Dr. Robin E. Bowen, president of Arkansas Tech University, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) on Wednesday, Oct. 12, that seeks to create more educational opportunities for Hispanic Americans.
The terms of the MOU state that Arkansas Tech will match funding in the form of a tuition waiver (50 percent Arkansas Tech and 50 percent LULAC) to award up to five academic scholarships per year, not to exceed tuition and fees at the university, to eligible Latino students or students involved in Latino community affairs and service. The scholarships will be offered beginning with the 2017-18 academic year.
“This agreement provides a meaningful scholarship opportunity for Latino and Latina students, and it is a vehicle for the Arkansas Tech University community to demonstrate one of our multiple initiatives to increase diversity on our campus,” said Bowen during the MOU signing at Arkansas Tech’s Chambers Cafeteria West Dining Room. “We are very grateful to LULAC for their participation in this important program.”
Requirements of undergraduate applicants for the scholarships created by the MOU include that they be graduates of an Arkansas high school, have an ACT composite score of 19 or above, have completed high school with a grade point average of 3.25 or above and enroll as a full-time Arkansas Tech student.
The scholarship program will also be open to graduate students at Arkansas Tech. If they have already completed their undergraduate degree, applicants at the graduate level must have earned their bachelor degree from an accredited university with a minimum grade point average of 3.25.
Eligible current Arkansas Tech undergraduate students may apply for the LULAC graduate scholarship if they have a grade point average of 3.00 or higher in their current coursework and meet GRE/MAT score requirements.
All successful applicants will be required to complete 35 hours of community service in return for their scholarship awards.
Present to sign the MOU on behalf of LULAC of Arkansas were Dr. Terry Trevino-Richard and Dr. Andre Guerrero.
“LULAC is delighted to celebrate this MOU with Arkansas Tech University and reflect an outreach program that targets the growing number of Latino students that both reside in the Pope and Yell County areas as well as students from a broader geographic horizon who are drawn to this dynamic campus,” said Trevino-Richard, member of the LULAC Board of Directors for Arkansas. “This MOU is an example of a larger vision by the administrators of ATU to develop a student body which combines both excellence in academic performance with the added motive of increasing the ethnic diversity on campus.”
Those interested in the undergraduate LULAC scholarships may contact the Arkansas Tech Office of Admissions at (479) 968-0343, while those interested in the graduate LULAC scholarships may contact the Arkansas Tech Graduate College at (479) 968-0398.
Applications for the scholarships must be received by March 31 of each year.
“One of the things I notice about Tech is when I talk to students that are either enrolled or graduated, they really like going here,” said Guerrero, who serves as president of LULAC Council 750 in Little Rock. “Given these contentious times we have, so many of our major political, social and economic institutions are experiencing significant challenges and a loss of faith. But we find in our educational institutions, such as Arkansas Tech University, refuges where hope is taught and hope is given. They diligently persist with the belief that learning and teaching are central and crucial components of a civilized society. Arkansas Tech continues in this tradition, and it is expanding its embrace of that vision to all of our state’s widening demographic diversity. On behalf of LULAC of Arkansas, we want to express our deepest gratitude to President Bowen and her unwavering commitment to the Latino community. We salute you and your colleagues.”
