Daniel Valdez, Nixon High School Salutatorian, has been selected as a 2026 recipient of the Gates Scholarship, one of the most prestigious and competitive scholarships in the nation. Valdez has added another accolade to his academic achievements and will be attending their dream school on a full scholarship.
Daniel will become an Aggie as he will enroll this fall at Texas A&M University in College Station. He will be pursuing a degree in Animal Science and hopefully attend Veterinary School.
While sitting at a Laredo City Council Meeting, Daniel got the news he was hoping to read. It was exactly 7:00pm when he got the notification that would change his future.
“I was very excited. I was very happy. I felt very accomplished and proud of myself,” Valdez said. “It’s not something that I thought I would get. “I want to thank God for allowing me to receive this scholarship and for giving me the opportunity to study at Texas A&M. Because without God I would not be able to get this.”
The road to becoming a Gates Scholars for Valdez was a long process that included three phases. The first step was submitting his information. The second step was submitting three essays. The third and final step was his interview.
Valdez was among 750 students selected from a pool of 61,000 candidates as a result of their academic achievements, leadership skills, and community service. Each student will receive a scholarship that can be used to pursue a degree in any undergraduate major at accredited colleges or universities. To be eligible for the program students must meet several requirements including being Hispanic, have earned a minimum grade point average of 3.3, and have demonstrated leadership abilities through participation in community service or extracurricular activities.
“The first thing I did was go straight home to tell my mom and let her know about the scholarship I received,’ Valdez said. “She was very happy. She hugged me and you could see it in her face of how proud she was of me.”
“Getting the Gates Scholarship is a huge financial relief for my family,” he said. “I will be able to attend college without having to pay for my undergraduate degree.”
“I want to thank my mom, she has struggled so much to provide for our family, and my counselor Mrs. Gonzalez for her guidance, support, and motivation to be the hard-working student that I am,”
Nixon High School is very proud of the accomplishments achieved by Daniel,” said Nixon High School Principal Rogelio Garcia. “We would like to congratulate him for being selected as a Gates Scholars.”
As part of the Gates Scholarship, Valdez will also have the opportunity to attend The Gates Scholarship Summer Institute, a multi- day conference designed to connect the Class of 2026 and prepare scholars for college and beyond. He hopes to gain a new network of friends that share the same interest and that he can talk to in the future.
Daniel will be graduating with an overall GPA of 106.63. Valdez is also a student at the Business, Industry, and Public Services Early College Academy and was dual-enrolled at Laredo College, where he obtained his Associates degree.
Valdez was a San Antonio Legacy Scholarship recipient, JROTC Honorable Cadet, Perfect Attendance certifications, Bilingual Education Scholar of the Year, Top Three medals in UIL Number Sense, JROTC Battalion S1 rank, twice named Distinguished Cadet Award recipient, Horatio Alger Association Scholarship recipient, Mr. South Texas Foundation Scholarship recipient, and second place overall team at NEISD Urban Raider Challenge.
As for extra-curricular activities, Daniel held numerous leadership positions that reflect his dedication to service and school spirit. He served as a member of the Laredo Youth Council, JROTC, National Honor Society, Student Council, Chess Club, Science Club, Interact Club, and Future Farmers of America.
Daniel volunteers with his church as a pastor assistant, drummer, Laredo Animal Control Services where he gains hands-on experience with animals. His hobbies include playing basketball, watching educational videos on being a veterinarian, reading, and biking.
He attended Bruni Elementary School and Memorial Middle School. Daniel is the proud son of Cresencia and Manuel Valdez.