Brenau University signed a grant agreement with the Government of Mexico on July 22 that will help students of Mexican origin offset tuition costs.

This marks the third consecutive year Brenau has received the grant funded via the Institute for Mexicans Abroad scholarship program, or IME Becas. The program was created to support Mexican students from low-income households who live in the United States and are completing basic or higher education or pursuing technological careers. For students to qualify, they or their parents must have been born in Mexico. Brenau is matching the $6,000 it received from the institute to create a total fund of $12,000 to offset tuition costs for six students over the current academic year.

IME Becas scholarship recipient Karina Gonzalez, a sophomore pre-nursing major from Gillsville, Georgia, says she is glad to see more programs like IME Becas assisting students like herself, especially those pursuing careers in health care.

“When I was growing up and had to go to clinics, I never saw any Hispanic nurses,” Gonzalez said. “That’s changing now, and I want to be part of that growth.”

Rosi Ponce, executive director of international strategy and partnerships, signed the agreement on behalf of Brenau during the ceremony on the university’s Gainesville campus.

“We are proud of this long-standing relationship and honored that the day has come to formalize it,” Ponce says. “True to our mission, we welcome continued contributions to the efforts led by the Mexican government to create opportunities for students of Mexican descent as they pursue their dreams of attaining post-secondary education. This partnership allows for us to become a more diverse campus, and therefore a stronger institution.”