The effort to expand educational opportunities for Hispanic students attending College of Western Idaho (CWI) is getting a financial boost. On Friday, Nov. 20, CWI was invited to participate in an official awarding ceremony at the Consulate of Mexico in Boise. During the ceremony, the Consul of Mexico, Celso Humberto Delgado Ramirez, presented the CWI Foundation with a $6,000 donation to be used for scholarships.
CWI is one of four local organizations chosen to receive funding from the Institute for Mexicans Abroad (IME) Scholarship fund. This marks the fourth consecutive year the College has received the donation. During the official presentation, each organization was recognized for its contributions to education in the Treasure Valley. During Consul Ramirez’s speech, he emphasized the importance of the education sector saying it is a fundamental pillar in the foundation and development of Mexico.
CWI has been actively working on its Hispanic community outreach initiatives for the past few years. As a result, more than 2,000 Hispanic students attend CWI each year for Basic Skills Education and college credit courses.
- 1,274 are credit-seeking students
- 988 are enrolled in Basic Skills Education classes
“We have done a lot to increase college access for Hispanic students, and there is more to be done,” says Luis Caloca, CWI’s director of enrollment management. “Right now, we are focusing our efforts on creative, non-traditional ways to reach the Hispanic community. We are also working with parents to help educate them on the importance of preparing their children for college.”
Caloca, who attended the ceremony with the Foundation’s Executive Director Mitch Minnette, spoke at the event—publicly thanking the Consulate for its generous donation.