Dr. Kelly Bringhurst, DSU professor and director of Community Engaged Learning, attended a ceremony on May 30 in Salt Lake City, where he received two grant awards from the Mexican government.
The first award focuses on higher education and provides $3,000 for scholarships for DSU students who are of Mexican origin. Furthering the impact of the award, DSU matches the funds provided by the Mexican government.
The second award centers around adult education. This award provides funds to help local residents of Mexican origin finish their high school education through GED testing and English as a Second Language courses. This grant will pay the testing fees, while volunteers will provide tutoring and help Spanish-speakers prepare for the test. English tutoring will also be available to help Spanish-speakers who wish to increase their English language skills.
The awards were presented by Head Consul of Mexico in Salt Lake City, José V. Borjón
Borjón has been a fierce champion throughout his career working to integrate Latino/Hispanic subcultures with their respective communities. He has 20 years of consul and community affairs experience, working as a representative for 5 years in Korea, 3 years in Latin America and the Caribbean, and a total of 12 years in the United States developing projects to support the integration of Mexican sub-communities.
Mexicans have a "growing, thriving presence" in Utah because "Utah communities align very closely with Mexican values of hard work and family... and values inclusivity. [Which is] why... by 2040 Utah will be a majority-minority state," he declared in a November speech to the SLC Rotary Club. His main interest is for "[Utah] to see this as an opportunity rather than a threat."
One way to seize the opportunity of all this growth is through education.
Already the largest subculture in the United States at almost 18%, the Latino/Hispanic population is also the fastest growing subculture. This has major significance here at Dixie considering St. George is America's fastest growing metro area according to the U.S Census, and DSU is Utah's fastest growing University since 2012 with a diversity rate of over 21%.
"We have a deep commitment and ongoing outreach to our Latino community," Dr. Bringhurst affirmed. "These grants from the Mexican government will help us provide more services that are needed in our community."
Combining DSU’s commitment with Borjón, who earned a bachelor's degree, two master's degrees, and completed numerous diploma programs, is the beginning of a long-lasting endeavor to increase educational opportunities and integrate the benefits of our continually diverse population.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Luis Arévalo, DSU Director of Global Education: arevalo@utahtech.edu
Zoe Sánchez, zoe.sanchez@washk12.org, 603-566-9887
Dr. Kelly Bringhurst: kbringhurst@utahtech.edu, 435-652-7768
