Three $2,000 Vega Olivencia scholarships reach RUM as the UPR Endowment Fund closes November 17

Three Chemistry students at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (RUM) each received a $2,000 scholarship from the Vega Olivencia Foundation, an initiative that has now supported 17 young people since it was established in 2021 ¹. The awards were handed out this week, just as other student aid programs close their calls within the next two weeks ²³.

Who is behind the money

The foundation carries the name of Dr. Carmen Vega Olivencia, a Chemistry professor at RUM for more than five decades. According to UPR, she donated personal and family properties valued at more than $1 million to the campus, and those assets fund the scholarships ¹. The foundation was established in 2021, so in five years the program has reached 17 students ¹.

This year's ceremony was coordinated by RUM's Office of Alumni and Philanthropy. Its director, Carmen Patricia Parés, is also UPR's vice president of philanthropy ¹. The campus's interim chancellor, Dr. Miguel A. Muñoz, described the scholarships as much-needed resources for low-income students with big aspirations ¹.

The numbers and the profiles

• Three scholarships of $2,000 each, $6,000 in total for this round ¹.
• All three recipients are second-year students in RUM's Chemistry Department ¹.
• One aims to study Pharmacy, another Medicine with the goal of becoming an orthopedist, and another wants to be a neurologist and return to practice in Puerto Rico ¹.
• The program targets Chemistry students with financial need and strong academic potential ¹.
• Cumulative since 2021: 17 young people supported ¹.

One recipient said her dream is to become a neurologist, return to Puerto Rico and practice here to serve her country ¹. That sentence explains why this kind of aid matters beyond the check: every scholarship that eases tuition and book costs raises the odds that a low-income student finishes a health-science degree and stays on the island.

The published information does not detail application steps or a deadline for the next round of Vega Olivencia scholarships, so anyone hoping to apply should ask the campus directly ¹.

Other aid with nearby deadlines

Meanwhile, other calls are open and the clock is running:

• UPR Endowment Fund (Fondo Dotal) 2026-2027: the University of Puerto Rico opened calls for financial aid with a deadline of November 17, 2026, a Tuesday. Applications and documents are filed electronically ².
• The Fondo Dotal scholarships are Rosa E. Axtmayer and Sixto Moreira (undergraduate and graduate students), General – Irrestricto (undergraduates) and General (graduate students) ².
• The funds come from public and private contributions, alumni and legislative allocations, and are governed by the UPR Endowment Fund Use Policy of August 4, 2009 ².
• Suárez Serrallés Family Fund Scholarship 2026-2027: $2,000 to $3,000 for bachelor's, master's and doctoral students, with a deadline of November 20, 2026, a Friday. The call is run by the Puerto Rico Community Foundation ³.
• Boeing Scholarship for Academic Excellence: $1,000 or $2,000 for RUM undergraduates in Engineering or Human Resources, with a deadline of November 8, 2026, tomorrow, Sunday ³.

What it means for you

If you study at UPR, private scholarships and endowment funds are money you do not pay back, and they often draw few applicants because few people hear about them in time. Between $2,000 and $3,000 can cover a good part of a semester of books and transportation. If you are the parent of a high school senior, take note: these funds exist and the calls repeat every academic year. If you are not a student, the Vega Olivencia case shows how a donation of property can become scholarships for years.

How to / Checklist

1. Go to the UPR Fondo Dotal call at upr.edu and find the application link (tinyurl.com/54n6nvf2) before Tuesday, November 17, 2026 ².
2. Gather the required documents and file them electronically. For questions, write to [email protected] ².
3. For an outside scholarship, review the Puerto Rico Community Foundation call at fcpr.org/becasuarezserralles and apply before Friday, November 20, 2026 ³.
4. If you study at RUM, call Financial Aid at 787-832-4040, extension 3863, or visit the first floor of the Dean of Students office to confirm which scholarships are still open ³.
5. If you are a Chemistry student in Mayagüez, ask RUM's Office of Alumni and Philanthropy about the next round of Vega Olivencia scholarships ¹.
6. Keep your 2026-2027 FAFSA up to date, because several scholarships, such as Boeing, require proof of financial need through that form ³.
7. For general UPR questions, the Central Administration line is (787) 250-0000 ².

What's next

The Fondo Dotal closes November 17 and the Suárez Serrallés scholarship November 20, so the calendar demands action this week ²³. The Vega Olivencia Foundation has not announced a date for its next call, but with 17 recipients in five years, the annual pattern is likely to continue ¹. Keep an eye on announcements from UPR and your campus Financial Aid office.

Sources

¹ University of Puerto Rico, "Becas Vega Olivencia respaldan a nueva generación de estudiantes de Química," November 6, 2026. ² University of Puerto Rico, "UPR abre convocatorias del Fondo Dotal 2026-2027 para ayudas económicas a estudiantes," November 2, 2026. ³ University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, Financial Aid, "Becas Adicionales" (private scholarships).