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By: NICK WORT
Staff Writer
IU South Bend’s Latino Student Union (LSU) is in the process of creating a new scholarship to help current IUSB students pay for college, according to LSU president Eduardo Alvarez.
“The idea originated from the needs of students who felt like they weren’t getting enough [funding], or weren’t aware of the [forms of funding] available on campus,” Alvarez said. “A lot of the scholarship opportunities available are academic based, and a lot of people can’t get them because they’re trying to manage family, work and school. Unfortunately, sometimes they have to sacrifice their grades a bit to maintain some kind of a balance.”
Though the scholarship is still in its infancy, Alvarez noted that it will be open to all IUSB students, but specific requirements have not yet been worked through. The scholarship will initially be for $500.
Initially, this funding will be focused on current IUSB students, though the LSU has plans to eventually expand out and offer the scholarship to incoming freshmen. This move will likely come later on, as the funding for the scholarship grows. Alvarez also noted that the LSU would like to expand the scholarship to offer more money, though this will also be in the future after more funding is received.
“The idea was created last year by the executive board [of the LSU]. Our short term goal is to make scholarships for students, something that can encourage them to keep their studies going and motivate them to help out the community,” Alvarez said. “The long term goal is to create a scholarship that is run by LSU that recurs annually, so we can keep this keep going year after year.”
Fund raising for the scholarship began last year with a carnation sale started by the LSU. This fundraising method was used again this year. The LSU will also soon be creating a webpage on a currently undetermined crowd funding site to accept donations from the public.
The LSU has also secured a sponsor that will match donated funds raised within a currently undetermined time frame. Alvarez could not name the specific sponsor, because the deal is still being worked out. However, Alvarez did note that the sponsor is a Hispanic organization located in South Bend.
“I feel like this brings a sense of community to the university and to the Latino Student Union,” Alvarez said. “We’re just trying to encourage people to keep going to school, and to help people get to know the LSU. Because, if there’s anything we can do for [students], any type of help they need, we’re always here to help them out.”
For more information on the LSU, or to find out how to donate, contact them on Facebook at facebook.com/pages/IUSB-Latino-Student-Union/247032581989729.
IUSB’s Latino Student Union will be creating a $500 scholarship open to IUSB students. Photo courtesy of Eduardo Alvarez
