SIUE's Olivares earns scholarship from ILLCF

EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville junior psychology major Stephanie Olivares, of Highland, has been awarded $2,000 from the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Foundation (ILLCF).

According to the ILLCF, scholarships are presented to “deserving young people of good character and high academic achievement … to help them achieve their educational objectives.”

“I am beyond grateful for this opportunity, which will help further my studies,” Olivares said. “I chose to major in psychology and minor in Spanish, because I aspire to support and guide minority communities that may be less fortunate than others.”

Carolina Rocha, PhD, professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature, made Olivares aware of the scholarship opportunity. She and Brian Hinterscher, director of undergraduate advising staff in the College of Arts and Sciences, both recommended Olivares to the ILLCF as deserving of the scholarship.

“Previously, the SIUE Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion supported my professional development by funding a trip for me to learn about the opportunities of the ILLC and share them with Hispanic students at SIUE,” Rocha explained. “I made it my goal to disseminate this opportunity among SIUE Latino students and encourage them to make the most of their bilingual skills and biculturalism while in college. I am delighted by Stephanie’s well-deserved success in receiving this competitive scholarship.”

“ILLCF scholarships are crucial for first-generation Latino college students, not only for the financial award, but also because it shows the support of a community toward hard-working students,” Rocha added.

Olivares will be honored at the ILLCF Scholarship Presentation and Reception on Thursday, Jan. 25 in Chicago.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high quality, affordable education that prepares them for successful careers and lives of purpose to shape a changing world. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of nearly 14,000.

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