Commissioner Senator Javier Souto of the Francisco Foundation Board and MDC Officials to announce 2009 Foundation Scholarship Winners
Miami, January 30, 2009 - Miami-Dade County Commissioner Senator Javier Souto, District 10, members of the Board of Directors of the Francisco Foundation, and Miami Dade College (MDC) officials will announce this year’s winners of the Francisco Foundation scholarships at a ceremony on Friday, Jan. 30, at 11 a.m., at the Wolfson Campus’ Batten Community Room, 2106.
In its sixth year of providing scholarships, the Francisco Foundation will award three $2,500 scholarships. As is customary for this Foundation, winners were selected based on demonstrated leadership, community service, academic excellence and a love of democracy and freedom. Applicants were also required to submit an essay regarding what freedom and democracy mean to them. This year’s winners are Jhonatan Larrocha, Dayana Gonzalez and Juan E. Torres.
Born in Chile, Larrocha is graphics and commercial arts major at the college’s InterAmerican Campus. He has a 3.64 GPA and was instrumental in launching the acclaimed student literary publication, URBANA. His goal is to one day lead his own design company.
Gonzalez is a psychology major at MDC’s InterAmerican Campus and has a 4.0 GPA. She is the historian of Service for Peace and a member of Phi Theta Kappa and Phi Beta Kappa. She intends to be a clinical psychologist.
Torres was born in Cuba and is a student at the Kendall Campus. He is the founder of the Miami Dade Science Organization (MDSO) to promote science related events and help other students. Through this organization, he has participated in many fundraising activities for cancer treatment, awareness and research causes. He is also a member at Phi Theta Kappa. His goal is to be a physician.
The Francisco Foundation scholarships were created in honor of Rogelio “Francisco” Gonzalez Corzo who was executed by Fidel Castro’s forces in 1961 when he was 28 years old for attempts to subvert the dictatorship. He was the head of the underground anti-Castro resistance group “Movement to Recover the Revolution.”
“He was also a brilliant student; a man of unparalleled intelligence and charisma,” said Sen. Souto. “He was a student of democracy and human rights whose life was cut way too short by Castro. We are so pleased to announce our latest winners who truly exemplify Francisco’s legacy.”
- WHAT: Ceremony to announce winners of 2009 Francisco Foundation Scholarships
- WHEN: Friday, Jan. 30, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- WHERE: MDC Wolfson Campus, Batten Community Room - 300 NE Second Avenue, Building Two, first floor
Media-only contacts:
Juan Mendieta, 305-237-7611, jmendiet@mdc.edu, MDC communications director
Sue Arrowsmith, 305-237-3710, sue.arrowsmith@mdc.edu, media specialist
Alejandro Rios, 305-237-7482, arios1@mdc.edu