Two Lakeside charities, Tepehua Centro Comunitario and UVA (University Vocational Assistance) Scholarship Fund, have joined forces to provide scholarships to local students who are academically qualified but in need of financial assistance to attend a university or other accredited learning institution.
UVA has been supporting and monitoring students wishing to advance their dreams of a higher education for more than 35 years. The Tepehua Centro Comunitario provides assistance to families in the economically challenged Tepehua community of Chapala, offering support through education, counseling, nutrition and health.
Combining the efforts of one of the area’s oldest and most experienced charities with Tepehua, a relatively young organization (established in 2010), should benefit both groups by making assistance available to a greater number of students.Initially, eight students will be able to pursue university studies and hopefully contribute to the future development and improvement of lakeside communities. Of these, seven are from the Tepehua community. The eighth is a student from the UVA program, whose studies Tepehua has elected to sponsor. In return, UVA will oversee and administer the scholarship program using its tested and established process.
UVA verifies the applicants’ enrollment in an accredited post-high school educational facility and determines the level of financial aid required, as well providing familial support and appreciation of the student’s effort. The student’s performance is carefully monitored and UVA offers counseling whenever necessary.
Scholarship funds are distributed twice a year following the completion of the semester’s studies. Students must first present their grades to confirm maintenance of an 8.5 grade point average each semester. Failure to achieve this grade results in temporary suspension from the program. However, a probation period of one semester is allowed to regain participation in the program.
“Helping a village help itself” is the mission statement of the Tepehua Centro Comunitario. They believe that only through education can the cycle of poverty be broken and say keeping children in school and educating the new generation is an important step in realizing Tepehua’s goal.
Tepehua’s Penny Howe will participate in monitoring the Tepehua students each semester. They will be required to adhere to all of the requirements of the UVA program, namely an 8.5 grade point average each semester, and continued enrollment as a full-time student in a qualified university or vocational program. This cooperative effort should better serve the community by enhancing the results through more optimal use of the primary skills and processes of each of the organizations.
To help these programs contact either Sue Torres (UVA) at (376) 766-2932 or Penny Howe (Tepehua) at (376)765-6719.