The Huntsman Corporation hosted its sixth annual Huntsman Scholarship Reception on April 23 at the Houston City Place Marriott at Springwoods Village. The evening brought together company leaders, Spring ISD board members, campus principals, senior leadership and proud families to celebrate 16 outstanding seniors from Dekaney, Spring, Westfield and Carl Wunsche Sr. high schools.
Each student will receive a $20,000 STEM or business scholarship that will carry them through four years of college and into the careers they have spent years working toward.
But beyond the celebration, the evening told a deeper story — one about an active community investing in its students.
For Westfield High School senior Zaire Mack, being selected brought both relief and a renewed sense of purpose. Mack, who plans to study data analytics at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, said the scholarship opened a door that once felt uncertain.
“There was a chance I wouldn’t even be able to go to college if I didn’t get this opportunity,” Mack said. “In the future, I want to be able to put myself in the position where I can do this same thing for other students, and give back to kids in my community — kids I can see myself in.”
His uncle James Brown, who attended the ceremony, said the moment affirmed everything he has seen in his nephew.
“I am so proud of the person he has become,” Brown said. “He puts the work in, he’s dedicated, and to hear him talk about his future plans speaks volumes about the type of person he is going to be.”
Mack and the other recipients represent exactly the type of investment Huntsman Corporation Chairman of the Board, President and CEO Peter R. Huntsman had in mind when the program launched six years ago. For Huntsman, Thursday evening was a reminder of why they continue to show up for this community.
“To be connected with these families, these young people, to feel their energy and their future — you come here and it’s just beautiful,” Huntsman said.
That connection, he added, drives the company’s continued investment in the community.
“We have a responsibility to leave this world better than how we found it,” Huntsman said. “That’s the whole purpose of life. Hopefully when we leave, we’ve done something for somebody, put a smile on somebody’s face. I can’t think of a better investment than investing in future generations.”
That commitment is echoed by Spring ISD Superintendent Dr. Kregg Cuellar, as he said partnerships like the one the district has built with the Huntsman Corporation over six years are exactly what make the difference for students who need it most.
“The ripple effect that this program has on children’s lives is profound,” Cuellar said. “Whether it’s through mentorship, connections, or simply knowing that someone believes in you — the impact it has, even in one child, ripples across their future.”
The 2026 Huntsman Scholarship recipients are:
Andy Dekaney High School
- Keirra Collins — Lamar University — Entrepreneurship and Investor Science
- Raiheem Pondexter — Morehouse College — Computer Science
Carl Wunsche Sr. High School
- Justin Del Cid Argueta — Texas A&M University — Veterinarian
- Sarahi Perez — University of Houston — Finance
- Ryan Pham — University of Houston — Dentist
- Gianni Rodriguez — University of Houston — Lawyer
- Nathan Villatoro — Houston Christian University — Power and Grid Systems Engineer
Spring High School
- Shantrell Bradford — The University of Texas at Austin — Accounting
- Saniyah Lay — Texas State University — Chief Financial Officer or Hedge Fund Manager
- Justin Matute — Texas State University/Duke Kunshan University — Surgeon
- Qylah Moss — The University of Texas at Austin — Dermatologist
Westfield High School
- Jade Francis — Grambling State University — Pediatrician
- Desiree Herrera — Texas A&M University — Veterinarian
- Blessing Madamombe — Lamar University — Computer Engineer
- Zaire Mack — North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University — Data Analyst
- Emily Valladares — The University of Texas at Austin — Business CEO