This Month Community in Action Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities Leadership In Focus: A Personal Journey Alumni Spotlight: The Honorable Alberto R. Gonzales Education Issues in the News Contact Information

Welcome to the fourth edition of the HSF Scholar Chapter E-Newsletter. Each month you will receive a new edition with highlights of Scholar Chapter events, information on scholarship and fellowship opportunities, articles by HSF Scholars, and recent news headlines. HSF Scholar Chapters are campus organizations that engage students in academic, leadership, and professional opportunities. They are open to all students.

Community in Action

National Think College! Week Events
The Scholar Chapters kicked off National Think College! Week with a full slate of programs from March 1st to March 7th. National Think College! Week was concieved as a way to motivate younger Hispanic students nationwide to think about the importance of college. At each of these events chapter members served as role models and leaders in the community, particularly as mentors and peer resources to younger students. Events included a campus tour and panel with administrators for high school students at the University of Washington; a workshop for high school students on the college application process at the University of Chicago; and Chapter members at Yale University lead a discussion about Hispanic culture and the Latino/a identity with middle school students. A full list of National Think College! Week events can be found on the HSF website and you can read more about the purpose of these activities in the news as well.

The University of Chicago Addressess "Education Meltdown"
On Saturday February 28th, the University of Chicago Scholar Chapter co-hosted an event called "Education Meltdown" addressing many issues facing the current state of Latino higher education. The event brought together a panel of students, professors and adminstrators to address the importance of higher education to the Latino community. Issues addressed by the panelists included the effects of culture on the drop out rates among Latinos, the advantages of being bilingual, the future of the Latino population as the largest minority in U.S. and financing college. The panel segment was followed by workshops on these issues as well. The event proved to be a great success and was done in collaboration with MEChA, La Unidad Latina and the Organization of Latin American Students.

Cultural/Political Forum at the University of Florida Highlights Student Experiences
The Scholar Chapter at the University of Florida brought together a panel of faculty and students for a cultural/political forum on Feburary 23rd. The event allowed students on the panel who were either directly or indirectly affected by the political circumstances in their native countries to give personal testimonials and tell their story as to why they live in the United States. The students' personal accounts added to a discussion of issues facing minority groups by two professors on the panel from the Latino Studies Department. The event was well received by students and proved to be a great way for members to interact directly with faculty on campus.

To see photos of events at our twenty chapters, visit the HSF Scholar Chapter Photo Album.

