The USF Latin Scholarship Program marks its 30th year

Tampa, Florida (AP) – Paula Sequera faced an uncertain future when she was sent from her native Nicaragua at the age of eight to live with her aunt and uncle in Brandon.

She came with her 6-year-old sister Javiera and they only spoke Spanish. And the tragedy of their early years was marred by the death of their father, Roberto Antonio Sequera, during an earthquake in Mexico and a plane crash in Managua that killed their brother and left their mother severely disabled.

But Squeira carved a path in her new life, excelling in school and graduating first in her class at Brandon High School. She dreamed of becoming a doctor and took her first steps towards that goal at the University of South Florida.

Today, Dr. Paula Sekera, 47, is an endocrinologist working as an internal medicine specialist serving largely low-income families at Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center.

It is one of hundreds of stories of Hispanic students with an uncertain future who credit their achievements to a program that helped them push their way through the USF.

In the 30 years since its inception, the Latino Scholarship Program has done more than pay the bills. It has created a support community that helps ensure success in life for its recipients.

The program brings together scholars and mentors and offers a monthly series of teaching skills for professional development such as resume writing, dinner etiquette, and communication.

“The feeling of solidarity that characterizes this scholarship grows every year,” Squeira said. “They are like family.”

The newest recipients and those from the past were honored in September during the 30th Latino Scholarship Awards Ceremony at the USF Marshall Student Center.

“It’s a beautiful initiative,” said Jose Valente, president of the USF, which coordinates this and six other scholarship programs. “There are other similar programs in the country, but this scholarship is unique because nowadays scholars are giving back and sharing their successes with the community.”

Valente said he understands the importance and impact of the programme. He is an accounting graduate from US University in 1973 and comes from a low-income family and was the first in his family to go to college.

Rhea Lu, Interim President of the university, said during the awards ceremony: “The USAU Latino Scholarship Program reflects a core commitment to helping our talented Latino students access a world-class educational experience—not just through financial assistance, but through mentorship. and community participation. ceremony.

The Latino Scholarship Program pays a minimum of $2,000 per semester for tuition and fees and is renewable for up to 10 semesters.

Each year, the program supports 40 new recipients and 100 returning recipients. Finally, more than $4.2 million in scholarships has been awarded to more than 600 students. The money comes from donations and not from government grants.

The program is open to graduates of accredited high schools or community colleges in Hillsboro, Pinellas, Polk, Manatee, Pasco, Hernando, and Sarasota counties.

Requirements include financial need, a 3.0 grade point average, and completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Strong consideration is given to students who are fluent in Spanish and those who attend college in their families.

The USF program may be unique among Florida universities for its support community, but many other financial aid options are available to Hispanic students through public and private sources.

Seventy scholarships worth up to $100,000 are advertised on one website, scholarships.com. Among the country’s largest programs is the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, which has provided $650 million in scholarships since 1975 and also offers a wide range of support services.

Hispanic high school graduates who enter the University of Central Florida are automatically considered for a National Latin Scholarship, awarded “for recognition of outstanding academic performance” and renewable for eight semesters.

Unenrolled students are not eligible for the need-based Latino scholarship program, but can apply for merit-based financial assistance offered through the USF such as the Latinos Status Scholarships or SOL.

Squeira, who received a degree in biology from the University of South Florida and graduated with honors from the University of Miami School of Medicine, was the first student to receive a scholarship when he began the USF Latino Scholarship Program in 1992.

A recent benefactor is Eddie Antonio Santoyo, 20, of Tampa, who is hoping to land a job in financial planning. Santoyo, a junior student, majors in finance and studios and is in his third year as a scholarship recipient.

This means that he does not need full-time work to pay for school: “It helps us because it allows us to move forward with our studies and achieve our goals.”

Santoyo’s parents, Carmen Cortes and Antonio Santoyo, came from the western Mexican state of Michoacan in 1996. From a young age, Santoyo saw his father struggle to earn a living as a construction worker, sometimes working seven days a week.

“They did everything to give us a better life and this is what I want to do for my community,” Santoyo said.

His brother Alexis, 23, is also a former recipient of the Latino Scholarship Program. Graduated in 2019 with a degree in Political Science. The two are the first to pursue professional careers in their family.

“I am so grateful that I can focus on my future,” Santoyo said. “My responsibility is my studies and I want my parents to be proud of me.”

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