The anti-poverty nonprofit the Oyate Group has partnered with New York State Sepúlveda Luis Sepulveda to launch two full-ride scholarships to the City College of New York. The Oyate Global Rising Scholarships are available for high school seniors in the Dominican Republic to move to NYC and study at City College for four years.
Tomas Ramos, founder, president and CEO of the Bronx-based nonprofit Oyate Group, said the scholarships are about investing in Dominican youth.
“The sky is the limit for Dominican youth when you give them the opportunities and resources to access higher education,” said Ramos, a Dominican New Yorker.
Many immigrants from the Dominican Republican have made a mark on the city and have settled in the Bronx. In 2020 nearly 50% of all Dominican people in New York City lived in the Bronx, according to a study by the City University of New York’s Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latino Studies.
Sepúlveda, who represents several neighborhoods in the Bronx, said that the Oyate Global Rising Scholarship is about more than financial aid.
“Education is the foundation of progress, and this scholarship represents our commitment to nurturing a brighter future for both the Dominican Republic and the great state of New York,” Sepulveda said. “I am excited to see the positive impact these students will have, and I look forward to strengthening our ties and creating even more opportunities for young scholars.”
Seniors enrolled in a public high school in the Dominican Republic who maintain at least an 85% grade average are eligible for the scholarships. Applications are open until Jan. 31, 2025, and recipients will be notified in March.
