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
Must be completed BEFORE MAY 1 2020 Withdrawal Deadline
February 22nd, 2020 - Application Opens
March 15, 2020 - Student Deadline to Submit
April 2 - 15, 2020 - Application Review
April 16, 2020 – Recipient notified
April 20, 2020 - Recipient deadline to accept scholarship
No later than May 1 2020 - Notification to Financial Aid
How to Apply
Students will complete an online application through their SlugsAbroad account in addition to uploading a personal statement (minimum 1-2 pages, addressing each of the selection criteria listed below) and an unofficial transcript.
Eligibility
Students must be selected or have officially applied to a Summer, Fall, or Academic Year-‐long UCEAP program and be a student of Merrill College.
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:
- Studying on a UCEAP program in Mexico or a Latin American country
- Minoring in Education; and/or majoring in Community Studies, Latin American and Latino Studies, Politics, or another Social Science field of study
- 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
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 financial need and/or being the first in their family to attend college had on their decision to study abroad, and
- 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.
Selection
A selection committee consisting of one UCSC Study Abroad Advisor and two representatives from Merrill College (total of three) will review and score each application based on the criteria listed above. 0-5 points (with 5 being most met) will be awarded on the following:
- Studying on a UCEAP program in Mexico or a Latin American country and minoring in Education and/or majoring in Community Studies, Latin American and Latino Studies, Politics or another Social Science field of study
- Financial need and/or 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, and how study abroad will impact continued or new community involvement in these areas upon return
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 completion of program, selected student must submit a letter of appreciation and a photo with brief description of study abroad experience to UCSC Study Abroad.
For a PDF version of the above guidelines, click here.