Our Alumni Spotlight for the month of April will be coming up on his six-year high school graduation anniversary next month.
Enrrique Santa Cruz graduated from Liberty Academy (now Victoria ISD Success Academy) in 2017. Before that, he attended Smith Elementary and then Patti Welder Middle School.
While at Liberty Academy, Santa Cruz took early college courses as extracurricular activities. “Liberty Academy early college courses prepared me for college after high school,” said Santa Cruz. “I knew I had to take every class seriously and study when I had the time.”
Taking those courses proved to be a great decision. In 2020, Santa Cruz graduated from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in communications. “The focus on education [at VISD] and the emphasis on always being prepared was impactful throughout my college career.”
Today, Santa Cruz is in his last semester as a law student at the University of Houston Law Center in Houston, Texas. In July, he will be sitting for the Bar Exam. In the fall, he will begin his career as a first-year associate at a Global Energy Law Firm in Houston.
During his time as a student at VISD, Santa Cruz made many significant memories, but just hanging out with his friends before the first and after the final bell is one he remembers fondly. “Meeting with friends before school started or right after school was always a great time!”
When asked if there were any teachers, coaches, or other adults who made an impact on his life while in school, Santa Cruz cannot name only one. “There are too many to name and I would be doing a disservice to all of my teachers that I had from Pre-K to 12th grade,” said Santa Cruz. “Every teacher that I had at VISD helped shape me to be the person I am today.”
Santa Cruz ended with words of wisdom for current and future VISD students, saying, “Education can open a lot of doors, but your hard work determines if you walk through that door.”
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Know a VISD alum that we should feature? We want to share their story! If you know or are a VISD alum, email us at visdcommunications@visd.net with your contact information and we will reach out.
Graisyn Nieto is the communications specialist at Victoria ISD.