Karina Camara/Contributing Writer
news@fiusm.com
Soon, students at the University might get more out of Café Bustelo than their morning coffee.
The company recently launched a scholarship through the national non-profit, Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement. Their mission is to promote the advancement of Latino professionals.
The scholarship titled,“El Café del Futuro Scholarship Essay Contest,” will be giving the chance to win a $5,000 scholarship.
In order to be eligible for a chance to win, undergraduates or graduates must be of Latino descent, 18 years or older, currently enrolled full time in a college or university in the United States and a permanent legal resident of the United States.
With 61% of FIU’s community being Hispanic, many students on FIU’s campus are qualified for this opening.
“I work hard and strive to achieve success so that my family’s struggle to come to this country would not be a waste,” said Julia Guerra, a freshman criminal justice major and a Cuban-American.
Leonor Diaz, another Cuban-American, said that her heritage is a part of her: cultural jokes and other little things that she learned growing up that other cultures might not understand.
“My parents won this Visa lottery Cuba had at the time, so I had the good fortune to come to the U.S. legally and on a plane. That didn’t mean that everything came easy or was easy for us,” said Diaz, a freshman English major. “My parents have spent most of their lives trying to keep my sister and I happy and giving us everything we need.”
Students interested can apply online in the HACE website. After filling out the application, students must write an 800-word essay, explaining how their Latino heritage, family and community they were raised in influenced their desire to earn a college degree.
Students would also explain what they intend to do with their degree and how they plan to give back to the community.
“My parents are very educated, and made it clear to me, from the start, that education was the way to get ahead,” said Diaz.
The scholarship deadline is Jan. 15 and winners will be announced around April 15. For more information, students may visit their website: http://www.haceonline.org/cafe_bustelo_scholarships.