Additional $5000 designated for students during the summer semester
Texas Border Business
MCALLEN, TEXAS (May 10, 2018) – South Texas College (STC) in partnership with the Mexican Consulate in McAllen have formalized an amendment assisting students of Mexican origin.
STC, the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, and the Consulate of Mexico in McAllen formalized an official IME Becas amendment to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in December 2017 to increase the educational attainment level of Mexicans or persons of Mexican origin living in the US.
The signing of the amendment took place on May 10 at the Mexican Consulate of Mexico in McAllen. STC President Dr. Shirley A. Reed; Mexican Consul in McAllen Eduardo Bernal Martinez; Rita Garza; director of research operations at UTRGV; and CAMP University executive director Pamela Voss were on hand to accept the funds for students.
“This makes such a difference to students who just need a small amount of money to continue in college,” said STC President Dr. Shirley A. Reed. “With this program, we have been able to serve at least 100 students. We are absolutely committed to helping our Mexican neighbors find good jobs, but we have to provide the college education and workforce training first.”
IME stands for “Instituto de los Mexicanos en el Exterior” or “Institute for Mexicans Abroad” in English. The “IME Fellowship Program” of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico seeks to improve access opportunities for Mexicans and individuals of Mexican origin in all educational levels through adult education and higher education programs in the United States.
In order to qualify for one of the scholarships, a student must be a Mexican national or person of Mexican-origin, residing in the United States, and must not be receiving any other type of scholarship or financial aid.
The Consulate of Mexico in McAllen will be providing STC with $2,500 in order to provide scholarships to qualifying students. South Texas College will match those funds for a total of $5,000.
The scholarship funds will benefit 10 eligible students at South Texas College at $500 per student. Scholarship funds will be distributed and designated to pay for tuition and fees, and textbooks in accordance with the terms outlined in the MOU between the Consulate of Mexico in McAllen and South Texas College.
The awards will be designated for the upcoming summer semester, and the funds have to be expended by Aug. 10.
“This will especially help those students who are international students, which forms part of our college population,” said Judy Martinez, coordinator of scholarships at STC. “We have partnered with the IME Becas Fellowship Program since Dec. 2014, and since then we have helped those 100 students who have qualified for these scholarships.”
