44 Students from all over the world will receive scholarships totaling $900,000 that will help them finance their musical education
Miami, FL (July 19, 2018)—The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® announced today its annual list of Gifted Tuition Scholarship (3) and Tuition Assistance Scholarship (40) recipients, which will allow 44 talented music students from diverse backgrounds with a great passion for Latin music, to attend some of the most prestigious universities in the world and pursue their musical dreams.
To date, 156 scholarships have been awarded, totaling an impressive $3.4 million USD that have been gifted by the Latin Grammy Foundation to assist students with financial constraints fund their studies. In 2018 alone, $900,000 USD was awarded.
Among this year’s class of scholarship recipients is the winner of the previously announced Carlos Vives Scholarship, Nicolle Horbath, who was honored in Colombia, on June 5, with a maximum value of $200,000 USD to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston.
"The generosity of our donors, supporting artists, and sponsors has been so substantial that we have been able to make hundreds of dreams a reality every year. Dreams that may have simply stayed as dreams and nothing more, if not for the ever-growing work of our team and of those who want to enhance Latin music," said Manolo Díaz, Sr. Vice President, Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. "I am proud and moved by the large strides made by our young Foundation which, in such a brief period, has profoundly impacted so many lives. I am in awe of how significantly we are affecting the lives of future Latin music makers."
The following students each received the Gifted Tuition Scholarship, with a maximum value of $100,000 USD, which goes towards supporting a portion of the tuition costs of the university of their choice:
- Ricardo Matute, a percussionist from Colombia
- Froylan Saul Ojeda, an upright bass player from Mexico
- Gilmarie Villanueva, a voice student from Puerto Rico
Gilmarie Villanueva's scholarship was sponsored by Argentine businesswomen, television host, and philanthropist Bettina Bulgheroni. The scholarship will go towards supporting the collegiate education of Gilmarie Villanueva, whose family was greatly affected by Hurricane María.
In addition to the three students mentioned, 40 students will receive the Tuition Assistance Scholarship, a one-time scholarship with a maximum value of $10,000 USD, to be used towards financing the tuition costs of their music education at a university or college of their choice. Recipients will pursue their education at various colleges and universities, such as Berklee College of Music, The New School, Faculdade de Música Souza Lima, The City College of New York, Colorado State University, Holland College, The New School of Jazz, Longy School of Music, The New School (Mannes School of Music), Pontificia Javeriana de Bogotá, and the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico.
The 44 scholarship recipients in 2018 are from diverse countries, such as Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia the United States, Mexico, Spain, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Peru, Chile and one recipient each from the United Kingdom and Indonesia.
Following is a list of students who are receiving a Tuition Assistance Scholarship for 2018, which includes their country of origin, principal instrument, and the college or university they will be attending:
The recipients of all the scholarships announced were carefully selected by the Foundation's Scholarship Committee, which is tasked with meticulously evaluating a highly competitive pool of aspiring musicians on a variety of skills and rigorous policies developed by the Latin GRAMMY Foundation. Additionally, the recipients of the Gifted Tuition Scholarships and Carlos Vives Scholarship are required to maintain a 3.5 GPA minimum and meet the standards of academic excellence set forth by the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation and their respective institution, so as to qualify for scholarship renewal during their college tenure, which is assessed each semester.
ABOUT THE LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION:
The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation was established by The Latin Recording Academy® to promote international awareness and appreciation of the significant contributions of Latin music and its makers to the world's culture, and to protect its rich musical legacy and heritage. The Foundation's primary charitable focus is to provide scholarships to students interested in Latin music with financial need, as well as grants to scholars and organizations worldwide for research and preservation of diverse Latin music genres. For additional information, please visit us at www.latingrammyculturalfoundation.com For the latest news and exclusive content follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Soledad Estrella
The Latin GRAMMY Cultural
305.576.0036
Soledad.Estrella@grammy.com
Matt Biscutti
The Lippin Group (NY)
212.986.1990
Matt@lippingroup.com
Elina Adut
The Lippin Group (LA)
323.965.1990
Eadut@lippingroup.com