IME Becas Scholarship recipients gathered with representatives from the Mexican Consulate and WNMU leadership, August 23, 2024SILVER CITY, NM – Officials from the Mexican Consulate in El Paso visited Western New Mexico University on Friday, August 23, 2024, to celebrate a new agreement between the two parties to provide scholarship funding for WNMU students who are either from Mexico or are Mexican American.

The new IME Becas Scholarships are jointly funded by the WNMU Foundation and the government of Mexico. The WNMU funding comes from donors, while the funding from Mexico comes from the Institute for Mexicans Abroad, which is part of the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Institute for Mexicans Abroad has as its mission "to improve access to educational opportunities in all levels for Mexicans and persons of Mexican origin living in the United States of America," according to the agreement between the consulate and WNMU.

Consul General of Mexico in El Paso, Mauricio Ibarra Ponce de Leon, said that collaborations like the one between WNMU and the Mexican Consulate help to reframe how the borderlands are perceived. "The perception about the border from outside the border is terrible," he said, noting that most outsiders see only security concerns, migration problems, and violence. He continued, "We have to balance that narrative by highlighting all the great things that we have. I always highlight technological development, innovation, research [and]education. Education in this area is amazing."

WNMU President Joseph Shepard agreed that it was important to project a balanced, more accurate account of the relationship between the United States and Mexico. He also noted the two countries "have great cultural exchanges and opportunities." WNMU has a large number of business students from Mexico, which creates avenues for collaboration. Shepard said he was interested in how to "bring businesses together and use universities as a way to create that bridge."

In addition to facilitating these larger goals, the new scholarship helps Mexican and Mexican American students at WNMU achieve their educational goals, according to Scholarship and Fund Account Manager George E. Turner. "Privately funded scholarships, such as the IME Becas Scholarship, aid in not only retention but also future enrollment," said Turner. "Students not only benefit from financial assistance, but they are also able to share an experience with other recipients, creating lasting memories that could motivate them to someday return the favor and pay it forward to support future Mustangs," he said.

One of the scholarship recipients, Rita Escalante Alegria, who is an MBA student from Sonora, said that receiving the scholarship gave her renewed energy in her studies. "Receiving the IME Becas Scholarship has been a transformative experience for me," said Escalante Alegria. "It represents more than just financial support; it is a recognition of my hard work and a reminder that my dreams of excelling in my studies and making a positive impact are within reach."

She continued, "This scholarship not only eases the burden of being an international student but also inspires me to continue pushing forward with determination and gratitude."