From left: Berklee School of Music president Ron Brown; bassist Ernesto Núñez recipient of the $200.000 Miguel Bosé scholarship from the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation; Miguel Bosé; the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation’s Manolo Díaz.

Forty-four Latin students will receive $870,000 in educational funding this year from the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation, which has awarded more than $2.5 million since its formation in 2015.

Launched in 2015 by the Miami-based Latin Recording Academy,  The Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation is committed to helping talented musicians worldwide overcome economic obstacles to achieving their career ambitions, awarding more than 100 scholarships to date.

The 44 scholarship recipients come from countries spanning four continents: Brazil (8), Mexico (8), Venezuela (8), Colombia (4), Dominican Republic (4), United States (3), Peru (2), Puerto Rico (2), and one recipient from Costa Rica, Cuba, Indonesia, Portugal, and Spain. As previously announced, 22-year-old Dominican electric bassist Ernesto Núñez received the $200.000 Miguel Bosé Scholarship.

“Thanks to our generous donors, involved artists, and compassionate partners, we continue to be in a strong position to provide support to truly talented Latin music students in need and with the tools to pursue their dreams to follow in the footsteps of their Latin music icons,” Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation senior vice president Manolo Díaz said.

“While I am proud of the Foundation for breaking records in dollars and number of gifts awarded in 2017 —and passing the incredible $2.5 million and 100 scholarship milestones — I am profoundly honored to be playing a role in the advancement of these talented musicians and the spread of love for Latin music around the world.”

The following received the Gifted Tuition Scholarships of up to $100,000 and covers a four-year bachelor’s degree:

• Andrés Guerra, 21, a classical guitarist from Venezuela based in Revere, MA, who will attend Berklee College of Music in Boston.
• Carolina Mercado, 22, a tenor saxophonist from Mexico, who will attend The School of Jazz at The New School in New York City.
• Nikola Vasiljevic, 17, a guitarist from the Dominican Republic, who will attend Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Additionally, 40 students will receive Tuition Assistance Scholarships — a one-time scholarship valued at up to a maximum of $10,000 each toward music education at an institution of their choice. Recipients will pursue their music education at schools such as Berklee College of Music, Indiana University, School of Jazz at The New School, the University of Southern California in the U.S., Faculdade de Música Souza Lima in Brazil, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia, Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio in Spain, and more. This group of 40 individuals includes Dominican pianist Esmirna Ortiz, who is receiving the scholarship for the third consecutive year and has already put her production engineering studies to practical use, assisting in production logistics at last year’s Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year gala.

The 2017 Latin Grammy Awards will take place Nov. 16, 2017 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and telecast live on Univision from 8–11 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. Central), with a one-hour pre-show beginning at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Following is a list of students who are receiving a Tuition Assistance Scholarships for 2017, including their country of origin, music major, and college they will be attending this fall:

The Foundation’s Scholarship Committee is tasked with carefully evaluating a highly competitive pool of young and aspiring musicians on a variety of skills and rigorous policies developed by the Foundation. The Gifted Tuition Scholarships and Miguel Bosé Scholarship recipients must maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA and honor standards of academic excellence and outstanding conduct set forth by the Foundation and the respective music institution, in order to qualify for renewal of annual assistance during their four-year college term, which will be assessed each semester.