Founded in 2004, BECA (which means "scholarship" in Spanish) is a registered 501(c)(3) that pays college tuition for Bolivian students from low-income families (less than $300 per month). BECA is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah and its president and founder is Barbara Pence.

The first bachelor degree graduate, Alexander Mustacedo, completed his 6-year program in Information Systems in September of 2010. As of 2012 there are five graduates (licenciados) from BECA. Another three will graduate in 2013 and another 4 between 2014 and 2015.

Students have studied Medicine, International Relations, Human Resources, Marketing, Petroleum Engineering, Financial Accounting, and a variety of other majors. BECA cooperates with high-quality local (Bolivian) universities to guarantee that students remain in their home country to contribute to their families and Bolivia and allows students to select the major of their choice.

BECA students are guided by local counselors and provided with job placement assistance.

A local (Bolivian) BECA Board of Directors, headed by Ms. Monina Kellembergher and U.S. officers are non-paid; thus 100% of funds raised are directed to tuition and books for selected students, who must maintain a 70% average to remain eligible for continued support.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

BECA Celebrates ongoing support from the IMF and Liberty Gives

    BECA is pleased to report that the IMF (International Monetary Fund), through its matching grant program for employees, for the third year in a row has made a significant donation to BECA, sufficient to support two students´ tuition at UTEPSA for a full year!  Thank you to both the IMF employee and the IMF!
   In addition, Liberty Gives, the charitable arm of the Liberty company of Denver, Colorado, has also made its second matching contribution to BECA along with that of one of its employees.  Their donation once again supports one student's tuition at UTEPSA for a full year.  Thank you to Liberty and their employee!
   Many other wonderful contributions have been received from a number of individuals in support of the BECA program.  The BECA students and the BECA organization thanks all of its contributors for their great generosity and allowing the BECA program to continue to grow in 2013.  
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Sunday, December 9, 2012

BECA celebrates 2012 success of students and looks to 2013


Founders Barbara Pence and Harold Koch and Bolivian Vice President Monina Kellemberger met with current BECA students and recent graduates in Santa Cruz, Bolivia in November 2012
Left to right:  Jonathan Osinaga, Gimena Loyaza, Barbara Pence, Alejandra Jablonski, Franz Mustacedo, Harold Koch, Lidia Figueroa, Monina Kellemberger, Ita Suarez, Adelaida Cáceres and David Rojas.

BECA celebrated four graduates by the end of 2012:  Franz Mustacedo, Ita Suarez, Jonathan Osinaga and Alexander Mustacedo

Three more students are expected to graduate in early 2013: Lidia Figueroa and Cirila Sandoval, both in Financial Auditing, pictured below with BECA board Vice President, Monina Kellemberger; 

and Gimena Loyaza in Human Resources, pictured below with graduate Jonathan Osinaga (Financial Administration) and Harold Koch.

Other graduates expected in 2013 are Adelaida Cáceres (Financial Auditing), Marco Antonio Balderrama (International Relations), and Ricardo Mustacedo (Medicine).
In 2014, Alejandra Jablonski (Commercial Engineering) and David Rojas (Petrochemical Engineering) are expected to graduate.  


Barbara Pence and Harold Koch met with local Bolivian board members, Monina Kellemberger, Susana Moreno, Kelly Clark Boldt and Carmen Rosa Wichtendahl (above) in November to decide that a minimum of four new students will be given BECA scholarships in 2013.  The local board will identify several candidates in December and conduct interviews with the candidates and their families in early January.  UTEPSA will also assist with interviews and provide aptitude testing for prospective students.
Student candidates must have graduated from public high schools, come from a low-income family background ($300 or less income per month), received a established minimum average grade in high school, show significant desire for a college education, and demonstrate a strong commitment of support by his or her family while in school.  


The Rector of UTEPSA, Antonio Carvalho (pictured left, above) reaffirmed the university´s commitment to maintain a significant tuition discount for BECA students over the next several years, making it possible for BECA to offer scholarships to more students in 2013 and beyond.

Matt Casto (pictured above) , CEO of Ascend Alliance, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, also accompanied Pence/Koch on the November trip to Bolivia.  Ascend will make a significant donation to BECA in 2012 to support the addition of new students in 2013.  Ascend Alliance and BECA are exploring opportunities for a longer-term association beyond 2013.
  


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