Scholars Latino Initiative

06/02/2026

SLI alumni, check your email inbox for a chance to win a $50 gift card from SLI! If you did not receive the invitation but want to be included, please email [email protected].

05/25/2026

Congratulations, SLI scholars! 18 SLI scholars graduating from high school this spring were celebrated recently at special SLI gatherings in Harrisonburg, Richmond, and Wi******er. They have been accepted into a dozen colleges and universities. vasli.org/sligraduations2026

05/22/2026

If you see SLI program director and board vice chair Carlos Alemán, tell him "Congrats!" Carlos, a professor of communication studies, was named the JMU Community Engagement and Volunteer Center's "Outstanding Faculty Partner" for his work with SLI. READ MORE: vasli.org/alemanoutstanding

05/12/2026

When Wi******er SLI scholars heard from Valley Health leaders in April, they didn’t just learn about healthcare professions; they also met community health leaders who were thrilled to spark their imaginations for their paths ahead. READ MORE: https://vasli.org/2026/05/11/valleyhealthpresentationspring2026/

05/07/2026

At the Harrisonburg SLI Meet & Greet earlier this year, SLI scholars and alumni expressed heartfelt thanks for two SLI program directors whose contributions have also included serving on the organization’s board of directors. The gathering brought together students, educators, board members, supporters, and more to celebrate the college access nonprofit’s mission, and provided space for honoring Carlos Alemán, PhD, a professor of communication studies at James Madison University, and Hannah Bowman Hrasky, an AVID teacher at Rocktown High School. Their more than 25 combined years of service as SLI program directors is continuing, but their terms on the SLI board will end this year. READ MORE: vasli.org/hburg26

05/04/2026

Thank you WNRN for featuring SLI's program director and board vice chair Carlos Alemán on Hear Together!

The Scholars Latino Initiative (SLI) is a college access nonprofit that supports high school students through academic challenge, leadership development, affirming relationships, and scholarship awards. They work with high school and university faculty, staff, and students to offer out-of-school pre...

04/23/2026

¡¡¡THANK YOU!!! to the 52 people who contributed $46,340 during the Great Community Give to help make college dreams come true!

Folks still wanting to support SLI can contribute at vasli.org/donate anytime, or to read the latest at vasli.org/news.

04/19/2026

The students, board members, program directors, and community supporters who attended the Wi******er SLI Meet & Greet on April 9 reflected the heart of SLI’s mission: rallying around college access opportunities for promising young people. SLI alum Gabby shared about her successes, and Gerald "Mac" McNichols was recognized for the Gerald and Paula McNichols Family Foundation’s tremendous support for SLI technology grants. READ MORE: vasli.org/winc26

04/17/2026

Congrats to Richmond SLI scholar Lindsay Zambrano Perdomo for being included in the “We the People: The World in Our Commonwealth” exhibition at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture! Lindsay, who is pictured and quoted in a display titled “Our Stories,” is salutatorian of the 2026 class of Huguenot High School, and will speak at her graduation in June.

READ MORE: https://vasli.org/2026/04/16/sli-senior-included-in-virginia-museum-of-history-culture-exhibition/