CLC student wins national Hispanic leadership scholarship

Guadalupe Granados of Mundelein, a College of Lake County student, received the National United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI) Dr. Juan Andrade, Jr. Scholarship for Young Hispanic Leaders during the USHLI National Conference, held Feb. 13 in Chicago.

Only 20 students received the scholarship this year, which is based on leadership and community involvement. It is open to community college and university students from across the U.S.

Granados studies psychology at CLC, serves as vice president of Latino Alliance, is a Title V Peer Mentor and works part time. She has a 3.63 GPA and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society for community colleges. She plans to transfer to a four-year college in the Chicago area this fall to major in international studies and psychology.

"Last year I attended the USHLI conference as part of Latino Alliance," Granados said. "But this year, it was a totally different experience to be a scholarship recipient. I attended special workshops and met students from all over the U.S. who have same passion as I do-to make change in the community."

Granados has been involved in CLC's Latino Alliance club for the past two years. "It's a great club. It brings you into a group of people that become your family here. And being a peer mentor has taught me a lot about taking my experience and helping others succeed," she said.

"It is an honor that a member of the Latino Alliance received this scholarship," said Rodolfo Ruiz-Velasco, Title V Cooperative Grant Manager and club advisor. "I am very proud of Guadalupe. She is representing CLC on a national level. Many of the other students who received the scholarships are from four-year institutions such as University of California-Berkeley, University of Central Florida, San Diego State University, Columbia College and Michigan State."

USHLI is a Chicago-based national, nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization that organizes and conducts nonpartisan voter registration and leadership development programs in 40 states and promotes empowerment and civic responsibility.