SALT LAKE CITY -- The Mexican Consulate has presented grants to several schools and organizations to provide educational scholarships.
The Institute for Mexicans Abroad provided the $80,760 in grants to help students of Mexican citizenship or children whose parents were born in Mexico through the Mexican Government Scholarships Program known as BECAS IME.
The University of Utah, Utah Valley University, SOMOS Foundation by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Centro de la Familia de Utah received the money on condition that they provide matching funds.
"We know there are a lot of students of Mexican origin that have a great desire to succeed educationally," Consulate Community Affairs Coordinator Guido Arochi said.
It is not enough for all of the Mexican students living in Utah, he said, but it will help a few get an education.
Arochi said each institution will distribute the money at its own discretion for low-income Mexican students with outstanding academic records and community work.
Scholarship recipients will use the money to apply to their university tuition or to help pay for adult learning.
The aim of the grants is to foster academic development and university graduation for students of Mexican descent, consulate officials said, as well as contributing to the economic development of their communities in the Unites States and their places of origin in Mexico.
"We hope in the future that other Utah institutions apply for these funds, so we can help more students," Arochi said.
The Institute for Mexicans Abroad has provided money to other states as well, but Arochi said the Mexican Consulate in Salt Lake City has provided the most scholarship money.
The Mexican Consulate in Salt Lake City presented an additional $5,000 to the Children's Learning Center in Jackson, Wyo., for adult education.
The consulate presented the grants at a ceremony at the Salt Lake City Main Library, 210 E. 400 South.
Visit www.ime.gob.mx for more information about the scholarships.
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