American Honda
Motor Co. Inc. and the Hispanic
Scholarship Fund (HSF) recently recognized 13 outstanding
Latino undergraduate students from around the country with scholarships
at an awards luncheon held at Honda of America Mfg. in Marysville, Ohio.
Selected based on their demonstrated academic excellence, interest in
science and engineering, and knowledge of the automotive industry, each
student recipient received $5,000 to help in their pursuit of a higher
education, along with other opportunities to expand their career
horizons.
"We created this program two years ago to not only celebrate the
achievements of Hispanic students, but to also provide scholarships that
would help relieve some of the financial strain associated with pursuing
a higher education," said Marc Burt, assistant vice president, Office of
Inclusion & Diversity at American Honda. "We are happy to see this
program grow and to support even more deserving students."
As part of its growing partnership with HSF, Honda increased its
scholarship fund for the 2012-13 academic year from $50,000 to $80,000,
allowing for the distribution of additional scholarships to deserving
Latino students, as well as increased internship opportunities and
expanded contact with top executives.
Related: Why Education Matters 2012 Scholarship Winners
"Honda's partnership with HSF demonstrates its commitment to improving
access to higher education for Latino students," said Frank D. Alvarez,
president and CEO of the HSF. "We appreciate
Honda's willingness to invest in Hispanic youth through HSF and join us
in our work to place a college degree in every Latino home across the
country."
In order to be considered for the scholarship, students were required to
carry a major in business administration, chemical, electrical,
industrial or mechanical engineering, and maintain at least a 3.0 grade
point average. Selections were also based on knowledge of the automotive
industry. The grants will help students pay for tuition, books and
living expenses.
During the scholarship award program, the scholarship recipients got an inside look into
Honda's manufacturing and research and development operations in Ohio,
and met with top Honda executives to discuss the future of the auto
industry. In addition, they learned of their eligibility to participate
in Honda's summer immersion/internship program for an in-depth
experience in an automobile manufacturing environment.
Nicholas Diaz, a 2011-12 scholarship recipient who participated in the
internship program, met with the students to talk about his experiences
at Honda of America Mfg. Diaz, who graduated from Ohio State University,
now holds a permanent full-time position with the company.
For more information about Honda's partnership with the HSF, please visit www.HSF.net.