HSF Scholar Chapter Photo Album

	Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities
9th Annual National Hispanic Sustainable Energy & Environmental Conference Travel Scholarship The Conference is on April 3-6, 2004 in Albuquerque, NM and will feature 30 workshops, a major Career Fair, site visits to environmental facilities, and the opportunity to network with hundreds of fellow students and environmental professionals from around the country. Students interested in receiving a Travel Scholarship to attend must send a resume, college transcripts, plus a one page letter that explains their career goals, why they wish to attend the Conference, and how they intend to use what they learn for the future. (Deadline: First come, first serve) Amount: Scholarship includes:on-site registration materials; roundtrip airfare; hotel for three days (Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, departure Tuesday evening); and most meals at the Conference. Eligibility: Any college students enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program. William Randolph Hearst Endowed Scholarships for Minority Students This scholarship seeks to introduce a diverse group of students to issues relating to philanthropy, voluntarism, and nonprofit organizations. Recipients may arrange with their colleges or universities to receive academic credit for this experience. Organized by the Nonprofit Sector Research Fund, a part of the Aspen Institute in Washington, D.C. (Deadline: March 15, 2004) Amount: $2,800 - $4,200 and summer internship. Eligibility: Available to undergraduate and graduate students with a strong academic record, analytical abilities, background in social sciences/humanities, and demonstrated financial need. The Department of Energy (DOE)/Hispanic Scholarship Fund Institute (HSF Institute) Scholarship in Environmental Management The scholarship is open to Latino students majoring in fields pertinent to environmental restoration and waste management including, but not limited to the following academic disciplines: Engineering, Sciences and Business. (Deadline: March 15, 2004) Amount: Scholarships of $3,000 to four-year university students. Eligibility: Undergraduate students enrolled full-time and of Hispanic heritage. Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) Summer Business Program A competitive, three-day program which sends students to New York to learn about current trends in the business world and how businesses are organized. (Deadline: March 15, 2004) Amount: All expenses paid, June 15-17, 2004 in New York City. Eligibility: Students of African, Hispanic/Latino, or Native American descent in their first or second year at selected institutions (see website for a detailed list). "Justicia en Diversidad" Scholarship & Mentorship Program The Foundation's goal in establishing this program is to promote diversity within the legal field. In addition to receiving a cash gift of $1500, scholarship finalists will be paired with a Harvard Law student or Harvard Law graduate mentor of Latino heritage who can address questions and concerns that may arise as the student progresses through his or her educational endeavors. Applicants must, therefore, show a strong interest in pursuing a career in law. (Deadline: March 27, 2004) Amount: $1500 Eligibility: Applicants must be of Latino heritage, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale and attend an accredited two or four-year U.S. college on a full-time basis during the 2004-2005 academic year. Breakthrough Collaborative Teaching Internships seeking Students of Color Breakthrough offers hundreds of paid internships nationwide and in Hong Kong for college students to teach high-achieving, middle school students from low- income, underserved urban schools. (Deadline: April 12, 2004) Amount: $750 stipend per summer, additional funding available based on financial need. Eight week commitment during the summer, dates vary depending on site. If accepted as a homestay teacher, room and board is free for the summer. Eligibility: Freshman, sophomore, junior or senior college students currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program with less than five years full time professional experience. 2004 Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Scholarship Program An annual award for Latino students with a strong commitment to the Latino community, a history of leadership and public service, and a desire to continue contributing to the community. (Deadline: April 15, 2004) Amount: $5,000 Eligibility: Hispanic citizens and permanent residents who have been accepted into a graduate degree program. Open to students in all fields. Applicants must demonstrate financial need and a history of community involvement. 2004 Sallie Mae Fund First in My FamilyŽ Scholarship Program The First in My Family Scholarship Program offers scholarships to Hispanic students who are the first in their family to attend college. (Deadline: April 15, 2004) Amount: $500 to 5,000 Eligibility: Be a US citizen; Be of Hispanic descent; Be the first in their family to attend college; Be a student already enrolled in a full-time undergraduate course of study at an accredited postsecondary institution; Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). 2004 Sallie Mae Fund Unmet Need Scholarship Program For many students, the unmet need-the gap between the college cost and the financial aid package-is too big to manage. The Sallie Mae Fund will provide $1 million in 2004 to help meet the last dollar needs of students. (Deadline: May 31, 2004) Amount: $1,000 to $3,800 Eligibility: Be a US citizen; Have a family adjusted gross income for calendar year 2003 of $30,000 or less; Demonstrate unmet financial need of at least $1,000 after the financial aid award package has been determined; Be a student already enrolled in a full-time undergraduate course of study at an accredited postsecondary institution; Have a cumulative GPA between 2.5 and 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). Other scholarships offered by the Sallie Mae Fund: The American Dream Scholarship Program (open to students of African- American descent) and The Sallie Mae 9/11 Education Fund Scholarship Program (open to children of those who were killed or permanently disabled as a result of the terrorist attacks). Other Opportunities Have plans for the Summer? Get started now! Research over 100 Summer Opportunities for Undergraduate Minority Students and download a resource guide of excellent scholarship, fellowship, and internship opportunities from the website. Also, find out more about HSF Scholarships and other scholarships at the HSF web site.

	Leadership In Focus: A Personal Journey
I am the oldest of five children. My family and I are originally from Tarimoro (the Place of the Willow), Guanajuato a place in the highlands of Central Mexico. My family migrated to California when I was four-years- old for economic reasons. My father worked as a farm worker and my mother worked in the fields picking fruit. Today my father is retired and disabled from a work related injury and my mother is now working at a seasonal fruit packing plant. I was enrolled in the small rural farming community public school in Linden, California. I quickly became a target of physical and mental abuse from the other students, particularly ones much older and bigger than me, because the color of my skin and lack of English skills. In this unfriendly harsh environment, I learned to survive and become a leader. It took me three years, but I learned to read, write and speak English and became an honor student shortly there after. I became recognized as a top student in all subjects in the classroom by my teachers. In high school, I was recognized as an outstanding athlete and was also an honor student finishing the highest math class my school offered my junior year. I enrolled in Calculus my senior year at Delta Community College and was encouraged to pursue a higher education degree in engineering. My senior year I was very excited to be graduating, the first person in my family to ever get a elementary education and now a secondary diploma. Late spring before graduation, many of my friends were getting letters of acceptance to universities and scholarship notices. I waited for a letter, but never got one. I was not aware that you needed to apply to get into universities or for scholarships. My parents did not understand English and even less the processes of schooling. I decided to attend community college at the College of the Sequoias Community College to play football. I took general education classes at first along with beginning engineering classes. I liked engineering classes, and one day I went on a field trip to see engineers at work. I realized that I did not want to spend the rest of my life as an engineer, because I like social interaction and helping others. I switched to Sports Medicine, where I felt much more at home especially being an athlete myself. I joined the U. S. Army Reserves after one year of community college, for the G.I. education benefits so that when I transferred to a university I could afford it. I was trained as an orthopedic technician. My second year at College of the Sequoias, I was called to active duty to serve in Desert Storm. I answered my call to duty. When I came back home, I was no longer the same person that I was before (some of my friends killed themselves after coming home). Life became a real challenge for me. I sought professional medical help through the V.A. I did not get better, so I moved to live with my grandfather at my mothers urging and to forget the world I knew before. Five years later, I had grown close to my grandfather and felt strong enough to attempt to return back to the world I left behind.I enrolled at Porterville Community College to take a couple of classes just to see if I was really ready to be at school. I did well in those classes and enrolled in more classes that I needed to finish up my A.A. so that I could transfer to a university. I however did not want to continue in the field of medicine because of my experience of being a medic in the Persian Gulf War. I graduated with an A.A. in Liberal Arts and transferred to Humboldt State University to pursue a degree in Native American Studies. I chose Native American Studies because of my strong desire to work with and use my education for the amelioration of Native American communities. I graduated Cum Laude from Humboldt State University along with serving as Student Body President and was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, National Leadership Honor Society. With my abilities to do well in school and serve as role model and leader, I applied to the masters program in Latin American Studies at the University of Arizona where I would have the opportunity to focus my research on the indigenous peoples of Mexico. Since then, I have had the opportunity to study the Mixtec language by native speakers in Oaxaca, Mexico, and to do also an internship with the Mexican Consulate of Tucson. I expect to graduate Magna Cum Laude this May. I plan to take some time off to replenish and prepare myself for the doctorate program in Language, Reading and Culture at the University of Arizona. My current goal is to focus my research on developing bilingual indigenous language curriculum to be used in indigenous communities' schools of both the United States and Mexico. Carmen Tirado-Paredes is in the final year of a Master of Arts program in Latin American Studies at the University of Arizona and currently serves as the Student Coordinator for the University of Arizona HSF Scholar Chapter.

