(Submitted by USC La Raza)
USC La Raza Law Students Association has completed its two-year fundraising drive for new scholarships for Latino law students. The organization’s goal of $25,000 for new scholarship money was achieved at a recent fundraising luncheon in March.
“When we received our last check of $5,000 from a high-dollar donor, we were thrilled to finally be able to hand out our first scholarship,” said 3L and fundraising co-chair Miguel Espinoza. La Raza received support from a wide variety of sources, including local community leaders, businesses, law firms and USC alumni.
The USC Mexican American Alumni Association Scholarship Committee will review completed applications. The deadline for applications is May 31, 2006.
The scholarship will benefit students who are entering their third year of law school, and the criteria are a combination of financial need and commitment to community service. Students can download the application here.
To handle the administration of the scholarship, La Raza has partnered with the USC Mexican American Alumni Association (MAAA) to review applications and distribute the scholarship. As the leading provider of Latino scholarships at USC, the MAAA has awarded over $12 million in scholarships to nearly 6000 USC students over the past 30 years.
Added Espinoza, “As the cost of tuition increases, so does the need for more scholarship money dedicated to opening the doors to higher education. This effort has definitely been a labor of love and one that is worth continuing.”
Applications are now being accepted for the new Opening Doors Scholarship, created by the La Raza Law Students Association. All 2L Latino law students are encouraged to apply for the $3,000 scholarship. The recipient will be chosen based on financial need and commitment to community service.