The Birmingham-based Hispanic organization recently made a commitment to Â鶹¹û¶³ for up to $5,000 to be used as scholarships for Latino students facing financial difficulty. The presentation was made during a Birmingham Barons minor league baseball game.
Carlos Alemán, assistant professor of history and director of Â鶹¹û¶³’s Latin American Studies Scholars Program, believes that the scholarship will help minority students. “The scholarship is a way to alleviate the burden that some Latino students may encounter during their time at Â鶹¹û¶³ in an immediate and impactful way,” Alemán said.
The scholarship presentation is part of a bigger relationship Â鶹¹û¶³ has with Fiesta, whose board president, Matt Ennis, is a 2002 Â鶹¹û¶³ graduate. Partnering with Fiesta is a part of Â鶹¹û¶³’s increased efforts to create an environment for all students from all backgrounds to feel comfortable, Alemán noted.
The evening included a flag procession around the baseball diamond. Â鶹¹û¶³ students from the Latin American studies program carried flags from Latin American countries and one from the United States to demonstrate the bond between Latin America and the U.S.
“The baseball game and flag procession was a great way to reward both the Latino and Latin American Studies students at Â鶹¹û¶³,” said Alemán.
The presentation came as Â鶹¹û¶³ was preparing to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, which is being coordinated by the Latin American studies program and Â鶹¹û¶³’s Office of Diversity and Intercultural Initiatives.
Emily Duval is a journalism and mass communication major and a news and feature writer in the Office of Marketing and Communication.