The Scholarship Committee oversees the council’s scholarships and ensures the timely and fair disposition of scholarship funds. The Scholarship Committee promotes and awards scholarships including the LULAC National Scholarship Fund Program (LNSF) award that is given to regional high school and undergraduate students.The co-chairs are responsible for the overall coordination and direction of the scholarship program. The funds are raised by the Fundraising and Development Committee and approved by the Executive Board.
One goal of the Scholarship Committee is to participate in the LULAC National Scholarships Fund Program (LNSF) annually and increase local matching funds by 10% or more each year until reaching the maximum. The maximum the local council can match is $18,000 per school year. The second goal is to partner with other nonprofit organizations to sponsor and promote additional educational scholarships. The third goal is to establish the LULAC Illinois Education Council 5238 Scholarship Award (LIEC) for the local community.
The funds are raised by the council’s Funding and Development Committee each year. The Scholarship Committee will work with the Fundraising and Development Committee to achieve the maximum that it can receive.
Meet Our Scholarship Winners
Every year LULAC Council 5238 raises scholarship funds and co-sponsors with LULAC National the LULAC National Scholarship Fund (LNSF). LULAC National partners with local and national firms to match funds raised by the local councils. The LNSF was established in 1975 to offer scholarships to deserving Latinx attending college. LNSF is administered by the LULAC National educational Service Centers, Inc. Applicants apply in mid-February and are awarded one of three types of scholarship awards by the local participating council. This year LULAC 5238 awarded $6,000 in “Honors Awards” scholarships to six fully merited Chicagoland students.
Honors Awards are eligible to receive $500 – $2,000 in scholarship money. They are awarded to students with a GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale. In addition, the student must score 23 or higher on the ACT test, or 1100 or higher on the SAT test. The six students were judged on their academic performance based on their grade point average (GPA), SAT/ACT test scores, school transcript, honors, and awards. They were also evaluated on their degree of involvement and the positive impact on their communities.
Please lend a hand in congratulating these hard-working students on their scholarship award. We wish them the best of luck in their academic endeavors and future careers.
We proudly present the following winners:
Brittany Barajas - Lansing, IL : $1,000
Hello, my name is Brittany Barajas, and I am from a south suburb of Chicago. My favorite pastimes are speaking Spanish with my dad, watching historical documentaries with my dad on some experiences of some latinxs in the United States which always leads us into deep conversations about the lives of my abuelitos Tito and Tita, hiking, meditating, hanging out with friends, dancing bachata, cooking plant-based dishes, and embroidering. Starting this August, I will begin working towards obtaining a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology with a Bilingual Certificate at the University of Arizona. After graduating, I plan on returning to the Chicagoland area to provide individuals with disabilities speech-language pathology services in English or Spanish, whichever of the two they prefer.
I have spent the last few years preparing for this career. While studying abroad in Ecuador for twelve months, I interned at a public hospital where I assisted a speech therapist as she treated adults with language disorders. In addition, I collaborated with the speech therapist as we researched a language intervention that helps improve communication between adults with a language disorder and their loved ones. In addition, while an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois, I volunteered as a Bilingual Tutor at a night school for adults working towards their high school equivalency diploma. Moreover, I volunteered as a trained Rape Crisis Intervention Counselor on an Illinois-based hotline for survivors of sexual abuse and served adults in a hospice home as a Patient Companion Volunteer. Those volunteer experiences have taught me a variety of lessons that I will take with me as a speech-language pathologist. This August, I will start a new chapter in my preparation for my career, and I am so grateful for the LNESC Award that will help support my career goals.
Alyssa Holguin - Aurora, IL : $750
Having parents who are both a Tomcat Alumni, I grew up appreciating and loving what my community has to offer. For many years my community has been seen to have a “reputation”, but I have always felt that the East Aurora community builds a character like no other and I wouldn’t change my experience living in East Aurora in any way. I have strived, and continue to strive, to do my best and more for not only myself but also for those in my community who wish to see the change in our image. I have taken part in changing this “reputation” by continuously putting my best efforts inside and outside of the classroom. I have completed high school with high honors, being in the top 10% of my class, being an active and engaging member in the National Honor Society, PeaceJam, Honors P.E. Leadership, Student Council, and by being President of Science National Honor Society. I have done volunteer work throughout my community by volunteering in elementary schools, Scitech Museum, Mutual Grounds, and more.
