Desiree Tejada is a junior studying Nursing at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. She is minoring in Health Science Administration. She plans to get a Master of Nursing and eventually own her own practice.

Desiree’s father, Marine Corps GySgT Guillermo Tejada, was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED) while on foot patrol in Afghanistan in 2010, losing his legs upon impact. His unit then came under attack, and he was unable to be medevaced for hours. During this time GySgT Tejada continued to lead his men, and he maintained consciousness up until the point that he was able to be medevaced. Once he was stable, he went to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. He remained in Germany until he was able to make the trip to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, now known as the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.  In addition to losing both legs, he suffered a concussion, ruptured eardrum, trauma below the waist and injuries to his left arm and hand. Today, he continues his care at Brooke Army Medical Center.

Desiree says, “Words cannot begin to explain the gratitude I have for organizations like No Greater Sacrifice. My scholarship allows me to focus on academics rather than the financial burden of student loans, and puts me that much closer to my goal of graduating debt-free and joining the medical field as a nurse.

"Inadvertently, this scholarship will allow me to give back to the multitude of organizations that have helped my dad and our family throughout his recovery and to this day. My top priority is to one day give back. I believe that by furthering my education I will be able to do so, and this is what keeps me going each day."