When Dr. Jonathan Rowland was a high school student at Del Valle High School in Austin, Texas, the path to college wasn’t entirely clear. His mother had never finished school, and while his father had attended college, he hadn’t completed his degree. His father had been living and working out-of-state since 2001, and his mother was doing the best she could. But with college quickly approaching, Jonathan lacked direct guidance on navigating the complex college admissions process.
That’s when he found College Possible Texas.
Through the program, Jonathan received critical support in completing his college applications. He had multiple College Possible coaches reviewing and refining his essays—an experience he says made a significant difference. “I couldn’t believe they were doing something for me at no cost. It blew my mind,” he recalls.
With College Possible Texas’s support, Jonathan was accepted into the prestigious Plan II Honors Program at the University of Texas at Austin. After graduating from Del Valle High School in 2008, he pursued a double major at UT, earning two bachelor’s degrees in 2013. His journey then took him to San Antonio for medical school, which he completed in 2017.
Drawn to emergency medicine, Jonathan’s career led him to Detroit for residency and later to the University of California, Irvine, where he completed an ultrasound fellowship. He has come full circle back to Texas, raising two young children with his wife and creating and managing a point-of-care ultrasound program for the Acute Cancer Care Center at MD Anderson.
Jonathan credits College Possible Texas with helping him take that crucial step toward a medical career. “I think my compelling application made the difference in getting into Plan II Honors, and that opened doors for more opportunities that made it all possible. College Possible Texas was a very valuable experience, and I hope more students get the privilege to be guided by them,” he says.
His story is a powerful testament to the impact of access to guidance and support. For students like Jonathan, College Possible Texas is more than just a program—it’s a launchpad for the future.
