History of MACE
In 1969 a group of Hispanic community leaders recognized the need for role models and mentors to encourage Hispanic students to seek a college education. These community leaders formed the organization we know as MACE, Mexican American College Education Fund.
In the early years MACE focused on encouraging Mexican American students to seek a higher education and mentoring them through their college career. The founding of MACE was the first citywide concerted effort to improve the educational achievement of Mexican American students.
As MACE members became more involved with these Hispanic students, the need for tuition assistance became apparent in order to help them stay in college.
This began the next phase for MACE. Members began raising funds for scholarships to assist these students with the high cost of tuition.
The first 6 scholarships were awarded on July 18th, 1971 for $100 each.
The numbers of interested students grew however the funds available did not. In 1996 the organization evolved once again. Through annual employee contributions, Fort Worth Independent School District became one of MACE’s largest supporters and still is today.
Now, MACE awards approximately 90 scholarships annually worth over $50,000.
With the changing demographics, it is more important now than ever before for the growing Hispanic population to obtain a higher education.
Here are some astonishing numbers from the US Census Bureau that re-enforce why we should all care about the future of our Hispanic youth and the future of everyone’s community.
- Only 13% of Latinos attain a bachelor’s degree or higher
- There are over 50 million Latinos in the U.S.
- 1 out of 4 Latinos are living in poverty
- Latinos are the fastest growing population among all others