Ten UHCL students awarded Bright Futures Intern Scholarship for spring 2026
For 10 University of Houston-Clear Lake students, saying “yes” to an unpaid internship this spring came with a cost: fewer work hours, tighter budgets, and added financial pressure.
The UHCL Bright Futures Intern Scholarship helped ease that burden, providing up to $1,300 to students completing unpaid, credit-based internships in their fields of study. Created to reduce financial barriers and expand access to hands-on learning, the scholarship supports students who demonstrate financial need and are enrolled in qualifying internship courses.
This semester’s recipients are Xiomarica Crawley, Areli Gorrostieta, Alexandra Benitez Briseno, Esmeralda Bustos, Evelyn Castillo, Andrea Gutierrez, Carmen Gutierrez Hernandez, Katherine Mai, Akpene Yaa Dawa Sekyi, and Carylon Wyant.
For many of them, the award was more than financial assistance; it was reassurance that their decision to pursue hands-on experience was possible.
Choosing growth over a paycheck
Esmeralda Bustos, a communication major completing her final semester, said accepting an unpaid internship carried significant risk.
“Receiving this scholarship honestly took a huge weight off my shoulders,” she said. “I chose to accept an unpaid internship at Texas Weddings Magazine during my final semester because I knew it would give me the real-world experience I needed for my career. But that decision also meant losing two to three days of income each week.”
With rent, car payments, utilities, groceries, gas, and medical expenses to cover, Bustos said the financial gap felt overwhelming. The Bright Futures Intern Scholarship helped close that gap.
“After receiving the scholarship, I was able to shift my focus,” she said. “I could walk into my internship thinking about how to grow, contribute, and learn, not how I was going to pay for my next specialist appointment or make up missed work hours.”
Bustos has balanced school, two jobs, an unpaid internship, and ongoing health appointments. She said the scholarship did not erase every challenge, but it gave her “breathing room,” space to prioritize her health while staying committed to graduating strong.
“There have been afternoons when I would normally be clocking in at one of my jobs, and instead I was fully present at my internship,” she said. “Instead of rushing out or worrying about lost wages, I could stay engaged in conversations, ask questions, and really absorb what I was learning.”
Her internship has also marked a shift in how she sees herself professionally. While previous roles at Burlington, Kroger, and 7Brew strengthened her adaptability and communication skills, she said the internship has helped her think more critically and communicate in a manner aligned with her degree.
“It’s helped me start seeing myself not just as a student or employee, but as a future professional,” Bustos said.
A renewed sense of purpose
For Katherine Mai, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Education, the scholarship motivated her at a pivotal moment in her academic journey.
“When receiving the scholarship, I was overjoyed, and it did boost my motivation to continue my schooling,” she said. After taking a long break from school, she admitted she was “a bit rusty,” and the financial support eased her transition back into academic life.
Mai, who is completing a teaching internship at the Pearland Independent School District (ISD), said the scholarship allowed her to focus more fully on her responsibilities without the same financial strain. Before receiving the award, she had paused therapy sessions for one to two months due to cost. With the additional support, she felt more confident and healthier in pursuing her needs without guilt.
“I am also caring for my sick grandfather, and he found joy in the fact that I was able to receive this scholarship,” she said, explaining that it gave her family hope and encouragement during a difficult time.
During her internship, Mai said she learned the importance of vigilance, flexibility, and giving herself grace under pressure.
“When it came to teaching, I felt I had to maximize every outlet possible to cater to someone else’s family and child while neglecting my own because I was too overstimulated,” she said. “There will always be a tomorrow with endless to-dos. It’s just important to refresh perspective to make it more manageable.”
Being named a Bright Futures Intern Scholarship recipient, Mai added, means knowing that “someone truly empathizes with my situation and that I am not without resources.”
Investing in opportunity
The Bright Futures Intern Scholarship specifically supports students participating in unpaid internships tied to academic credit, with preference given to those who demonstrate financial need through FAFSA or TASFA applications. Awards are based on available funding and student interest. For this spring’s recipients, the impact extends beyond an award. It has meant the difference between turning down an opportunity and stepping fully into it.
Bustos said receiving the scholarship gave her the confidence to pursue an unpaid internship that once felt out of reach.
“Choosing an unpaid internship felt risky,” she said. “Receiving the scholarship reminded me that someone believed in my potential enough to invest in it. That gave me confidence to keep pushing forward instead of playing it safe.”
She hopes other students facing similar pressures will apply.
“Balancing work, school, health, and finances isn’t easy,” Bustos said. “But there are resources out there, and applying for help doesn’t mean you’re failing; it means you’re determined. Don’t count yourself out before giving yourself a chance.”
Bernie Streeter, Strategic Partnerships program manager, said that the Bright Futures Intern Scholarship does more than ease financial stress. It empowers students to remain focused, complete their degrees, and fully engage in meaningful, real-world work within the industries they have worked so hard to enter.
“By reducing economic barriers, we create space for recipients to grow, thrive, and step confidently into their professional purpose,” she said.
As the spring 2026 cohort continues their internships, the Bright Futures Intern Scholarship at UHCL serves as a reminder that experiential learning should be accessible and that sometimes, a single investment can open the door to a student’s next chapter.
Participating in an unpaid internship for academic credit this summer? Apply for scholarship funding to support your experience. Intern Scholarships are awarded every semester, and the summer 2026 application will be open from April 27 to May 29, 2026. Students can apply online by logging into E-Services and selecting “Financial Aid” to access UHCL scholarships.
For more information about internship opportunities or the Bright Futures Intern Scholarship, contact Strategic Partnerships at strategicpartner@uhcl.edu or 281-283-2074.