Belkis Cuza Malé
La Casa Azul Cubana, Enero 20, 2003
The Luis Aguilar León Endowed Scholarship, Georgetown University

El doctor Luis Aguilar León, profesor emérito retirado de la Georgetown University, y columnista semanal de El Nuevo Herald, ha recibido el honor de que lleve su nombre una beca para estudiantes hispanos. The Luis Aguilar León Endowed Scholarship beneficiará a los que siendo de origen latino acrediten no disponer de fondos para estudiar. Una distinción que el doctor Luis Aguilar León merece por su dedicación a la enseñanza de la historia y por ser una figura de prestigio indudable en la cultura cubana.

A continuación transcribimos el comunicado oficial de la Georgetown University:

The Luis Aguilar León Endowed Scholarship

Georgetown University
Washington, DC
January 2003

Georgetown University’s Commitment to Excellence and Affordability

Georgetown University, founded in 1789 as the first Catholic Jesuit institution of higher learning in the United States, has a fundamental mission of educating all qualified students, regardless of ethnic background or socio-economic status. This mission stems from the 450-year Jesuit educational tradition of providing an education “for everybody, poor and rich”, and the Jesuit emphasis on a diverse community of scholars and teachers as the richest environment to develop one’s full potential.

In this tradition, Bishop John Carroll established Georgetown “for every Class of Citizens.” The University’s mission is to educate leaders for all society by admitting talented students from all parts of society. As a result, many high talented students with limited financial means have received Georgetown scholarships.

In the twenty years since the University’s need-based undergraduate financial aid program was implemented, Georgetown has more than doubled its share of high-ability students and has become the sixth most selective university in the nation. During this time, the number of students who score above 650 on the Verbal SAT and applied to Georgetown increased by 50 percent. Moreover, the financial aid program has enhanced Georgetown’s ability to attract a diverse student body. In the Class of 2001, 93 percent of African Americans and 71 percent of Hispanics who enrolled requested financial need.

The Luis Aguilar León Endowed Scholarship

As part of its mission to educate future leaders from diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds and to meet the needs of the University’s increasing enrollment of members of minority groups, Georgetown’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service has established the Luis Aguilar León Endowed Scholarship for Hispanic students. This new scholarship opportunity would benefit scholars of Hispanic descent who are enrolled in the School of Foreign Service and who demonstrate financial need.

Named after a loved and respected member of the Georgetown Community, the Luis Aguilar León Endowed Scholarship fulfills not only the Jesuit goal of educating scholars from all classes and cultures, but also the stated mission of the School of Foreign Service to establish a diverse community of students and faculty for the study of the world’s greatest and most challenging international issues. Doctor Aguilar León, Professor of History Emeritus at Georgetown University, worked to achieve this idea of diversity in academia, and this scholarship, developed and name in his honor, will only further advance this worthy goal.

Ana Elisa Huser
Assistant Director of Development
Edmund A. Walsh
School of Foreign Service
Georgetown University