ABERDEEN, S.D. – International student Eduardo Mendoza Reyes-Ortiz received a $10,000 scholarship from the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation, making it the third time he’s received this scholarship.
Mendoza Reyes-Ortiz, from Cochabamba, Bolivia, received the scholarship from the foundation. The foundation’s mission helps Latinx music students achieve their professional goals through economical and institutional support. Each year the foundation receives over 1,500 applicants from people with Hispanic heritage around the world and only a few are selected to receive the scholarships by a committee of judges located in different countries.
Mendoza Reyes-Ortiz heard about the opportunity from a friend sharing it, and the first time he applied for it was during his sophomore year. He has received this scholarship three years in a row, and he said that he is the only student in Bolivia to have received this scholarship.
“By being a member of the LGCF family,” Mendoza Reyes-Ortiz said, “I am proudly committed to being a cultural ambassador, and to taking an artistic path for the promotion and enhancement of Latin music around the world.”
Mendoza Reyes-Ortiz’s goal is to become a music educator and performer, and NSU has provided him tools to incorporate his heritage into traditional American K-12 education. He is currently working on a project sponsored by the LGCF and the Bolivian Consulate in the United States.
“My goal is to travel across the state South Dakota and give Bolivian-Latin cultural/musical presentations in public schools in an effort to bring diversity to predominantly white communities,” he said.
He has started his presentations in Aberdeen’s Central and Roncalli high schools, and NSU through a professor. He also has performance videos on his YouTube page.
“I received excellent feedback, which encourages me to aim higher and pursue more ambitious cultural goals.”
For more information about the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation, visit the foundation’s website.
About Northern State University
Northern State University is a student-centered institution that provides an outstanding educational experience, preparing students through the liberal arts and professional education for their future endeavors. A regional university, Northern offers rigorous academics; diverse civic, social and cultural opportunities; and a commitment to building an inclusive environment for all points of view. Northern also offers a broad-based athletics program, sponsoring 15 NCAA Division II intercollegiate varsity sports that compete in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NSIC). The university strives to enrich the community through partnerships such as its Educational Impact Campaign, which opened a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired; new athletic and recreation fields; and an on-campus regional sports complex. With the $55 million campaign, NSU has been the recipient of more than $150 million in privately funded building projects and scholarships within a decade. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions.