College of Saint Mary awarded $30,000 grant to support scholarships for undocumented students
Omaha, NE – College of Saint Mary (CSM) has been awarded a $30,000 matching grant from the Educators for Fair Consideration (E4FC) to fund scholarships for undocumented students.
Dr. Maryanne Stevens, RSM, President of CSM, explains, “In partnership with E4FC, we hope to expand our Undocumented Latina Scholarship Program and make the dreams of college education a reality for a larger number of academically-talented students.”
Katharine Gin, co-founder and Executive Director of E4FC, said, “We are excited to partner with a diverse group of scholarship providers nationwide to expand opportunities for undocumented students. These institutions and organizations understand the challenges that Dreamers face and recognize the tremendous potential they represent. We hope this initiative will encourage other scholarship providers to deepen their investment in this talented and determined group of young people.”
Motivated by its mission, CSM strives to serve under-resourced women, helping ensure they have the financial assistance needed to obtain a degree, which is an integral step out of poverty. In 2006, with the support of Mercy Ministry grants, CSM launched an Undocumented Latina Scholars Program. The program offers scholarships for tuition, fees, room and board and access to ongoing mentoring and support to academically-qualified, financially-disadvantaged Latina students. This program contributes to CSM’s effort to provide a supportive Latina environment.
Additionally, College of Saint Mary dedicates itself as an institution committed to the education of women regardless of their financial backgrounds, ethnicity, or legal/residential status. CSM has a minority student population of over 22%. More than 33% of CSM students are first-generation college students paving a new path toward a brighter future. In all, 39% of CSM students currently meet or exceed federal low-income standards as determined by the FAFSA, comprising the last piece to a truly diverse socioeconomic and ethnic community.
E4FC is a non-profit that empowers undocumented young people to pursue their dreams of college, career and citizenship in the United States. Through its “Invest in the Dream” initiative, E4FC awards grants to scholarship providers in nine states. The grantees include institutions of higher education, community foundations and other non-profit organizations that award scholarships or financial aid to undocumented students. Each of the nine grantees has secured an equal amount of funds from other sources to match the E4FC grant. Grantees will use these funds to support undocumented students attending accredited, non-profit, two-year and four-year colleges and universities in the United States.
