Contributing to the professionalization of the tourism sector is essential to ensuring the integral development of Miches, which harbors an invaluable natural resource: talented young people. At Fundación Tropicalia we remain committed to supporting the sustainable development of Miches as evidenced through our scholarship program created in 2011 in partnership with ISA University (UISA), an academic institute with nearly six decades of history in the city of Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic.
For the past 12 years, Fundación Tropicalia each year approaches the high schools in the province of El Seibo to invite students in their last year of high school to learn more about the educational programs offered at UISA and how to apply for the scholarship.
The scholarship program is focused on UISA training programs in agricultural engineering, food technology, agronomy, and animal husbandry, offering degrees in Agronomy Engineering, Animal Production Engineering and Food Technology Engineering. These courses are managed by UISA's Faculty of Agri-Food and Environmental Sciences and are aimed at improving the country's economy and social environment.
Those interested in participating must be residents of Miches and graduates from School District 12-03 and 12-04 with an average of more than 80 points. The scholarships offered by Fundación Tropicalia only covers 90% of the cost of tuition, room and board for the time foreseen in the official curriculum. Personal expenses are not included.
Selected students must pass the university entrance exam and demonstrate their leadership and academic performance in order to receive the corresponding funds, taking into account that Fundación Tropicalia will not be responsible for subjects withdrawn or failed. The students have other financing options if needed to cover the remaining 10%.
Soribel Sosa, one of the scholarship recipients from La Gina, graduated in 2021 and says that “when Fundación Tropicalia went to the high school promoting the scholarships I fell in love with ITA (Food Technology Engineering) because it is the main career I wanted to study and my parents never objected to me moving so far away from home just to achieve my dreams. Faithfully, grateful indeed.”
Fundación Tropicalia's scholarship program has benefited more than 30 people since its inception, of which 70% of them have graduated and 80% are working, even a few have begun employment prior to finalizing their thesis. Currently, five students are completing their regular study plan and two more scholarships are expected to be awarded in 2023.
