Adelante Scholarship program designed to help more Hispanic students earn a degree

Gene and Yolanda Camarena remember how important scholarships were in their own lives when they were seeking a college education. To make sure future generations of Hispanic students receive the same opportunities, the Camarenas established the Adelante (Spanish for “forward” or “ahead”) Scholarship at Butler Community College in the fall of 2010.

Now, to help Hispanic students even more, the Camarenas have extended the Adelante Scholarship to BCC students who transfer to Newman to complete a four-year degree.

“For a student to have that opportunity to get their associate’s degree, knowing in advance that they’re going to a four-year university, it’s important to know that there’s a scholarship available to you in fulfilling your dream,” said Yolanda Camarena.

The Camarenas have long advocated educational opportunities for Hispanic students. Gene serves on several national boards addressing this issue. Yolanda is a former admissions counselor at Newman who now serves on the Enrollment Management  Committee of the Board of Trustees, and is involved with the Kansas Hispanic Education and Development Foundation. Both agreed that Newman is a natural fit for extending the Adelante Scholarship.

“It’s close to Butler, it’s a Catholic university, and that’s an important part of our life,” said Gene. “And since Newman is a smaller college, we think the probability of graduation and the students remaining engaged is higher.”

The Adelante Scholarship will be available to Hispanic students from BCC who transfer to Newman after receiving their associate’s degree, and who maintain a 3.3 GPA. Students will also be required to perform 20 hours of community service each year. The scholarship will support students with financial need. Awards may range from $1,000 to $4,000.

“A private, Catholic college education makes sense to many Hispanic students in the Wichita area because of our shared values and the size of our university,” said Newman Vice President for Institutional Advancement Tom Borrego. “We’re very grateful to the Camarenas for providing financial assistance like the Scholarship that makes this opportunity possible.”

For more information on the scholarship, call 316-942-4291, ext. 2163, or e-mail [email protected].

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