NPRDP Launches 2016 Scholarship Program

National Puerto Rican Day Parade, Inc.

NATIONAL PUERTO RICAN DAY PARADE

LAUNCHES 2016 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

 

Applications available now!  Deadline is Jan. 15, 2016

 

Organization will triple the dollar figure

and number of scholarships to be awarded, since 2014

 

 

 The National Puerto Rican Day Parade (NPRDP) today launched its 2016 Scholarship Awards Program.   Applications are now available and will be accepted until Friday, January 15, 2016.

 

The organization will grant 60 scholarship awards, up from 15 awarded in 2014 and 30 in 2015.  In total, NPRDP will provide $120,000 for scholarships in 2016, up from $30,000 in 2014 and $60,000 this year. 

 

"We are well on the way to reach our goal of providing 100 scholarships, by the year 2017", said Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, Chairperson of NPRDP.  "When we took leadership of this organization two years ago, our mission was to return it to its roots of empowering the Puerto Rican community through education, culture and civic engagement.  Our Scholarship Program remains at the core of our work, and the Board looks forward to continue working to enhance it".

 

NPRDP established the Scholarship Awards Program to help promote the pursuit of higher education within the community.  

 

To be eligible to participate in the 2016 Scholarship Awards Program, applicants must:

*  Be of Puerto Rican descent;

*  Have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better

*  Participate in an interview with a member(s) of the Selection Committee;

*  Be between the ages of 17 and 25 and enrolled in a 4-year institution, for applicants already in college;

*  Be in their senior year, for high school applicants. 

 

Application packages must include: a completed application form; an essay; a written biography; a volunteer community service statement; two letters of recommendation, of which one letter of recommendation must be from the site where the student performs his/her volunteer work; official academic transcripts and head shot photo.  Letters of recommendation should be requested from teachers, professors, counselors, mentors, clergy, community leaders, etc.  The letters should highlight the applicant's volunteer community service, length of the relationship with the candidate, and the specific contributions the applicant has made to the community.

 

To download the application package, the public can visitwww.nprdpinc.org.  

Packages must be submitted electronically toNPRDP.Scholars@gmail.com by Friday, January 15, 2016.  Letters of recommendation and sealed transcripts should be mailed together to National Puerto Rican Day Parade, P.O Box 975, New York, NY 10272 by Friday, January 22, 2015.  Materials received after this date will result in the applicant's disqualification.  Applicants selected for an interview will be notified by email, and interviews will take place the weeks of February 22 and February 29, 2016.