More Than $2 Million in College Scholarships Available Through the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers

Students may apply for as many scholarships for which they are applicable. There is no fee to apply. All applications must be postmarked by April 1.

"The facts are clear -- our nation needs more individuals educated in the crucial fields of science, technology, engineering and math to compete on a global level," said Rafaela Schwan, director of programs, AHETEMS. "As our programs encourage and support Hispanic youth interested in pursuing these fields, donations and sponsorships from the nation's top corporations and organizations validate our goal to increase the number of Hispanics in STEM fields. For many, finances are a huge obstacle, and these scholarships alleviate that burden for those students willing to put the time and effort into their studies."

Several scholarships are available, including AHETEMS General Scholarships, AHETEMS Professional Scholarships, AHETEMS/ExxonMobil Scholarships, AHETEMS/Verizon Scholarships and AHETEMS/Kellogg Scholarships. The different scholarships vary in terms of qualifications and the amount of scholarship money granted, but all scholarships require a minimum 3.0 GPA both at the time of application and throughout the scholarship period. Students must be registered full time (taking at least 12 credit hours as an undergraduate or nine credit hours as a graduate student) in a STEM discipline. Applicants may find specific requirements and apply for all scholarships at http://ahetems.org/scholarships.html.

"I am very grateful for the scholarship because it has helped me start my education here at The University of Arizona, and I appreciate the support," said Ryan Badilla, student at The University of Arizona inTucson.

Students may either complete a scholarship application online at http://ahetems.org/scholarships.html or they may download an application and submit the completed application by mail. Only one complete application is necessary to be eligible for more than one scholarship, so applicants do not need to fill out multiple applications.

A list of all scholarship opportunities can be found at http://www.ahetems.org. For more information, please contact Mysti Pasquale at the AHETEMS Foundation at (817) 272-1116 or mystip@shpe.org.

The Need for Outreach

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Hispanics with high school diplomas rose from 53 percent in 1993 to 57 percent in 2003. About 11 percent had bachelor's degrees, up from 9 percent. Although the fastest growing population in theUnited States, Hispanics comprised only 5.5 percent of the science and engineering workforce in 2006, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.

About SHPE and AHETEMS

SHPE, Inc. is the source for quality Hispanic engineers and technical talent, committed to enhancing America's position in math, science, engineering and technology with a strong and talented Hispanic workforce. For more information, please visit http://www.shpe.org.

The AHETEMS Foundation directs and develops informal science education, educational enrichment, college awareness initiatives and college prep programs for Hispanic pre-college, undergraduate and graduate students. For more information, please visit http://www.ahetems.org.

SOURCE SHPE, Inc.

Copyright © 2009, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2009, NewsBlaze, Daily News

Tags: ,EDU,HED,CPR,CSR,WOM,HSP,TX-SHPE-Scholarships