CORPUS CHRISTI – Ozzy Perez never shies away from a challenge. He began his career in IT as the youngest Marine in his unit before moving on to a career in leadership. After working for several companies and climbing his way up the organizational ladder, Perez is ready to complete his MBA in Information Technology Management from WGU Texas.

Before his role as Division Network Engineer for HCA Healthcare, Perez worked as a network analyst for the City of Corpus Christi. “I went from pulling cables and digging holes to programming switches, routers and firewalls,” he said. “IT is great because there is always more to learn, one day you’re an expert and the next you’re learning something new again.”

Equipped with leadership expertise from his military training, Perez helped staff members thrive and move into higher paying positions. “I helped them earn their CCNA certifications,” he said, “it was really rewarding seeing them succeed and knowing that I contributed to that.”

WGU Texas presented Perez with the Healthcare Partners Fund Scholarship to support his dream of earning a master’s degree in information technology. “My goal is to take over as Director of IT at HCA Healthcare and encourage others to advance their careers through higher education,” he said.

The WGU Healthcare Partners Fund Scholarship is worth up to $2,500 and is exclusive to HCA employees. The scholarship is applied to any bachelor’s or master’s program within WGU’s College of Health Professions, College of Information Technology, or College of Business.

To learn more about scholarships offered through WGU Texas, visit our website at www.wgu.edu/texas.