The Jose Antonio Echeverria Scholarship

at the

Department of Political Science

in the

College of Arts and Sciences

 

 

 

On March 13, 1957, a group of students from the University of Havana launched an attack on the Presidential Palace in a bold attempt to overthrow military dictator Fulgencio Batista.  The leader of the group, Jose Antonio Echeverria, who was also the President of the University Students Federation (FEU in Spanish) at the time, was slain by the police only steps away from the famous staircase leading into the University of Havana campus.  He was only 24 years old.

 

To mark the 50th anniversary of this event, the family and friends of slain Cuban student leader Jose Antonio Echeverria donated $50,000 to establish the Jose Antonio Echeverria Scholarship fund at Florida International University.  Although Echeverria was an architecture student, the family has decided to fund a scholarship in the Department of Political Science to encourage the new generation to become active participants in the current political environment and effective future leaders.

 

“We want to encourage our new generations to understand what happened in Cuba during the 1950s, not only in the political context, but also in the economic and social one, that urged my brother’s generation to act the way they did,” said Lucy Echeverria, sister of Jose Antonio and President of the Jose Antonio Echeverria Foundation, the entity donating the funds to FIU. “This is perhaps one of the most turbulent and least understood periods in Cuban history. We would like to encourage more research in this area.”

 

The scholarship will support students in the Department of Political Science and will also promote the understanding among students at the University of the political, social and economic realities of 1950s Cuba, and in particular on the life and legacy of Jose Antonio Echeverria and his courageous struggle for freedom and democracy on the island nation.

 

The Jose Antonio Echeverria Scholarship will award $2,000 each academic year to cover tuition, books and other educational expenses.  Interested students can contact the Department of Political Science at 305-348-2226.

 

 

Eligibility Criteria.  The Jose Antonio Echeverria Scholarships will be awarded to individuals

                                    who meet the following criteria:

  1. At the time of application, be enrolled at FIU as an undergraduate, degree-seeking student with a declared major in Political Science taking at least 12 credit hours each semester.
  2. At the time of application, be actively enrolled in the Certificate Program in Cuban and Cuban-American Studies and taking a minimum of one program course per semester, including any summer semester, or committed in writing to enroll in said Certificate Program during any semester that the applicant will be a recipient of the scholarship.
  3. A cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at FIU or, if newly enrolled at FIU, at prior institutions attended.
  4. Submit an essay (a minimum of three pages, double spaced, in length) on the subject of the life and beliefs of Jose Antonio Echeverria which demonstrates an understanding of the democratic ideals championed by Jose Antonio Echeverria and how his political beliefs were influenced by his religious upbringing.  The essay should also demonstrate an understanding of the historical and political context of Cuba in the 1950s.  The essay can be submitted in either English or Spanish.

 Click here for Application Form.

 

5.    Selection Procedure and Criteria.

  1. Advertising of the Scholarship and the selection of recipients will be made in accordance with the University’s and College of Arts and Sciences’ standard scholarship selection procedures.
  2. A Selection Committee comprised of representatives of the FIU Department of Political Science and an appointed representative of the Donor will recommend Scholarship recipient(s) from a pool of finalists previously chosen by FIU.  Final selection of the recipient will be made by the University, taking into account the recommendation of the committee.
  3. If two finalists are equally matched in the quality and content of their respective applications but one is written in English and the other in Spanish, preference may be given to the candidate whose application essay was written in Spanish.
  4. Scholarships may be renewed for one or more additional academic years, provided that the recipient maintains the eligibility criteria and makes satisfactory progress toward a degree.