VICTOR A. AND DAISY A. JUAREZ LATINO SCHOLARSHIP
This is our general scholarship program. Once a year we distribute by mail and E-mail copies of our application for this scholarship program to our membership, teachers, and counselors at high schools and schools of higher education, public officials, and other interested persons within an area of about 60 miles of Springfield, IL. PLEASE NOTE THAT WE HAVE CHANGED OUR APPLICATION SUBMISSION DEADLINE TO JUNE 15th
Applications are reviewed by a committee and recommendations for the award are submitted to the Executive Board for final approval. Letters announcing the award or denial of scholarship are sent by August 16th. About the time of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 16 – October 15), we hold an annual scholarship awards dinner. Ticket sales and sponsorships at this event provide the major portion of the funding required to support this scholarship program.
CIELO recognizes the critical need for qualified personnel in the medical field who not only speak the language but are personally familiar with the culture of people who are of Latino descent. In our effort to fulfill this need, we support and are developing the following two scholarship programs.
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SIU MEDICAL SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The city of Springfield, Illinois is the home of one of only two special medical districts established in the state of Illinois by the Illinois Legislature. It is generally believed that the single greatest influence in the economic development in the greater Springfield area will be motivated by the creation of this medical district. CIELO intends to create a new SIU Medical School Scholarship program to ensure that Latinos have a roll in this development. Efforts in the future to establish a funding source to support this scholarship are under development. When established, this scholarship will become available.
OR
CFLL MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
We also participate in supporting and selecting the Culturally Integrated Education for Latinos Organization (CIELO) Medical Scholarship Fund, a separate scholarship program that is organized under the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln (CFLL), a 501(c) (3) foundation. This scholarship program awards a scholarship to Latinos from central Illinois who are attending a medical school that is based in Sangamon County, Illinois.
Funding for this scholarship is provided by a fund supported by CIELO through the CFLL. The foundation has established the selection criteria and the application process. Our participation in this program is limited to recommending members to the selection committee who participate in the review of applications and recommend recipients to receive an award. The CFLL foundation scholarship committee makes the final determination. The foundation handles all funding and the distribution of funds for this scholarship program.
If at the end of each calendar/fiscal year the CIELO Executive Board determines it has funds available, it may decide to make a financial contribution to the CFLL to support the CIELO Medical Scholarship Fund. We believe that making a financial contribution to this fund is consistent with our exempt purposes because this is another educational scholarship program that directly supports Latinos attending school in Sangamon County. However, no contractual obligation exists with CFLL to participate in or to provide financial support to this fund. This is strictly voluntary on our part.