Seven UCA students were awarded $8,250 in scholarships from the League of Latin American Citizens.

Anahi Calderon Mojica, Emily Huerta, Jacqueline Mondragon, Evelina Powers, Landon Vaca, Wendy Victoriano and Adilene Vinalay Tenago were this year’s recipients of the LULAC scholarship.

LULAC scholarships are awarded by a committee to Latino-American students who have high merit. 

The mission of the organization is to “advance the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, housing, health and civil rights of the Hispanic population of the United States,” according to lulac.org.

To celebrate the students’ achievements, UCA hosted a dinner on campus where the scholarship recipients and their friends and families were invited to eat and network. 

Carlos Giralt Cabrales, ambassador of the Mexican Consulate in Little Rock,  as well as representatives from LULAC, attended and gave awards to the students.

 Maria Negrete Padron, associate director of the Office of Student Advocacy and Community, said, “In the past, there was a large-scale dinner organized by the LULAC Council for all their recipients, despite the college they attended. 

“Due to COVID in 2020 and 2021, the LULAC council decided to do virtual programming to abide by COVID guidelines. In 2022, the LULAC council decided to give the option to each university to do an individual university dinner for the recipients, which UCA opted for,” she said.

Once LULAC scholars are selected, the council reaches out to a UCA representative to inform them of the recipients and the organization process.

Jaqueline Mondragon, a physical therapy doctoral student, said she found the organization through researching scholarships in high school. 

Mondragon said prospective recipients must write an essay to apply, discussing personal and professional goals as well as their community involvement and extracurricular activities.

“I was very thankful for the opportunity to be a recipient of this scholarship,” Mondragon said. “I am currently a third year in the physical therapy program at UCA, and the scholarships I have received have helped to greatly diminish the cost of my education. It’s always exciting to let my parents know that I received a scholarship because that means it’s one less expense.”

The dinner was “a wonderful experience” for Mondragon because she said she got to meet with other recipients and network with professors from various departments.

“One of my professors from the physical therapy program was sat at my table, so it was a good way to connect with her outside of the classroom and have her meet my mom, who attended the dinner as my guest,” she said.

Mondragon said she encourages students to apply because any funding from scholarships can make a difference in someone’s education.

Students can apply for the scholarship by going to lulac.org/programs/education/scholarships before March 31, which is open to high school, undergraduate and graduate students.