On February 1, 2024, the New Hampshire Hispanic Scholarship Fund was formed out of an abundance of need to address the high cost of college for New Hampshire Hispanic students and families and confront the challenges of navigating the complex scholarship process for this student base. As a 501 c3 charitable organization we will do so across the Hispanic and Latino communities in New Hampshire most in need of better information and access to real scholarship dollars for college.
New Hampshire is becoming a more diverse state, with children at the forefront of the demographic changes in the past decade, according to a recent analysis from the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station and the UNH Carsey School of Public Policy.
Hispanics are the largest minority population in New Hampshire. Children are at the leading edge of the state’s growing diversity. The most diverse populations in New Hampshire are concentrated in the Manchester–Nashua urban corridor and this pattern is especially evident among children. Manchester and Nashua are among the most diverse places in the state.
Nashua High School North and Nashua High School South represent the two largest Hispanic student populations in New Hampshire. Two-thirds of the minority students at Nashua High School North are Hispanics, representing by far the largest minority population. Likewise, 56% of minority students at Nashua High School South are Hispanics, also the largest minority population.
The New Hampshire Hispanic Scholarship Fund was created to address some of these challenges with the following programs:
Scholarship Program
- Annual scholarship for a 4-year college and/or scholarship for a 2-year college starting with a single applicant, commencing with the 2024-2025 class
- Focus is on Hispanic High School Seniors attending an accredited two or four-year college or university starting in the Fall of the same year as the award
- Focused across key New Hampshire cities/towns each year via high school awards night working in conjunction with the HS
- Targeting the largest Hispanic communities with the greatest need including Nashua and Manchester, NH High Schools.
- Criteria:
- Must be a graduating senior
- Must be at least one-quarter Hispanic/Latino
- Attending an accredited two or four-year college or university
- Complete 300-500 word personal statement essay
- Meet GPA requirement
- Demonstrate financial need
- Undocumented or DACA-eligible students accepted
High School Outreach & Education
As part of the above scholarship, outreach to the focused high school on some key scholarships that are often underrepresented or unknown, but are fairly simple to apply and attain. The idea is to work with guidance teams and set up information sessions for parents/guardians and students on key Hispanic scholarships to consider including:
- Seniors, Fall: New Hampshire Hispanic Scholarship Fund
- Juniors, September/October: College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition Program
- Juniors & Seniors, Fall & Spring: Hispanic Heritage Foundation, Youth Awards
- Juniors, Seniors & Enrolled College Students: Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)
- Juniors & Seniors: Other Scholarships
We look forward to working with our first New Hampshire High School in the 2024-2025 school year.