associate professor of health, physical education and recreation, 308.865.8179
Joel Lemus, a junior at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, has been awarded a $1,000 Heartland Latino Leadership Conference (HLLC) scholarship.
Lemus, a middle school education major from Schuyler , was one of only 15 scholarship recipients at the seventh annual Heartland Latino Leadership Conference & Expo held at the Qwest Center in Omaha. The theme of the conference was “Leading the Way: The Realities, Voices, Lives and Dreams of Latinos in the Heartland.”
Lemus is the president of Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity and is a past vice-president of the Hispanic Student Association. He has also been active in the development of the Cultural Unity Conference the past two years.
The HLLC awards scholarships to Latino college students and high school graduates intending to enroll in college. According to the organization’s Web site, the goal of the HLLC is to “develop the skills and awareness necessary for effective working relationships among community professionals and businesses.”
To apply for the scholarships, students submitted an application form, two letters of recommendation and answers to four essay questions. Applicants were asked how a college education would help them make a difference in the Latino community, what their concept of leadership is and who best matches that idea, what significant challenge do Latinos face and what strategies can be taken to solve that problem, and what school-related activities have had a deep impact on them personally.
The submission materials were then reviewed by a committee that chose the scholarship winners. Approximately 130 students from across the state applied for a scholarship this year. Scholarship funds are drawn from the HLLC and private donors.