	Alumni Spotlight: The Honorable Alberto R. Gonzales
The Honorable Alberto R. Gonzales (Honorary HSF Scholar) became a member of the HSF Hall of Fame in 2003. The second of eight children, he was born in San Antonio to parents who had not completed elementary school. Although college was intitally not on his radar screen, he attended the Air Force Academy and graduated from Rice University and Harvard University's law school. After practicing law in Houston and becoming one the first two people from a minority group to make partner, he eventually got an opportunity to serve as Governer George W. Bush's top legal advisor during his first term. Governor Bush would go on to name Alberto Secretary of State in 1997 and appoint him to the Texas Supreme Court in 1999, making him only the second Hispanic to serve on the state's highest civil court. Once Governor Bush was elected President of the United States, Alberto Gonzales became the first Hispanic to serve as White House Counsel advising the President on all legal issues concerning the Office of the President and the White House, including policy, ethics and legislation. HSF Alumni Hall of Fame »

	Education Issues in the News
Money woes confront first generation college students (CNN, 3/8/04) "As long as they've known each other -- from their days in middle school to their freshmen year at Kutztown University -- Victor Nivar and Danny Hernandez have also known financial hardship." LA Raza: Education, jobs, health top Latino agenda (People's Weekly World Newspaper, 3/3/04) "Lack of quality education, health care, and good jobs, and widespread discrimination define the "State of Hispanic America" and are critical issues for Latinos in the 2004 election, said Raul Yzaguirre, president of the National Council of La Raza." Institute explores Latino voting power (The Daily Trojan, 2/27/04) "The Tomás Rivera Policy Institute conference highlighted the intricacies of Latino constituencies. Over 200 experts on Latino politics gathered at the Davidson Conference Center on Thursday to discuss the realities of the contemporary Latino experience in politics."

	Contact Information
Student Coordinators California State University, Fresno a_beltran1@hotmail.com California State University, Fullerton valdez_veronica2002@yahoo.com Columbia University vvv4@columbia.edu Harvard University tbosquez@law.harvard.edu New York University rt502@nyu.edu Stanford University torres04@stanford.edu Texas A&M University nunbee@yahoo.com University of Arizona melo@u.arizona.edu University of California, Berkeley rleal@uclink.berkeley.edu University of California, Los Angeles afeijoo@ucla.edu University of California, San Diego myfuentes@ucsd.edu University of Chicago yborrego@uchicago.edu University of Florida zonia55@aol.com University of Miami Riddle555@aol.com University of New Mexico nybaker7@aol.com University of Southern California cesargon@usc.edu University of Texas, Austin roxanamc2001@yahoo.com University of Washington agueros@astro.washington.edu Yale University ryan.murguia@yale.edu The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is the nation's leading organization supporting Hispanic higher education. Its mission is to double the rate of Hispanics earning college degrees to 18 percent by 2010. The HSF Scholar Chapter Network is committed to helping students achieve their full potential and contribute meaningfully to all the communities they touch. HSF Scholar Chapters promote academic success and professional preparation among Latinos by engaging students in academic, leadership, and professional opportunities. Scholar Chapters are open to all students on campus and are geared toward the needs of Latino/a students. »

Quick Links...

HSF Homepage HSF Scholarships More About Us

Last Month's Newsletter Other Scholarships