lead to more opportunities.
Q: What’s next for you?
A: I have recently got accepted into UHCL, where I will pursue a bachelor’s degree in graphic design. I plan to work toward a career as a full-time graphic designer. My dream job is to become a graphic designer for an NBA team and to design artwork for my favorite musicians.
Q: What advice would you give someone else who wants to start at San Jac, then transfer?
A: Take advantage of this great opportunity. Even if you are unsure about which career path you want to pursue, San Jac provides a lot of resources that will help you make a smart decision. Career and academic advisors and professors give a lot of advice and real-world experience that will help you progress. The cost is another positive with very affordable prices, especially with all the scholarship opportunities that San Jac provides.
Don’t be scared to take the risk — it will take you farther than you expect. Take me for example: Just two years ago I had no idea what I wanted to do in life or how I was going to pursue a career. Now I have a full plan to succeed and am on pace to achieve all my goals.
