Los Angeles, California - The James Irvine Foundation has awarded a $200,000 grant to support the USC Latino Alumni Association Scholarship and Leadership Development Program. The one-year grant will be used to provide scholarships and support to Latino students and others at USC who demonstrate a commitment to the Latino community and participate in leadership-training activities.
Devoted to the academic advancement and development of Latino students attending the university, the USC Latino Alumni Association (LAA) is one of the nation’s leading Latino alumni organizations. LAA is made up of USC students, alumni and friends working together to provide support, leadership training, service opportunities and networking. LAA’s primary mission is to award tuition-assistance scholarships to outstanding undergraduate and graduate students. Since its founding in 1973, the LAA has awarded some $15 million in cumulative support (including university matching funds) to 8,000 students.
Of the $200,000 awarded from the Irvine Foundation, $150,000 will be allocated to scholarship funding, with the first $100,000 eligible for university matching funds provided by the USC Office of Financial Aid. The remaining $50,000 supports the leadership development program. Thanks to the grant, LAA will be able to increase the number of scholarships from 175 to 200 for the 2015–16 academic year, for a total of $800,000 to undergraduate and graduate students who maintain a high degree of both academic achievement and participation in LAA workshops and events. The remaining $50,000 in Irvine Foundation grant funds will go toward professional development programs; academic support services such as tutoring and counseling for LAA scholars; leadership development workshops; and alumni mentoring. The funds will also help LAA guide and track the progress of students interested in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). In addition, it will help implement methods to measure the achievements of LAA scholars in internships and careers after graduation.
“We are very honored to have received this grant from the Irvine Foundation, since it is such a vote of confidence in the work we’re doing in support of Latino students at USC,” said LAA Executive Director Domenika Lynch. “Our greatest commitment and highest goal is to support these exceptional students while they are attending USC and to train them to be leaders in their careers and communities after graduation. Support from the Irvine Foundation will advance this very important work.”
The Irvine Foundation gave the award in honor of USC alumnus Frank Cruz for his distinguished service to the Irvine Foundation and his strong support of USC and LAA. Cruz, a prominent local and national leader, is founder of the Spanish-language network Telemundo, an Irvine Foundation vice chair and board member, and a member of the USC Board of Trustees and the USC LAA Corporate Advisory Council.
