The Paso del Norte Community Foundation is proud to partner with Western Technical College (WTC) on their charitable fund dedicated to raising money to provide educational and technical training for students in the West Texas region.  On March 8, 2022, Tropicana Properties announced their partnership with WTC to offer a full-tuition scholarship to two residents that reside in their properties. Interested residents were required to apply and submit an essay.

An apartment management company, Tropicana, knows firsthand the importance of having skilled individuals that can maintain, troubleshoot, and repair the units on their properties. The decision to invest in the Western Technical College Fund was made because of the programs that are offered by WTC and the shortage of technicians in the industry.

“Tropicana Properties is proud to be locally owned and fully operated here in El Paso,” says Bobby Bowling IV, Owner of Tropicana Properties. “We hope by setting this example, others will be motivated to consider similar investments in education to benefit El Paso.”

Brad Kuykendall, CEO of Western Technical College commented, “We are honored and excited to partner with Tropicana Properties and fully appreciate and commend them for the support they are showing to their residents and the difference they are trying to make by impacting and educating our El Paso community. We encourage other organizations in the El Paso community to offer financial assistance to individuals looking to better their future and keep skilled talent in our Sun City.”

Joseph Meza is the first recipient to receive a full scholarship. Mr. Meza expressed in his essay that the Refrigeration and HVAC industry was a career he always wanted to pursue since high school. He took the first steps a few years ago and started looking into enrolling. However, he was faced with several obstacles that forced his goals to be put on hold. In addition to his family’s financial struggles, he also has a medical condition. With the world facing a pandemic, he was hesitant and leery about going to school while Covid-19 cases were at their peak.

Now with the financial assistance and fewer cases, Joseph is now ready to start his education. Joseph has been selected to attend WTC and enroll in the HVAC program.

“Thank you so much for this scholarship. I’ve been working with an HVAC company, and I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to continue learning and receiving the appropriate training to further my career,” said Meza.

Mr. Bowling stated, “Our community is rich in talent including Mr. Meza, who has shown exceptional potential and through this scholarship, we know we are investing not only in him but also in the future of our city.”

To support students like Joseph and invest in the Western Technical College, please visit: Western Technical College Fund.