As I step into the next chapter of my life, I hope that through college I can pursue a career in the medical field. I specifically want to take part in the field of pathology. I wish to one day work in a medical lab and be able to determine the cause and effects of a disease or injury. My goal is to take part in the underrepresented group of Latinas in medicine and bring more representation and encouragement to young Latinas who also strive for the medical field.
Isaac Herrera - Bellwood, IL : $1,000
My name is Isaac Herrera. I am a proud son of two mexican parents who have shaped
my identity and the person I am today. A person’s identity is influenced by a variety of
factors, which are considered central to one’s identity. My parents’ way of living, their own
customs, and their own values have been passed down and inherited helping me through my
life and describing my way of living. My parents have taught me to always have a big vision
and determination, to any goal one strives to achieve always stating that “Si trabajas lo
suficiente, lo conseguirás” meaning that “If you work hard enough you will get it.”
The community I grew up with and still living under has always been diversified and
is the type of community were neighbors help neighbors without expecting anything in
return. I’ve been a member of my church since I was 5 years old. I have made many friends
as I’ve served on Sundays and at special events. I was an altar server for about six years, and
currently a lector, and usher. As church leaders, I get to create environments that foster new
friendships and help each other grow spiritually. In order to continue learning and growing as
a scholar I chose to take a number of rigorous courses, such as AP classes and IB courses, to
be academically challenged and make my experience in highschool and beyond as productive
as possible that it can be. I was a member of my highschool’s National Honors Society and
was able to graduate in the top 5% of my class. During my highschool years, I also completed
two extra-curricular medical programs offered at Loyola. I participated in the Health
Professionals Recruitment and Exposure Program (HPREP) at Loyola Stritch School of
Medicine during my sophomore year and the Proviso United with Loyola Students
Educational Enrichment (PULSE) program during my junior year. After getting my bachelors
degree in Biology, I plan to go to medical school and pursue a career as a pediatrician. I
aspire to be a pediatrician with the grand pleasure of being able to take part in helping future
generations pursue their best in life. I believe that it is of a valuable asset to build relations
with young generations to educate them about their bodies, their planet, and help them take
care of themselves. It will be a grand opportunity to be able to help the less privileged and the
sick and help them find hope in their lives.
Kassandra Alvarez - Montgomery, IL : $1,000
My name is Kasandra Alvarez. I am currently entering my second-year at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign majoring in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences with a concentration in Human Dimensions. Having a passion for the environment, while living in a society that is currently trying to mitigate climate change was the drive for my choice of education in college. My desired career goal is to work for a non-profit organization designed to combat environmental degradation in the world, specifically, the Global South countries. Or, to work at the United States Environmental Protection Agency as an environmental scientist.
In my campus community, I joined various organizations to immerse myself with different people and a sustainability learning-living community. One club in particular was called Students for Environmental ConcernS (SECS). We would do a lot of environmental activism like go to protests to raise awareness towards global warming. Through these activities, I met with a lot of professors in my line of study and made many friends with the same values as me. I joined my friends to study while still having fun and enjoying the college experience. In the end, these networking opportunities landed me with an internship this summer at UI Arboretum on campus and I made it on the dean’s list this spring.
Karla Avalos - Summit, IL : $750
My name is Karla Avalos, Class of 2020 Valedictorian from Argo Community High School in Summit, IL. I am extremely thankful for receiving this opportunity to continue my academic career and begin to realize my life dreams! During my team in high school, I contributed to my community by tutoring at my local elementary school every week and volunteering every week at Advocate Christ Medical Center, participated in Cross Country and Track and Field, and advocated for my class during sophomore year as President.
I am proud to say that the next four years I will be studying biology at Harvard University on the pre-med track. I hope to one day become an obstetrician and to use my knowledge to address the disparities many minorities face in the healthcare system. I am beyond thankful to receive support from such a wonderful organization. Thank you LULAC!