Rosie Lopez, an educator and community advocacy leader, will be honored with
the establishment of the Rosie Lopez Student Advocate Scholarship.
The Arizona Association of Chicanos in Higher Education created the
scholarship to honor Lopez during the 20th anniversary of the Arizona
Hispanic Community Forum, a volunteer-based advocacy group she formed in
1987. Thus far, more than $3,000 has been raised for the scholarship fund.
Lopez said she was honored and surprised to have the scholarship named after
her.
"I said I can only accept this if we have a student advocate," said Lopez,
adding the goal is to "bring young people into the forum and to train them
in community advocacy."
Because the focus is on advocacy, students receiving the scholarship must
make a commitment to join the AHCF and work on a specific advocacy project
assigned by an AHCF executive board member for at least one year. Eligible
students must have a 2.5 GPA or higher and be enrolled in a college or in
high school and eligible to enter college.
A selection committee, including Lopez, will focus on community service and
the desire to join advocacy programs when choosing scholarship recipients.
Scholarship money will be presented at the Nov. 17th AACHE conference.
Donations to the scholarship fund may be mailed to AACHE, c/o Cleopatria
Martinez, 1202 W. Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ 85013.