Thank you to everyone who gave to the first UFM Giving Day.
We hope to count on your support next year!
The first UFM Giving Day is dedicated to raising funds for two scholarship programs that enable aspiring Guatemalans to pursue their dream of obtaining a university degree despite financial constraints.
Since it was founded, UFM has striven to attract the best talent to spread the ideas of liberty through every corner of Guatemala. However, we recognize that many brilliant students lack the resources to afford higher education. To address this, UFM awards scholarships based on academic merit to students from low-income backgrounds.
Through the ITA scholarship program (Promoting Academic Talent) and the Rafael Minondo Excellence Scholarship (School of Medicine), UFM empowers these talented individuals to achieve their educational dreams.
We need your support to extend this life-changing opportunity to more Guatemalans.
ITA scholarship program (Promoting Academic Talent)
In 1996, UFM established its scholarship program with the purpose of granting scholarships to talented and motivated young people, who lack the resources to obtain a degree from the university.
Since then, those in charge of the program have identified the brightest and most driven students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, giving them the opportunity to get all the help they need to earn a university degree.
The program is funded through private donations and a full scholarship covers tuition, fees, lodging, medical insurance, and includes a stipend for transportation, books, and personal expenses. While the demand for these scholarships is high, the number of recipients is limited due to funding constraints.
Upon graduation, ITA students become agents of change within their families, communities, and throughout Guatemala.
Doctor Rafael Minondo Scholarship for Excellence
Rafael Minondo Herrera was a distinguished Guatemalan surgeon and physician renowned for his dedication to volunteer work, research, and teaching. He was recognized for his contributions to endocrine surgery, particularly in thyroid procedures. Among his many achievements, he was the first in Guatemala to introduce primary closure of the common bile duct (1959), lymphangiography (1961), cardiac pacemaker implantations (the first in Central America,1965), and catecholamine dosing in the vena cava for the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma (1968).
In his honor, a scholarship fund was established to support Guatemalan UFM medical students. This fund is intended for students who have completed their first two years of study, maintained an average grade of over 80 points, and face financial challenges in finishing their degree.
Created in 2000, the fund covers 50 percent of tuition costs. Over forty outstanding students have benefited from this assistance, enabling them to complete their studies. Many of these students have gone on to pursue their specialization abroad.
Scholarships in numbers
ITA scholarship program (Promoting Academic Talent)
Number of scholarships awarded since 1996:
297
Percentage of women ITA:
51%
Percentage of men ITA:
49%
Percentage of students graduated with honors:
71%
Active ITA students:
54
Doctor Rafael Minondo Scholarship for Excellence
Number of scholarships awarded:
45
Percentage of women:
87%
Percentage of men:
13%
Percentage of graduates with honors:
17%
54%
of the scholarship recipients have traveled abroad for a specialty