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Hispanic Scholarship Fund Awards More Than $26 Million To Hispanic Students

Students can now apply online for scholarships

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF), the nation's leading organization supporting Hispanic higher education, has awarded more than $26.5 million in scholarships for the 2006-2007 academic year.

In addition, HSF has just launched a new online system through which students can apply directly on the Web for scholarships. Applicants should go to http://www.hsf.net for more information.

"I am excited that our organization can provide so many Hispanics with the hope and the resources to follow their dreams to go to college through the generous support of our corporate partners, committed individuals and private foundations," said Christopher E. Jones, HSF Chief Operating Officer. "Our new online system will streamline the application process and hopefully increase the number of applicants for the coming year."

The $26.5 million represent scholarships awarded through various HSF programs sponsored by numerous donors, including the Gates Millennium Scholars program. The scholarships will help newly chosen and continuing HSF Scholars pay their way through college.

The application period for 2007-2008 began on August 1st and will continue to October 15th followed on December 1st with HSF accepting applications for 2008-2009.

Jones pointed out that Hispanics are the fastest growing and youngest sector of the nation's population. One in three Hispanics is under 18 years of age with the overall Hispanic population registering a median age of 27.

"It is essential to our country's future that we educate young Latinos so that we can realize the full potential of this sector of the workforce," he said.

Yet, with tuition and fees continuing to skyrocket, a lack of financial resources remains the single biggest barrier for Hispanic families seeking a college education for their sons and daughters. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, Hispanic higher education needs are less subsidized than those of any other group.

While HSF scholarships provide critical funding to help fill financial gaps, HSF also provides vital information to families and students about other financial aid sources and helps guide them through the college application and standardized testing process by organizing Town Hall meetings, Steps for Success Saturday workshops and other outreach programs.

HSF's comprehensive approach has proven very successful. A recent study of Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) scholarship recipients, conducted by MPR Associates, Inc., one of the nation's leading education consulting firms, concluded that HSF scholarships play a significant role in helping scholars persist in college. HSF scholars graduate from college at higher rates than the national average for students of all races and ethnicities combined: 80 percent of the HSF Scholars sampled graduated within five-and-a-half years. In contrast, the national graduation rate for students of all races and ethnicities in the same period is 53 percent, according to the study. The six-year national graduation rate for all Hispanics students at four-year institutions is 43.5 percent.

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