By The Star Staff
The island Family Department and the Administration for Families and Children (ADFAN) signed an agreement on Wednesday with the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico (UIPR), Metropolitan Campus, to grant scholarships to 275 social work students, in both the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, over the next five years.
The agreement includes an investment of $2 million per year, for a total of $10 million.
“Most students who choose to pursue a career in Social Work do so with great sensitivity and commitment,” Family Secretary Ciení Rodríguez Troche said in a written statement. “Every dollar we invest in their development strengthens our service system, particularly for the most vulnerable.”
The beneficiaries of the scholarships, after completing their studies and obtaining their license, will be required to work at the Family Department for a period of two years, which will contribute to increasing the number of trained personnel at the agency.
ADFAN Administrator Nicole Báez Ortiz noted that the agreement makes Puerto Rico the only jurisdiction in the United States where scholarships cover both tuition and stipends. The requirements to access the scholarships include being a third-year or master’s student, having an academic average above 3.0, and committing to working at ADFAN for two years.
UIPR President Rafael Ramírez Rivera signed the agreement along with the heads of family agencies and representatives of the federal government.
It is the second such agreement, after the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus signed a similar agreement in 2023, benefiting 62 students to date.
Commentaires