Fifteen incoming first-generation Hispanic students at St. Edward’s University will have all their college costs covered for the next five years thanks to a $2.1 million grant from the The Hector and Gloria López Foundation.

The grant, which was announced during an event on-campus on Wednesday, will cover tuition, fees and all other expenses, such as housing costs, for 15 students starting in fall 2023 and create “pathways to educational attainment and a pipeline to a successful career.” The selected López Scholars will also have access to mentorship, tutoring, study abroad programs, paid internships, leadership development and other support.

St. Edward’s University president Montserrat Fuentes, who also was a first-generation college student, said the university is the first private institution in Texas to recieve an award from the foundation. She said the goal of the grant is to empower Hispanic students and provide them with an education that leads to social mobility.

The university is a Hispanic-Serving Institution with more than 51.3% Hispanic undergraduate students and 41% students are Pell Grant recipients, she said at the event.

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“Nearly one-third of our students are the first in their families to attend college, and our faculty and staff are eager to help them succeed in the classroom, on campus and beyond,” Fuentes said in a media release. “We are honored that this grant affirms the importance of elevating future Latino leaders from all family backgrounds and life experiences.”