SMF screens 2019-2020 scholarship applicants

As the application for the SM college scholarship program for school year 2019-2020 closed, members of SM Foundation’s scholarship recruitment team headed by Carmen Linda Atayde, executive director for education, are now interviewing and validating the applications.

The team has been to Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, Cebu, Legaspi, Naga, Cotabato, Davao, Iloilo, Bacolod, Tacloban and provinces in the North to meet the applicants. They are still finalizing their recruitment nationwide.

Those in Metro Manila and its environs are also being attended to by the team with volunteers from the SM Group of Companies. The applicants have one thing in common: they are dreamers but their families are financially incapable of helping them achieve these dreams. The official list of accepted scholars will be out early April.

In Cagayan de Oro, the team met an applicant who is studying at the Regional Science High School. A consistent honor student since Carmen Linda Atayde (right photo), executive director for education of the Foundation, briefs applicants before the interviews that will be conducted after their online examinations. she was in the elementary family income of P150,000. It Benguet, Bulacan, Cagayan, grades, her father is a carpenter is also limited to public high Camarines Norte, Camarines on call and her mother school graduates and those Sur, Cavite, Isabela, Laguna, tends a small sari-sari store. coming from private schools Metro Manila, Nueva Ecija, Her father was teary-eyed who are beneficiaries of the Palawan, Pampanga, Pangaswhen he learned that the team DepEd vouchers. inan, Sorsogon, Quezon, Rizal, was from SM Foundation. He The scholars may choose Tarlac, Zambales for Luzon; hopes his daughter will be accepted from 15 degree courses being offered Capiz, Cebu, Iloilo, Leyte, Neto the program. and enroll in any school/ gros Occidental for Visayas; and

The college scholarship program university of their choice from Agusan del Norte, Davao del is the brainchild of SM the list of SM partner schools. Sur, Misamis Oriental, South founder Henry “Tatang” Sy Scholars who enroll in state Cotabato, Zamboanga del Sur who believed that education is colleges and universities where for Mindanao. the best defense against poverty. tuition is free, SM Foundation Aside from the college scholarship That is why acceptance to takes care of their miscellaneous program, SM Foundation the scholarship program gives fees and also get an increase in also has a technical/vocational priority to those who belong their monthly stipend. program for students who want to the less privileged whose The scholarship is open to to pursue two-year technical/ parents earn a total annual those in Albay, Bataan, Batangas, vocational courses.