$200K endowment launches new engineering scholarships
The University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, formalized a new $200,000 philanthropic fund to strengthen its engineering talent pipeline, as alumnus and engineer Fernando L. Sumaza-Laborde created an endowment to support students in civil, electrical, industrial and mechanical engineering.
During the signing ceremony, the institution awarded the first two $5,000 scholarships made possible through the fund.
“I had an extraordinary experience at the school, which was the foundation of my professional success. I wanted to give back to this community what it did for me,” said Sumaza-Laborde, a 1963 graduate in electrical engineering.
He said the selected students are “exceptional” and added that he hopes “when they succeed, they will do the same as I did: return and contribute.”
The inaugural scholarships were awarded to Yosefine Santiago-Hernández, a mechanical engineering student, and Paola Reyes-Laboy, a civil engineering student. Both were selected through an evaluation process that included academic review, personal interviews and committee assessment.
“It represents years of effort that are now reflected in this scholarship,” said Santiago-Hernández, who hopes to work in the aerospace field and eventually return to Puerto Rico to help develop that sector.
Reyes-Laboy said the award serves as “validation that I chose the right path.” She expressed gratitude for the support, which she said will help her pursue her goals in construction project management and coastal engineering.
“Thanks to his generosity, I can move forward with greater confidence,” she said.
UPR-Mayagüez Rector Agustín Rullán-Toro described the initiative as “a perpetual legacy that will continue to transform lives,” while UPR President Zayira Jordán-Conde said acts of alumni philanthropy reinforce the institution’s future.
