The Provost’s Latin America/Caribbean Merit Scholarship provided five new international students from Bolivia, Brazil, Jamaica, Panama, and St. Maarten with scholarships for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Through this scholarship, the students receive a scholarship of $500 for one or two semesters and classification as a Florida resident for tuition purposes, during the semesters(s) of the scholarship.

2020-2021 Scholarship Recipients include (pictured from left to right above):

• Flavia Franco from Bolivia studying psychology
• Mit Ahir Ahir from Panama studying finance
• Tashoi James from Jamaica studying political science
• Rosencio Hassell from St. Maarten studying marketing
• Leticia Fernandes Bugarin from Brazil studying business (not pictured)

“I chose to attend Florida State University because, it was rated one of the best universities in the country and has one of the best business colleges in Florida,” said Rosencio Hassell, business major from St. Maarten. Hassell said that the scholarship helped him and his family by allowing him to attend classes with in-state tuition, without which he probably would not have been able to attend FSU. Hassell’s scholarship includes a contribution from St. Maarten’s Division of Study Financing.

Flavia Franco, psychology major from Bolivia, said that this scholarship has significantly helped her family by providing more economic stability; she’s a triplet and university costs for three attending universities all at once is financially overwhelming. “I chose FSU not only because of the opportunities it offers for my professional development but also because it seemed like the university truly fostered and upheld the sense of community and a desire to create a true emphatic and understanding community,” Franco said. “I have confirmed the latter: services such as the Transfer Genius Mentorship Program have accompanied me along the way of making my first remote learning experience go as smoothly as possible.”

“Being a recipient of the LAC scholarship has significantly reduced financial burdens,” said Tashoi James, political science major from Jamaica. “It increased my chances of completing my bachelor’s degree on time. I am more confident in dedicating more time to studying due to the reduced stress. Hence, this scholarship is meaningful to me. It serves as proof that there is always light in every darkness.”

Another scholarship recipient, Mit Ahir Ahir, expressed his gratitude for the scholarship that came at a time when both of his parents lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Ahir was born and raised in Panama, and he comes to FSU speaking four languages: Spanish, Gujarati, Hindi and English! “I am really happy to receive this scholarship,” Ahir said. “FSU makes me feel at home, and I am here to make best memories of my life.”

Learn about funding opportunities available for international students on the CGE’s website here.