Lathisms Scholarship

Applications for the 2025 cycle are now open.
You can read this page for details and find the application link at the bottom.

Description

This scholarship aims to support Hispanic/Latinx students interested in pursuing a career focused on mathematical sciences; such career paths include, but are not limited to, scientific research, mathematics education, engineering, and finance. We will be awarding scholarships of up to $500 (each) aimed at prospective and current undergraduate/graduate students. The Lathisms Scholarship is meant to help with any costs that pose a barrier to the success and advancement of the awardee in their pursuit of a career in the mathematical sciences. This could include, for example, college and/or graduate school application fees, conference funding, attending a math program, childcare costs, and/or tuition.

Applications are expected to open December 15, 2025 and have a deadline of February 28, 2025 at 11:59pm (HST/UTC-10).

Eligibility
Applicants must:
-       Be Latinx/Hispanic (self-identified);
-       Be interested in pursuing a career in the mathematical sciences; and
-       Be high school juniors/seniors, high school graduates, current/prospective college students, or current/prospective graduate students located in the United States. Please note that individuals who have obtained a GED (General Education Development) certificate are also eligible.

We especially encourage undocumented individuals, TPS beneficiaries, and DACA recipients to apply. We also encourage community college, Pell Grant eligible, first-generation, and low-income students to apply as well. We will use discretion in announcing the awardees and may not publicly reveal the identities of the awardees if privacy is of significant concern.

Application
We recommend that you read all the information on this page before beginning your application. Please note that an application will not be saved until it is submitted; as such, we recommend that you draft and externally save your written responses (see application materials below) before beginning the application online. Applications can be modified once they have been submitted (up to the deadline).

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Application Materials

Demographics Information
You will be asked to provide some demographic information, including your age, gender, and immigration status. However, you will not be asked to submit any official immigration documents (e.g. Notice of Deferred Action) nor be asked to provide your home address. You will have the option to answer a yes/no question indicating whether or not you qualify as a “low-income individual” according to standards set by the United States Department of Education; see this link for more information. Note that you will not be required to upload any financial records.

Academic Information
You will be asked to name your most recent academic affiliation, which can be your high school or university/college. Should you be selected, you will need to provide proof that you intend to accept admission into or maintain enrollment at a US-based institution. Please note that this is not a merit-based scholarship and that you will not be evaluated on your academic success.

For those currently enrolled in high school, college, and/or graduate school classes, we will request proof of enrollment at a US-based institution if you are selected. Valid forms of proof include an official/unofficial transcript, an official class schedule, a letter of enrollment, a photo of your student ID card, or any similar form of evidence. We strongly encourage recipients to avoid spending any money in acquiring these materials, since our intent is merely to validate enrollment.

For those not currently enrolled in classes, we will request a copy of a high school diploma, a GED(General Education Development) certificate, or a copy of a post secondary degree if you are selected. If you have taken a leave of absence from your studies and do not have either of the previously mentioned documents, then you should provide information about your current academic situation in your written responses (see below). In this instance, you will also be required to have a high school diploma, a GED certificate, or a postsecondary degree in order to receive scholarship funds if you are selected.

Written Responses
You will be asked to provide two statements about the following:
- Up to 4,000 characters - Discuss what excites you about mathematics and a career in the mathematical sciences. Include any relevant past employment, academic experiences, community involvement, or other engagement with mathematics.
- Up to 4,000 characters - Discuss how this scholarship will impact your journey toward a career focused in the mathematical sciences. Include any relevant explanations of how this scholarship would help you and/or instances in which you’ve overcome challenges on your journey.

Your statements may be written in English or Spanish, and you will not be evaluated on your language proficiency. Your statements will help our selection committee to understand your story and how the scholarship can play a role in your academic/professional career. If necessary, you will have additional space (4,000 characters) to optionally expand on either of the responses above.

Rubric
‍The table below provides a summary of the rubric used for evaluating applicants. The full rubric is publicly available here.
We encourage applicants to read the rubric and consider it as they prepare their applications.‍

Demonstrated Enthusiasm for Mathematics	Understanding of Scholarship Impact	Demonstrated Need	Resilience	Engagement
Provide evidence demonstrating the applicant’s enthusiasm for mathematics. The given details should establish a convincing connection between the applicant’s prior experiences and a career in the mathematical sciences.	Provide evidence to show an understanding of how the scholarship will impact the applicant’s career path. The given information should establish a solid basis for the applicant's reasoning.	Provide evidence demonstrating financial need. The given information should establish a compelling argument that the applicant has had limited access to resources and/or opportunities.	Provide evidence demonstrating the applicant’s resilience despite barriers. The given details should substantiate the applicant’s statements.	Provide evidence indicating that the applicant has been or intends to be engaged with their communities (professional, personal, etc.). The given information should establish that the applicant is committed to such engagement.
Points: 0-6	Points: 0-6	Points: 0-3	Points: 0-3	Points: 0-3

Selection Committee and Timeline for Review
Each year, the Lathisms scholarship committee chairs will assemble a selection committee of volunteers to read applications and determine the awardees. Our goal is to have a diverse group of committee members including graduate students, industry professionals, postdocs, research scientists, and professors at 4-year/liberal arts institutions and/or at Hispanic serving institutions. When the results of the scholarship are announced to the public, we will also provide the names of the committee members involved in the selection process.

The tentative timeline for scholarship review is as follows:
-       March-April: The applications will divided up and reviewed during these months; this window is where reviewers would be expected to volunteer their time.
-       May: The scholarship committee chairs will create a shortlist based on reviewers' rankings during this month. They will then hold discussion hours if reviewers would like to give feedback on the chairs' list.
-       June: The scholarship recipients will be announced and distribution of funds will begin.

We are looking for volunteers to serve on the scholarship selection committee. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out this form and share it with your colleagues!

Privacy Statement
Lathisms will never make any of the information which you provide to us as part of this scholarship application available to the public or to any government agency. Each year, the information that applicants provide us will only be shared with that year’s selection committee for the sole purpose of determining the awardees of that year. You will only be contacted by Lathisms via email to be notified of the selection results; none of the selection committee members will contact you directly at any time. After being notified of the results, all the information which you provided us will be erased from our systems. Anonymized, summary information may be reported to the Lathisms board of directors and to potential partnering/funding organizations.

We will request additional information from awardees regarding the distribution of funds. Scholarship funds can be sent to you directly or to the academic institution of your choice based on your stated preference. We will also ask you if you would like your name and/or academic affiliation to be known at the time that the results of the scholarship are announced to the public. If you would like to remain anonymous, then we will simply indicate that an individual from your state has received the award. Please note that your preference on anonymity will not affect the selection process nor the distribution of scholarship funds.

Contact
Please email scholarship@lathisms.org if you have any questions about the scholarship.
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Apply Here

2024 Q&A Session Recording‍