(Phoenix, AZ) Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. (CPLC) recently received an investment of $50,000 from BHP, a global resource company, that will go towards scholarships and grants supporting the educational and career aspirations of Arizona’s Copper Corridor residents. The scholarship aims to expand access and affordability to higher education or vocational training, upskilling and certification.
“Generations of immigrant workers and rural Arizonans have been the backbone of the mining industry in the Copper Corridor. Their labor has been key to the growth of our nation’s economy and quality of life, and we now have an opportunity to invest in the future of their youth,” said David Adame, CPLC President and CEO. “As industry and the economy have changed over the years, we cannot leave this population behind. So, we are proudly partnering with BHP to provide scholarships to youth and residents from these mining towns. This opportunity is the next step for people from the region to upskill and enhance communities in the Copper Corridor.”
CPLC BHP scholarships can be applied toward the tuition of any of the three state universities, the community colleges, or vocational schools. Grants will also be made available for those seeking a training certification or towards the purchase of tools as it pertains to upskilling and training. All applicants must be at least 16 years old and live in the Copper Corridor region consisting of Miami, Globe, Superior, Hayden, Kearny, Oracle, Oracle Junction, San Manuel, Mammoth and Winkelman. Applications open Oct. 1, 2023.
“BHP is delighted to partner with Chicanos Por La Causa to support scholarships for students from the Copper Corridor pursuing an education,” said Kate Sommerville, BHP Legacy Assets General Manager.
Winkelman resident and 2023 graduate of Hayden High School, Brandon Garner Jr., was selected as an inaugural CPLC BHP ASU Tomas Espinoza Scholar and enrolled in ASU’s Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering.
“I am honored and grateful to have been selected as the first BHP scholar as part of the Chicano Por La Causa’s scholarship program. As an incoming freshman to Arizona State University, this opportunity helps me to attain a college degree in mechanical engineering and pursue my career goals,” said Garner.
Scholarship and grant funding is limited. For more information on the CPLC BHP Scholarship, contact scholarships@cplc.org.
About BHP
BHP is a global resources company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. BHP has a global workforce of approximately 80,000 people working in locations across Australia, Asia, the UK, US, Canada and South America. BHP produces commodities essential for global decarbonization and economic development including copper, nickel, iron ore, metallurgical coal and oversees a portfolio of closed sites across the US, managed from its corporate office in Tucson, Arizona. Further information on BHP can be found at: http://bhp.com.
About Chicanos Por La Causa
Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. (CPLC) is a community development corporation that provides services in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas. Since 1969, CPLC has been changing lives by developing self-sufficiency and instilling empowerment in those we serve. Our focus areas are economic development, education, integrated health & human services, and housing. CPLC provides a better life through offering business and employment opportunities; ensuring everyone has the solid foundation of an education; providing hope through a pathway of recovery, restoration and resiliency; and ensuring that a safe, secure, affordable home is available to every individual we serve. Today, we have more than 30 programs & services, approximately 2,000 employees and 160 offices, making CPLC one of the largest community development corporations in the nation. For more information, please visit www.CPLC.org.
Brandon Garner Jr., center was the first to receive this scholarship. Ben Scolaro | Chicanos Por La Causa