“If you’re going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark on the world that can’t be erased.”
- Maya Angelou
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Phi Chapter Hermanos’ service, professional and academic accomplishments are only possible due to the sacrifice and support from important individuals in our lives. An Hermano’s success is the legacy that these individuals leave long after they may no longer be around. Phi Chapter’s Legacy scholarships strive to provide financial support to the next generation of terrapins.
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Phi Chapter has partnered with La Unidad Latina Service and Education Fund, a non-profit 501(c)(3), to raise funds for scholarships. All contributions are tax deductible.
$500 LEgacy Book
Scholarships
Criteria
- First generation college student
- Involvement and commitment to Latino/a/x community
- Enrolled at the University of Maryland, College Park, Montgomery Community College or Prince George’s Community College for the Fall 2023 semester
- Current recipient of school-based financial aid
- Submission of a 500 word statement explaining financial need
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After application deadline, the scholarship selection committee will identify finalists that will be interviewed. Scholarship winners will be selected after the interview.
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The 2024 scholarship application will be available in July of 2024. For questions, please contact Hermano Juan Sempertegui at Juan.M.Sempertegui@gmail.com.
HONOREES
MARIA M. SEMPERTEGUI
In the Fall 2022, Hermano Juan M. Sempertegui (Fall 1995, #3) established book scholarships in honor of his late mother Maria M. Sempertegui. Hermano Steven Ventura (Fall 1996, #3) donated an additional book scholarship in honor of Mrs. Sempertegui as well.
Maria M. Sempertegui was born on December 5, 1951, in Cochabamba, Bolivia and was the youngest of nine siblings. She completed Cosmetology school in Bolivia and opened a hair salon before becoming the first person in her entire family to migrate to the Unites States in 1979. Eventually, many family members followed her to the United States. For more than 24 years, she worked as a Bus Aide with Maryland's Montgomery Public School System. Mrs. Sempertegui was also licensed by the State of Maryland as a Senior Cosmetologist and was the proud owner of Maria's Hair Salon, LLC in Langley Park, MD. She was honored to become a U.S. Citizen in 1995. Mrs. Sempertegui passed away on September 20, 2016. She was married to Jorge for more than 35 years. Mrs. Sempertegui and her husband had three children (Juan, Steven and Andrea) and she is the grandmother to four granddaughters, three of whom are also named Maria.
Roger Hernandez, Sr.
In the Fall 2024, Hermano Roger Hernandez, Jr. (Fall 1996, #2) established a book scholarship in honor of his father Roger Hernandez, Sr.
Roger Alberto Hernandez, Sr. was born in Managua, Nicaragua on October 13, 1955. He is the second oldest of five siblings. His education was cut short due to the financial demands of the family household. He migrated to the United States at age 24 in 1980 followed by his spouse, Dominga Hernandez and his son, Roger Hernandez, Jr. He desperately sought asylum and a better quality of life for his family due to a war-stricken Nicaragua. His second and last child, Diana Hernandez, was born in 1985. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1993 along with his wife and first born.
Despite his lack of basic education, it did not limit his determination, curiosity, and ingenuity to learn, adapt and master many trades into his adult life. He excelled in numerous professions as a carpenter, plumber, concrete finisher, electrician, construction foreman, maintenance supervisor, and lastly, he retired as a bus driver for Montgomery County Public Schools. His love for classic rock music, the Beatles, and Latin music birthed his hobby into becoming a disc jockey. He adores his children and his granddaughter, Briana Torres, unconditionally. His Maryland home is his treasured haven that he tirelessly worked on by executing numerous remodeling projects throughout his lifetime by his own hands. Hermano Roger feels that his father embodies the true example of a devoted father, "a superhero in my eyes". His countless sacrifices as a family provider fostered an immensely positive impact for his children earning him the nickname, “El Jefe” (The Boss). He is a man of few words, but his unwavering call to action demonstrated his amor de familia.
