Hector P. Garcia MD Endowed Presidential Scholarship: The scholarship was founded in memory of Dr. Hector P. Garcia by the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Foundation. Dr. Garcia, a 1940 UTMB alumnus ,was a pioneering figure in the effort to secure civil rights for Mexican Americans. He was well known as the Founder of the American GI Forum as for his appointment to the United States Commission on Civil Rights. Dr. Garcia was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984, the only UTMB graduate to receive this designation. Dr. Garcia maintained an active private medical practice in Corpus Christi, with a commitment to the less fortunate, dispensing free medical care of patients. Candidates for the scholarship are asked to write a 1500 word essay, describing the life accomplishments of Dr. Garcia, that were relevant to their own pursuit of medicine, cultural competency skills, and leadership service in cross-cultural activities. Special preference is given to students from the Rio Grande Valley and Corpus Christi.