Dr. Luis F. Clay-Mendez Scholarship

The Dr. Luis F. Clay-Mendez Scholarship supports Spanish majors with Teacher Certification at Eastern Illinois University. This scholarship recognizes students who demonstrate academic excellence and exemplify the qualities of Dr. Luis Clay-Mendez, including a positive attitude, outgoing spirit, and willingness to go beyond average expectations. Eligible recipients must be declared Spanish majors pursuing Teacher Certification who have completed at least 75 credit hours of coursework. Applicants must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA both overall and in their major. The award requires an essay describing why the applicant deserves the scholarship and how they embody the personal qualities and attributes of Dr. Luis Clay-Mendez. Applicants must also provide detailed information about their upper-division Spanish coursework, participation in activities promoting World Languages and Culture (such as language clubs, volunteer tutoring, language honor societies, etc.), and their future plans for studying Spanish and professional goals related to world languages. The scholarship is announced in the Spring semester and funds are disbursed in the Fall semester.