LITTLE VILLAGE — The Little Village Chamber of Commerce is offering $100,000 in scholarships for students of Mexican descent.
Applicants for the “Together We Can” scholarship must live in the Little Village neighborhood — or within a 10-mile radius — and demonstrate financial need. They must be about to graduate from high school or currently attend the University of Illinois at Chicago or St. Augustine College.
“This is a great opportunity for our youth in what is the youngest neighborhood in Chicago,” said Mario Galindo, president of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce. “Mexican-American students rely on financial aid to get through college, and such a significant scholarship will have a great impact in our community.”
José Guerrero is an elementary school music teacher and a master’s degree candidate at UIC. The 27-year-old funds his education through grants, scholarships, and working part-time gigs.
“I will apply for this scholarship because books themselves can get so expensive. And I certainly hope that Mexican kids take advantage of this money,” Guerrero said.
He said Latino college students face the added pressure of becoming the main breadwinners of the household, and financial aid is crucial to the success rate of first-generation students in higher education like him.
“There are ways to get through college, you just have to look for the right opportunities,” he said.
UIC is a partner in the scholarship fund because the school attracts a large number of Mexican-American students.
“We expect that many UIC students will be eager to apply, and we are pleased that the scholarships will assist students in our neighboring community,” said UIC Admissions Director Oscar Rodriguez.
St. Augustine College, for its part, hopes to engage more Latino students in its adult programs. College President Andrew Sund said the program “will pave the way for more people in our community to attain the dream of a college degree.”
Interested candidates must fill out the application, available at www.littlevillagechamber.org.
Applicants must write three short essays and submit a transcript and a letter of recommendation. The winners will be selected in November, and the scholarships will be awarded in amounts of $1,000, $2,000, $2,500 and $5,000.
The deadline to apply is Oct. 16, although officials plan to offer the scholarships again next year.
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