Howard Hughes and Bridgeland congratulate the graduating class of 2025. Each year, Howard Hughes awards scholarships in the amount of $2,500 each to help defray the costs associated with college. The scholarship program is part of the HHCares initiative, a community-focused philanthropic funding and volunteerism program in which Howard Hughes donates and volunteers to over 160 local causes and nonprofit organizations each year. The application allows students to showcase their commitment to making a difference through their education and career path. This year two Bridgeland and two Waller High School graduates were awarded scholarships.
“We believe in supporting scholars within our communities in the pursuit of higher education and are proud of their achievements and aspirations to positively impact others,” said Steve Sams, Senior Vice President, Master Planned Communities, Houston Region for Howard Hughes. “Each of this year’s recipients have demonstrated leadership qualities with a focus on improving others’ lives, mirroring our HHCares initiative.”
Scholarship winners from Bridgeland High School include Caitlin Tain and Maaz Ahmed. Both students were listed on the Distinguished Honor Roll and are seeking paths to make a difference in the world. Caitlin Tain plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin as she plans to study Biochemistry. After recognizing that swimming competitively helped her to gain focus, confidence and determination to succeed, it also provided a path for a greater sense of focus on her studies and love of science-related subjects. As a first-generation American, her determination to succeed is fueled by the diligence and dedication learned from her parents and the perseverance that it took for them to succeed in a foreign country. Like her father, Tain plans to pursue a career in the medical field, where she, will no doubt, impact many lives. Locally, Tain has used her free time to volunteer with various clubs and organizations where she has learned that empathy should be employed when engaging in any social interaction.
Maaz Ahmed will join his classmate at the University of Texas at Austin to study Electrical/Computer Engineering. After meeting Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Bert Richardson at a student government leadership camp, Ahmed was inspired by his message to make a genuine impact, and give back to society. The recent California wildfires ignited a desire to contribute to breakthroughs in renewable and sustainable energy, such as solar energy systems and wind turbines. Additional goals include pursuing a PhD as he researches alternatives to power systems, eventually turning toward a career of teaching, to help inspire the next generation of engineers to contribute to the betterment of humanity. Ahmed has dedicated his time with multiple organizations in leadership roles both inside and out of school. Most notably, he was instrumental in getting space for a prayer room within the library for Muslim students to pray. His club interests include scholarly endeavors, governmental affairs and business and he is very active with at an Islamic institute and assisting Afghan refugees.
Waller High School recipients Taylor McCurdy and Carolyn Dinh are both members of the National Honor Society. Both demonstrated initiative, leadership and determination in working to maintain senior events that were cancelled due to changes in the law and lack of funding, so that senior year would be meaningful for the entire class. This fall, Taylor McCurdy will attend McMurray University in Abilene, Texas, where she will major in Exercise Health/Kinesiology with plans to continue her education to receive a doctoral degree in Physical Therapy. Her inspiration to become a physical therapist began in her Freshman year when she injured her rotator cuff playing softball. Her experiences and interactions with the physical therapist then, and again after suffering a knee injury solidified her interest in helping others to recover from similar injuries. As a student athlete, McCurdy has chosen activities that allow her to take leadership roles in support of others. In addition to softball, throughout her four years she has been involved with many clubs and organizations that contribute to the community such as 4-H and Waller FHA.
Carolyn Dinh plans to study mechanical engineering at Texas A & M University combining her love for math with her passion for problem solving and making a difference. Because Mechanical Engineering is so versatile, Dinh is interested in contributing to a more sustainable future by finding ways to make
technology more efficient and environmentally friendly. In this way, she hopes to design energy efficient systems, improve transportation, or create new innovative technology, preserving resources, making a meaningful impact on the world. She has accumulated over 300 volunteer and community service hours during high school through her work with various clubs, tutoring students in math and the Vietnamese language and her dedicated work with her church.
In addition to these deserving recipients from Bridgeland and Waller High Schools, Howard Hughes awarded 23 scholarships to several graduating seniors in high schools that serve their award-winning Houston-area communities, including Bridgeland, The Woodlands and The Woodlands Hills as well as local community colleges. We applaud Caitlin Tain, Maaz Ahmed, Taylor McCurdy and Carolyn Dinh, and all the graduates from Bridgeland and Waller High Schools. We wish them every success as they set off for college to fulfill their dreams.
