The Sandra Frausto Student Award seeks to reward the achievements of University of California, Santa Cruz students who in their undergraduate years have combined academic excellence with a commitment to increasing the understanding or improving the welfare of Chicanx/Latinx people in the United States. The award particularly seeks to recognize those whose UC Santa Cruz education will provide a foundation for a career in Education or in teaching. The award is named in memory of Sandra Frausto, a student of Merrill College who died prematurely while studying abroad in Mexico City.
Scholarship Amount
$750.00 annually – to be awarded to a single student studying abroad during a program specified for the Summer, Fall, or Academic Year.
Timeline: 2024
February 1st - Application Opens
March 15th - Student Deadline to Submit
Late April - Recipient Notified
How to Apply
Students will complete an online application in the UCSC Global Learning Portal. As part of the application, applicants will be required to upload a personal statement (no more than 750 words).
Personal Statement Guidelines
The personal statement should address how the student meets the preferred selection criteria listed above, with particular emphasis in describing the following, if applicable:
- How their program will help them achieve their academic and/or career goals, particularly as related to a career in Education or teaching
- Impact that financial need and/or being the first in their family to attend college, had on their decision to study abroad
- Involvement in Chicanx/Latinx student organizations on campus and/or volunteer experience in community-based non-profits or causes that effect positive change in the Chicanx/Latinx community, and how study abroad will impact continued community involvement upon return from abroad.
Eligibility
- Students must be selected or have officially applied to a Summer, Fall, or Academic Year UCEAP program and Latin America
- Must be a UCSC student
Preferred Selection Criteria
These are preferred - students may still apply if they do not meet all criteria. Applications will be reviewed and scored on the following:
- Be a student of Merrill College
- Studying on a UCEAP program in Mexico or a Latin American country
- Majoring in Anthropology, Business Management Economics, Education, Cognitive Science, Community Studies, Economics, Environmental Studies, Global Economics, Latin American and Latino Studies, Politics, Legal Studies, Psychology, and Sociology
- Financial need
- First generation college student
- Integration of academic and/or career goals into selected UCEAP program, with particular interest in pursuing a career in Education or teaching
- Participation in campus Chicanx/Latinx student organizations and/or volunteer experience in community-based non-profits or causes that effect positive change in the Chicanx/Latinx community
Selection
A selection committee consisting of two representatives from Merrill College will review and score each application based on the criteria listed above.
Conditions of Award
- If the selected student withdraws or is withdrawn from their UCEAP program, the student will no longer be eligible for the scholarship. The scholarship will then be awarded to an alternate.
- Upon receipt of the scholarship, the selected student must provide a short bio, photo, and a letter of appreciation. Upon completion of the program, the recipient must provide a brief description of their study abroad experience to UCSC Global Learning (globallearning@ucsc.edu)
