San Juan, Friday, October 2, 2020 | In order to provide supplemental aid to young college students who demonstrate financial need, the Puerto Rico Community Foundation (FCPR) and Hispanic Federation (HF) announced today the awarding of 195 scholarships from the Hispanic Federation Puerto Rico Recovery and Relief Fund to young people from 57 villages on the island. The scholarship recipients study a variety of concentrations at local universities or educational institutions, and received between $500 and $1,500 by the year 2020, representing an investment of $191,000 in Puerto Rico's human capital.
This is the third scholarship award of the Hispanic Federation Puerto Rico Recovery and Relief Fund, established in late 2017 by HF at FCPR in response to the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Since then, the fund has awarded $475,000 in scholarships to 514 students. “Hispanic Federation has contributed to various local causes through non-profit organizations to help the island recover. Among these, access to education has been one of our priorities because we recognize how vulnerable students are in this period of their lives. We do not want anything to derail them from their academic goals, which is why we have been present through this fund, to help them and encourage them to move forward. We thank the Puerto Rico Community Foundation for once again collaborating in this effort,” said Frankie Miranda, president and CEO of Hispanic Federation.
The scholarship recipients participated in a virtual meeting today, along with scholarship recipients from the previous two years (2018 and 2019), in which they had the opportunity to hear the inspiring life stories of former Major League Baseball player and philanthropist Carlos Delgado; the dean of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) School of Law, Lic. Vivian I. Neptune Rivera; and singer, activist and university professor Welmo Romero Joseph, characterized by dedication, perseverance and community commitment. “We cannot be satisfied with the ‘no's’ we will receive in life. In spite of all those ‘no's’, keep preparing yourselves. Education can never be taken away from you,” said Neptune Rivera in her message. “Work for your dreams so that they cease to be part of utopia and become part of your daily life,” Romero Joseph emphasized. “Trust in yourselves, in your preparation. Look at the challenges and turn them into opportunities,” said Delgado. After listening to the messages, the students expressed their motivation and hope for the future.
On the other hand, one of the scholarship recipients, Karen Agosto Valentín, commented that the “effort hurts, and that pain has been one of the great challenges I have faced..., but if we stay focused on the goal, we will get there. Let's continue from the breakthrough. I know these are difficult, convulsive times, but there are always wonderful people and the good ones are more. Thank you for this support because it will help us to continue our career.
For the president of FCPR, Dr. Nelson I. Colón Tarrats, the HF fund has demonstrated how relevant and useful this philanthropic mechanism is for transformation processes that pursue equitable access to community resources. “What started as a one-year solicitation was extended to three years. Hispanic Federation's fund has represented a balm of hope for hundreds of Puerto Rican students who wish to continue their university studies, despite having gone through hurricanes, earthquakes and, now, the Covid-19 pandemic. We are very grateful for Hispanic Federation's commitment to Puerto Rico, as well as its vision and philanthropic contribution to the human capital of our island,” said Colón Tarrats.
A total of 211 students applied for the 2019-2020 scholarship and underwent a selection process that considered their financial support needs and academic progress, among other eligibility criteria. The 195 students are studying at 10 of the 11 campuses of the University of Puerto Rico and multiple campuses of 16 private universities on the island that include Ana G. Méndez University, Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, Carlos Albizu University, Universidad Central de Bayamón, Universidad Politécnica de Puerto Rico, Pontificia Universidad Católica de PR and Ponce Health and Science University, among others. The scholarship recipients excel in a variety of disciplines, including: business administration, aviation, animation, bioengineering, biology, biotechnology, agricultural sciences, environmental sciences, biomedical sciences, computer sciences, forensic sciences, communications, counseling, accounting, law, business development, fashion design, graphic design, divinity, economics, education, nursing, finance, management, history, engineering, criminal justice, marketing, microbiology, journalism, production, psychology, chemistry, human resources, public relations, public health, systems, sociology, automotive technology, network technology, speech therapy, physical therapy, social work, and tourism, among many others.
Their towns of residence are: Aguada, Adjuntas, Aguas Buenas, Añasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta, Barranquitas, Bayamón, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Canóvanas, Carolina, Cataño, Cayey, Ceiba, Cidra, Corozal, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guánica, Guayama, Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao, Jayuya, Juana Díaz, Lajas, Lares, Las Marías, Las Piedras, Loíza, Luquillo, Manatí, Mayagüez, Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Peñuelas, Ponce, Quebradillas, Rincón, Río Grande, San Germán, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastián, Toa Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado and Vega Alta.
Periodically, the FCPR publishes in www.fcpr.org calls for scholarships from the 35 funds it currently administers for this philanthropic purpose. If you wish to establish a scholarship fund to continue supporting the human capital of our island, call 787-721-1037 and ask for the Development area.
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About the Puerto Rico Community Foundation | A nonprofit organization that for the past 35 years has advised individuals, families, corporations and foundations on how to channel their philanthropic concerns. The advice seeks to ensure that donors' contributions have an impact on the self-development of Puerto Ricans. In addition, FCPR's strategic plan promotes equitable and sustainable access to clean water, renewable energy, housing, economic development and education. The FCPR is the first foundation of its kind in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, and today the only one in Puerto Rico.
About Hispanic Federation | The mission of the Hispanic Federation is to empower and promote the Hispanic community. The Federation works closely with Latino health and human service agencies to promote the social, political and economic well-being of the Latino community. The Federation's seven strategic action areas include education, health, economic empowerment, immigration, civic participation, environment and organizational development assistance. Hispanic Federation works in more than 20 states and has offices in PR, CT, DC, FL, RI and is headquartered in NY. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Maria, HF established permanent operations in Puerto Rico and have committed over $39 million to recovery through over 130 local initiatives and groups. For more information, visit www.hispanicfederationpuertorico.org.