With its annual scholarship dinner tonight, the University of Arizona Hispanic Alumni club celebrates 20 years of contributing to students, now giving nearly $300,000 a year.
In the past decade, the organization has had remarkable success with students, with scholarship recipients remaining in school or graduating at a rate of 90 percent, said Oscar Lujan, executive director.
The club has an endowment of $1.2 million and from that, spends about $80,000 a year on cash awards for 50 students, ranging from $500 up to $2,500. From money raised each year, the group gives full-tuition awards to another 50 students, spending about $200,000.
An alumni chapter in greater Phoenix also gives seven scholarships of about $1,000.
Scholarships give students additional opportunity, but the real strength of the program is the network of fellow students and the support resources, Lujan said.
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Freshman students take a required "success express" class and students in subsequent years attend monthly meetings. "They know they have support. They have people who believe in them," Lujan said. "As long as they know there's a support system, they don't want to let people down."
The scholarships started in 1986, with the group giving $10,000 to just seven students. Since then, it has given almost $1.7 million in scholarships.
Abel Diaz, a 22-year-old senior, got a full tuition scholarship in 2003 when he transferred to the UA from Pima Community College.
"It opened a lot of doors for me in academics," said Diaz, a family studies and human development major set to graduate in May. "Because of the opportunity they've brought me, I'm in the middle of applying for grad schools."
The program was reviewed 12 years ago, with a selection committee taking a different angle and pushing students to stick with school. Mentoring and retention programs were added, and alumni work closely with the Chicano/Hispano Student Affairs Center.
The 21st annual UAHA Scholarship Dinner is at 7 tonight in the Hotel Arizona at the Tucson Convention Center, 181 W. Broadway. For more information, visit www.uagrad.org/ Clubs/hispanic.html.
