Latina Women’s Conference Scholarship
The Latina Women’s Conference (LWC) held by the Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (CCHCC) is offering (4) scholarships.
CCHCC and the Latina Women’s Conference realize the impact and significant contribution of our up-and-coming leaders in the Central Valley. The Local Leader Scholarship(s) (“Scholarship”) was created to provide career-minded individuals who express an interest in community activism the opportunity to develop professionally, personally, and socially within the Central Valley.
Essay Prompts
Applicants must select one of the following prompts for their essay.
1. “What does it mean to be a powerful Latina in today’s world, and how can young Latinas redefine leadership and representation in their communities?”
2. “How can Latina youth use their voice to challenge stereotypes and lead change in their schools or communities?”
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Essay Guidelines: Length: 450–500 words – Typed, double-spaced, 12-point font (Times New Roman or Arial) – Essay must be written in English – Include a separate cover sheet with your name, school, year, and contact info
Important Rules: Essays must be the student’s original work – Use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, GrammarlyGO) is prohibited – Submissions will be scanned through an AI detection program – Plagiarized or AI-generated essays will be disqualified
Judging Criteria: Understanding of theme – Personal voice and reflection – Critical thinking and originality – Organization and clarity – Grammar and mechanics
Prizes and recognition will be awarded at the upcoming Latina Women’s Conference on September 25, 2025.
We are awarding five (5) scholarships of $1,000 each to selected winners. Winners must be present at the conference to receive their award, or have a designated representative attend on their behalf.
For questions, contact: Jessica Quintana, jessica@cchcc.biz or info@cchcc.biz
Eligibility Criteria
1.) Open to Latina-identifying students only, including: – High school seniors (Class of 2025) – Currently enrolled college students (community college or university)
Must have a GPA of 2.5 or above. Must include official transcripts with the application
We welcome the diversity within Latina identity, including Afro-Latinas, Indigenous Latinas, and LGBTQ+ Latinas.
3.) Applicants must not be an employee (including full- and part-time faculty) or a family member (Spouse, dependent child or domestic partner) of the Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce or a board member or ambassador of the Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
4.) Applicants must submit a complete, signed application, together with all supporting documentation by the deadline. The completion of the application form does not create an obligation to award a scholarship to the applicant
5.) Applicants must submit a completed essay as described in the Essay section.
Deadline
The first 50 submitted applications that meet the defined eligibility criteria and supporting documentation must be submitted by September 12, 2025. Applications not submitted or submitted after the application limit or designated deadline will not be considered. No exceptions.
Selection Process
1.) Only applicants, who meet the eligibility criteria, submit their complete application, and supporting documentation, as more fully described herein, on or before the deadline (“Qualified Applications”) will be considered in the selection process
2.) The recipient of this scholarship will be selected by the scholarship selection committee appointed by representatives from The Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Non-Scholarship committee members may not assist in the selection committee process
3.) It is the applicant’s responsibility to submit a complete and signed application, along with all the supporting documentation, which must be received on or before the deadline. The scholarship selection committee accepts no responsibility for incomplete applications, applications not in proper form, lost applications, or any other submission in exception to the instructions
4.) The scholarship award will be based on the committee’s scores of the overall quality of the application and the scholarship essay. The higher the average score, the higher the probability of selection
5.) The decision of the scholarship selection committee is final and not subject to review
