2026 Dr. Reyes Ortega Scholarship for the Latino Leadership Council
(DEADLINE TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS IS Day, MONTH DD, YYYY)
The Board of Directors and staff at the Latino Leadership Council (LLC) recently established the
Dr. Reyes Ortega Scholarship Fund at Placer Community Foundation (PCF) in honor of his long-standing social justice activism, teachings, and mentorship.
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Dr. Ortega serves on LLCs Board and is Professor Emeritus at Sierra College. Twice awarded as Faculty of the Year, Dr. Ortega was additionally honored as the recipient of the inaugural Excellence in Equity Award. He taught Chicana/o Studies and Chicano/Mexican American History and was instrumental in the successful design of the Sierra College Associate Degree in Chicana and Chicano Studies. Furthermore, while serving as an academic and personal counselor, Dr. Ortega introduced and co-coordinated the nationally acclaimed Puente Program at Sierra College, which maximizes academic access and success in higher education.
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“I am so very fortunate to serve on LLC’s Board and to have engaged as a practitioner of community service. Through education, health, and youth development, LLC carries the enormous responsibility of welcoming and introducing “nuestra comunidad Latina” [our Latino community] to the complexities and benefits of life in the United States. This gargantuan task cannot be achieved without the genuine commitment and dedication of an incredible staff and Board of Directors. Si Se Puede!”
- Dr. Reyes Ortega
Applications for the Dr. Reyes Ortega Scholarship for Latino Leadership Council are available for graduating high school students applying to Sierra College. Applicants must:
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apply as a first-time college student with no prior college experience,
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enroll as a full-time college student with a minimum of 12.0 semester units,
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identify as a 1st Generation College Student (someone whose parents or legal guardians did not complete a four-year college or university degree),
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demonstrate an interest and understanding of the Hispanic/Latino experience within the United States, and
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have a declared educational goal of completing a Sierra College associate degree and transferring to complete a bachelor’s degree at a California State University (CSU), a University of California (UC), or another regionally accredited college or university.
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Special note: Scholarship is divided into two installments and is individually awarded at the successful completion of each fall and spring semester during the 2026-27 academic year.​
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Application and Selection Criteria
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Please answer the questions on this form and complete the required essay. One to two letters of recommendation are requested in order to be considered for this scholarship, and finalists will be invited to an informal and friendly personal interview. More instructions about the letters of recommendation are below. Scholarship selection will be based on essay responses, interview, and references.