Tag: Velasco Education Fund

Border Partners is pleased to announce the recipients of the Velasco Education Fund scholarship, awarded this year for the first time, in memory of Juan Velasco.  Creating the Velasco Fund was Suzanne Dulle’s idea as a way to honor Juan’s commitment to the education of students in Puerto Palomas.  His friends and other supporters of Border Partners responded to the idea with amazing generosity.  

Following a selection process spearheaded by General Manager, Juan Rascon and Program Manager, Victoria Ibarra, along with Suzanne Dulle, Juan’s partner, the Velasco Education Fund gave out four scholarships, two to students at each high school in Puerto Palomas.

However, in this case 2+2 does not equal 4:  a total of SIX students will benefit from the funding from the new foundation! After interviewing and selecting finalists, four students asked if they could split the funding between them, rather than only two receiving more money. We applaud the students for this show of mutual support and believe it reflects highly on their character. And, we congratulate all of the winners who will head off to university this fall! 

First Velasco Education Fund Awardees

A little information on the recipients:

• Damian plans to study marketing and volunteers his time teaching the guitar.
• Uriel intends to study Business with a focus on international trade.
• Nancy Victoria also wants to study Business and is a math tutor for younger students.
• Andrea plans to major in Psychology.
• Nancy Guadalupe and Santiago, both Border Partners volunteers, will study Medicine and Physical Conditioning, respectively.

Congratulations to this year’s winners.  We are so excited to see what you will do and to follow your educational journeys over the next few years! And thank you to the late Juan Velasco, whose memory shines on gratefully in the bright futures of these students. 

by Suzanne Dulle

Students in Palomas who are desirous of pursuing a higher education will soon have that opportunity, thanks to the establishment of the Velasco Education Fund, in memory of Juan Velasco.

For the past 21 years, Velasco has been tireless in supporting educational and community based projects. In 2003, he and his wife started a small not-for-profit organization which awarded university scholarships to students in Juan’s native Bolivia. Later, he expanded his work to Palomas, where he taught business development classes and assisted with other efforts to benefit the community. He focused on providing the opportunity of higher education to many, many deserving students.

Juan Velasco died unexpectedly last summer at the age of 81. To keep alive his unfailing interest in education on all levels, as well as his deep love and commitment to the people of Palomas, his wife, Suzanne Dulle, recently proposed the establishment of the Velasco Education Fund. We are happy to report that the proposed fund was approved at the most recent Border Partner’s Board meeting!

Velasco Education Fund

An important component of the fund will include the award of scholarships to deserving students who want to pursue a higher level of education in universities and/or trade schools in Mexico. Awards will be based on financial need, good grades, as well as personal interviews. Additionally, the fund may be used for students within schools in the community of Palomas itself, such as funding for uniforms, books, and other needed school supplies.

The fund is being initially seeded with a small donation from Juan’s Estate, along with donations from various Velasco family members. We are hopeful that continuing donations to the Education Fund from our donors will ensure that it will be sustained over many years!

If you are interested in supporting this important effort, please donate to Border Partners, and specify that your donation is for the “Velasco Education Fund.”

THANK YOU for your continuing vital support of our educational work in Palomas.