Just as campus starts to warm up, Wake Forest University seniors get the chance to partake in something special: going up to the Bell Tower of Wait chapel. Inside of the Bell Tower, graduating students write their names on the walls, windows, and support structures of one of the highest points on campus. Alondra Ramirez, just one of many graduating students at the Bell Tower, signs her name in red sharpie on the glass of the clock facing Hearn Plaza.
The Hispanic League, a downtown Winston-Salem based multicultural organization, has helped Ramirez to reach this point.
“It’s definitely been very helpful,” said Ramirez. “That was the last scholarship I needed in order for me to be pretty much a full ride student here at Wake.”
The Hispanic League, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, provides support and raises awareness of the Hispanic community in Winston-Salem. Offering scholarships to graduating high school seniors and college students is one of several ways this is done.
This Saturday, April 23, 46 scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $5,000 will be given out to Hispanic students from North Carolina. The scholarships are meant primarily for tuition.
Over the 23 years the scholarship program has been active, 600 scholarships have been given out with a total value of $1.4 million, according to Mari Jo Turner, the executive director of the Hispanic League.
In addition to the funds, the recipients are also matched with a sponsor that provides professional support and a network. Ramirez, who is interested in going to law school, was matched with Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, a law firm with a branch in Winston-Salem.
“[It] was really nice to have that backing up of a sponsor and have those resources available to us,” said Ramirez. “You [usually] don’t have that kind of resource in which you try to form an intentional connection with the sponsor.”
Traditionally the awards are given out during the Spanish Nite Gala at the Benton Convention Center, where recipients are also matched with their sponsor.
“It’s a formal event,” said Turner. “You get to dress up like a princess or a king, whichever you want to be, and be there for a whole evening.”
In addition to the award ceremony, there has been a VIP reception for the scholarship recipients, a silent auction, Latin food, and a live Latin band.
Due to COVID-19, the Gala has been virtual since 2020 instead of its usual downtown location. This year, the scholarship award will be held through Facebook live from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The Keynote Speaker will be Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, a half Honduran microbiologist who led the development of Corbevax, a COVID-19 vaccine. Music will be provided by Ultima Nota, a Latin band from Charlotte, NC.
To qualify for the scholarship, applicants must be of Hispanic/ Latino origin, be a current or former English Language Learner student, be in good academic standing, volunteer for at least 20 hours of community service, and be applying to an accredited institution of higher learning. Recipients are picked based on these requirements and financial need. Citizenship is not a requirement, according to their application.
Over the past decade, the cost of tuition has increased at public and private institutions, including two-year programs, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics.
“At Wake Forest, 3,000 dollars would be helpful… It probably would not be your game changer scholarship,” said John Champlin, a member of the board of directors and scholarship committee at the Hispanic League. The cost of attendance at Wake Forest University, including tuition, room and board, before aid is $83,054 a year, according to its website.
Despite the high cost, the extra funds provided by the Hispanic League are enough to make a university like Wake Forest an option for some. Leslie Morales-Noyola, a senior at Wake Forest and native of Winston-Salem, chose Wake Forest because of the extra funds provided by the Hispanic League.
“If I didn’t get the Hispanic League scholarship, I probably would have gone to [UNC] Chapel Hill,” said Morales-Noyola. She will graduate in May with a degree in Politics and International Affairs.
The support provided by the Hispanic League provides opportunities for all types of students.
“There are some folks who have been able to opt into a four-year institution versus a community or technical college just based on that scholarship,” said Champlin.
