Student accepts scholarship
Cafe Sabor’s Scholarship Night Thursday had it all: food, entertainment, and a charitable cause.
The party was to raise money for the second year of the Café Sabor Scholarship. There was mariachi music, provided by Mariachi Zavala of Ogden, a dancing demonstration by students from the Dominican Republic, and even Big Blue made an appearance, giving high-fives, waving to kids, and posing for pictures.
All of the proceeds from the scholarship night will be donated to Utah State University’s Multicultural Student Services to benefit a Cache Valley high school graduate who plans to attend USU. The recipient of the scholarship will be a first generation multicultural student with a significant need. Those interested in the scholarship should also demonstrate some way they have provided service to others, said Justin Hamilton, owner of Café Sabor and a USU alumnus.
Hamilton started the Scholarship Night last year. He said he hopes to raise enough money to pay for two years of tuition, after which time the recipient will become eligible for departmental scholarships.
“We want to see this continue for years and grow and grow. We hope to be an example to other businesses in the area to support the university,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton began the Café Sabor scholarship as a way to give back to USU and its students.
“It’s going to take things like this to help USU reach goals that are set,” he said. “Education has more value than any monetary amount.”
The cuisine was not the only channel for fundraising. Each table had donation slips and there was a silent auction table full of Aggie paraphernalia, including a football helmet siegned by the whole team. Also auctioned off were the dessert “Death by Chocolate,” dinner at Hamilton’s Steak and Seafood (also owned by Hamilton), and a stay at the University Inn.
Dr. Juan Franco, USU vice president for Student Services, said $5,000 was raised last year, and he hopes to exceed that amount this year.
“We decided to recognize the need to raise money for students,” he said. “We hope that as this grows we will be able to start more scholarships.”
Last year’s recipient, Edison Suasnavas, a 19-year-old biology and animal science major from Ecuador, said he was grateful for the opportunity the scholarship gave him to attend school.
“I would really like to encourage multicultural students to not give up and to achieve their goals, because we are able to become useful to this country by sharing our culture and knowledge,” Suasnavas said in brief comments to the guests.
Businesses and individuals in Logan volunteered many services to the scholarship night. Juan Mariano, USU Recruitment Specialist, offered his time as a disc jockey.
Al’s Trophies and Frames Inc. donated a plaque to display the names of the scholarship recipients. Moisés DÃaz, director of the USU Multicultural Student Services, presented it to Hamilton Thursday night after remarks from Franco, Hamilton, DÃaz, and Suasnavas.
Other services offered were a reduced rate for music from Mariachi Zavala, as well as a performance by Kris Krompel, a senior majoring in guitar performance, and 110 posters from Publication, Design and Production on campus. Even Pepsi and other purveyors donated to support the scholarship night, Hamilton said.
Diaz said the evening was made possible by Hamilton’s “generosity and creativity.”
“I’m very pleased to be part of this program because of what it means to students and what it can do for people. Education is so important,” he said.