The 2008 Fiesta de las Estrellas,
held on April 17th,
raised over $100,000 towards
UCSD Hispanic Scholarship Council scholarships

"Being Hispanic, we're underrepresented in the UC system, or higher-level education for that matter, so I felt that even with the barriers that held me back-- financial and ethnic-- that this scholarship meant I could represent my ethnic group. I got into UCLA and Berkeley, but this scholarship was the main reason why I chose UCSD. I felt extremely proud the day I got it."
- Adrian Gutierrez, UCSD Junior and Hispanic Scholarship Council Chancellor's Scholar

Through the UCSD Hispanic Scholarship Council (HSC), you can help a student like Adrian realize otherwise unattainable dreams. With generous donor support, HSC is able to create educational opportunities for young Latino men and women of great promise but limited resources in our region.

A Sparkling Fiesta in Celebration of Hispanic Achievement

HSC created an annual event to raise scholarship dollars at the University of California, San Diego, while also recognizing the achievements of several community Estrellas-- outstanding leaders who are truly making a difference. Now in its tenth year, Fiesta de las Estrellas has raised more than $700,000. The resulting scholarship funds have provided for 50 undergraduate multi-year scholarships at UCSD. Fifty opportunities to change 50 lives. Let's do more.

Opening Doors for Young Latino Scholars

Hispanic Scholarship Council scholarships are a part of the UCSD Chancellor's Scholars Program. The Chancellor's Scholarship is awarded to outstanding entering freshmen on the basis of academic achievement and other factors, including financial need, extracurricular and community activities, previous educational environment, and first-generation college attendance. This is a four-year award of $20,000, paid in the amount of $5,000 annually.

HSC scholarships are specifically earmarked for Chancellor's Scholars of Hispanic heritage* who demonstrate financial need, and/or graduates of The Preuss School of any ethnicity who choose to attend UCSD. (Located on the UCSD campus, roughly 90% of Preuss School students come from neighborhoods south of Interstate 8; approximately 60% are Hispanic.)

"I've always wanted to come to UCSD, and I was really excited when I got this scholarship. I'm an officer in the Society of Women Engineers, and I don't think I would have had time to do that if I'd have had to work. It's really good that they're helping Hispanic people to progress in life; it really motivates you!"
- Susana Coronilla, mechanical engineering major and HSC Scholarship recipient

In 1978, UC attendance fees for California residents were $723 a year; today they are $6,681. The total in-state annual expenses including room and board are estimated to be $20,745-- daunting for any family, and virtually impossible for others without incurring deep debt and forgoing enriching college experiences such as student government, sports and campus events.

Your support creates an opportunity for a student to choose UCSD, while populating our campus and community with the very kinds of young people we strive to attract: The Stars. Join us.

*Hispanic scholarship recipients will be chosen through the process of "student-to-fund matching." From each year's group of scholarship recipients, selected with non-preferential criteria, a student who matches the award amount and criteria of the Hispanic Scholarship Council will be given this scholarship. Recipients of the Hispanic Scholarship Council's scholarship will therefore receive aid that is no more and no better than other, equally meritorious students. With this methodology, it cannot be assured that one or more eligible students will be designated each year because the pool may not contain students qualifying for the Hispanic Scholarship Council award, but undisbursed funds in a given year may be held for award in a subsequent year.

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