Lathisms Scholarship

Description
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This scholarship aims to support Hispanic/Latinx students interested in pursuing a career focused on mathematical sciences; such career paths include, but are not limited to, scientific research, mathematics education, engineering, and finance. We will be awarding 2-3 scholarships of up to $500 (each) in our first year, aimed at prospective and current undergraduate/graduate students. The Lathisms Scholarship is meant to help with any costs that pose a barrier to the success and advancement of the awardee in their pursuit of a career in the mathematical sciences. This could include, for example, college and/or graduate school application fees, conference funding, attending a math program, childcare costs, and/or tuition.

Applications will be open from January 15, 2023 to March 31, 2023.

Eligibility
Applicants must:
-       Be Latinx/Hispanic (self-identified);
-       Be interested in pursuing a career in the mathematical sciences; and
-       Be high school juniors/seniors, high school graduates, current/prospective college students, or current/prospective graduate students located in the United States. Please note that individuals who have obtained a GED (General Education Development) certificate are also eligible. 

We especially encourage undocumented individuals, TPS beneficiaries, and DACA recipients to apply. We also encourage community college, Pell Grant eligible, first-generation, and low-income students to apply as well. We will use discretion in announcing the awardees and may not publicly reveal the identities of the awardees if privacy is of significant concern.

Application
We recommend that you read all the information on this page before beginning your application. Please note that an application will not be saved until it is submitted; as such, we recommend that you draft and externally save your written responses (see application materials below) before beginning the application online. Applications cannot be modified once they have been submitted. 
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Applications will close on March 31, 2023 AoE (Anywhere on Earth)
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Application Materials

Demographics Information
You will be asked to provide some demographic information, including your age, gender, and immigration status. However, you will not be asked to submit any official immigration documents (e.g. Notice of Deferred Action) nor be asked to provide your home address. You will have the option to answer a yes/no question indicating whether or not you qualify as a “low-income individual” according to standards set by the United States Department of Education; see this link for more information. Note that you will not be required to upload any financial records.

Academic Information
You will be asked to name your most recent academic affiliation, which can be your high school or university/college. Should you be selected, you will need to provide proof that you intend to accept admission into or maintain enrollment at a US-based institution. Please note that this is not a merit-based scholarship and that you will not be evaluated on your academic success. 

For those currently enrolled in high school, college, and/or graduate school classes, we will request proof of enrollment at a US-based institution if you are selected. Valid forms of proof include an official/unofficial transcript, an official class schedule, a letter of enrollment, a photo of your student ID card, or any similar form of evidence. We strongly encourage recipients to avoid spending any money in acquiring these materials, since our intent is merely to validate enrollment. 

For those not currently enrolled in classes, we will request a copy of a high school diploma, a GED(General Education Development) certificate, or a copy of a post secondary degree if you are selected. If you have taken a leave of absence from your studies and do not have either of the previously mentioned documents, then you should provide information about your current academic situation in your written responses (see below). In this instance, you will also be required to have a high school diploma, a GED certificate, or a postsecondary degree in order to receive scholarship funds if you are selected.

Written Responses
You will be asked to provide the following:
-       Up to 4,000 characters - A short description of past employment and/or academic experiences; and
-       Up to 8,000 characters - A statement addressing how this scholarship will help you on your journey toward a career focused in the mathematical sciences. 

As you write your responses, you should discuss why you are excited about mathematics and a career in the mathematical sciences. With these responses, we aim to gain better insight into who you are and where you are in your journey. These responses will help our selection committee to understand your story and how the scholarship can play a role in your academic/professional career.

Rubric and Selection Committee
The rubric for evaluating applications is here
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Each year, Lathisms will assemble a selection committee of volunteers to read applications and determine the awardees. Our goal is to have a diverse group of committee members including graduate students, industry professionals, postdocs, research scientists, and professors at 4-year/liberal arts institutions and/or at Hispanic serving institutions. When the results of the scholarship are announced to the public, we will also provide the names of the committee members involved in the selection process.

Privacy Statement
Lathisms will never make any of the information which you provide to us as part of this scholarship application available to the public or to any government agency. Each year, the information that applicants provide us will only be shared with that year’s selection committee for the sole purpose of determining the awardees of that year. You will only be contacted by Lathisms via email to be notified of the selection results; none of the selection committee members will contact you directly at any time. After being notified of the results, all the information which you provided us will be erased from our systems. 

We will request additional information from awardees regarding the distribution of funds. Scholarship funds can be sent to you directly or to the academic institution of your choice based on your stated preference. We will also ask you if you would like your name and/or academic affiliation to be known at the time that the results of the scholarship are announced to the public. If you would like to remain anonymous, then we will simply indicate that an individual from your state has received the award. Please note that your preference on anonymity will not affect the selection process nor the distribution of scholarship funds.

Contact
Please email scholarship@lathisms.org if you have any questions about the scholarship.
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