CARMEN MUÑOZ ENTREPRENEURSHIP SCHOLARSHIP

Carmen Muñoz Crites 1936 – 2020

Carmen Muñoz Crites was born and raised in Southwest Detroit, the fifteenth of sixteen children to Simon and Maria Muñoz. A strong and tenacious woman, Carmen decided early in life that her fate and the opportunity for success and failure would rest in her hands. That determination led Carmen to an entrepreneurial path that included building her company, Muñoz Machine Products, into a leading automotive supplier that was recognized throughout the industry for quality and service.

Although she became an accomplished businesswoman, Carmen believed true success as achieved by improving the lives of others and giving back to the community where she was raised. She was an advocate for the Hispanic community and served as Chairperson for the State of Michigan Commission on Spanish Speaking Affairs and sat on many boards including Latin Americans for Social & Economic Development (LA SED), the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Michigan Minority Business Development Council. In 1992, she received a Presidential Appointment as Commissioner of the White House Conference on Small Business.

While she felt privileged to serve with these organizations (and many others), she also felt that it was important to support and encourage those who were least privileged in her community. She provided pathways for gang members who wanted an alternative to the violence of gang life to find to pursue their education, find jobs and become contributing citizens to the community.

The Carmen Muñoz Entrepreneurship Scholarship Program was created to honor Carmen’s life and encourage Latina Women to continue her legacy of entrepreneurism and community engagement.

AWARD:

• Scholarships of $2,000 each will be awarded for costs relating to educational expenses or training program only (i.e. tuition, books, supplies, etc.);
• Scholarship checks will be made payable to the recipient and university, community college, vocational school or entrepreneurship program;
• Scholarships awards must be used during the 2024-2025 academic year;
• Prior recipients may reapply annually;
• Awards will depend on the availability of funds and demonstrated student financial need, academic achievement, and community involvement.

ELIGIBILITY:

• Hispanic/Latina Women seeking an undergraduate or degree in business or entrepreneurship;
• Detroit/Metro Detroit Resident;
• Currently fulfilling high school graduation requirements or GED equivalent; or any student who has formally been admitted to, or is currently attending, a university, community college, or entrepreneurship program;
• Eligible applicants may also include MANA de Metro Detroit members, relative of members, and participants in the “Hermanitas” Program.

REQUIREMENTS:

Each Application MUST be filled out completely and returned electronically by April 15, 2024. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Applicant must be in the field of business or entrepreneurship to apply for this scholarship.

The following documents must be attached to your application:

• Current academic transcripts and/or GED scores;
• Letter of acceptance from school or proof of registration;
• Letters of recommendation from two educators or community representatives;
• One to two page bio talking about your past experiences and future plans as it relates to your business and/or entrepreneurship goals and community involvement;
• Must complete the Free Application of Federal Financial Student Aid for 2024-2025;  
• Provide a copy of the last federal tax return or proof of total household income for 2023.

SPECIAL NOTE:
Scholarship awardees will automatically become MANA members for the scholarship year. Recipients can use MANA as a reference on their resumes of  professional organization participation.  Recipients must also be willing to provide five (5) hours of volunteer work. Participation in the MANA’s TIA Program or Hermanitas Program will count as meeting the five hours of volunteerism requirement.
DEADLINE:
All information must be received by the MANA Scholarship Committee on or before April 15, 2024. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered or reviewed by the committee. If additional information is needed, please contact Ines de Jesus via e-mail at: idejesus5044@aol.com
NOTIFICATION OF AWARD:
All awardees will be notified via email. Awardees must attend the MANA Celebration luncheon to receive their scholarships.  Date and location will be announced at a later date.

NOTE: Members or relatives of members of the Scholarship Review Committee are not eligible for the Carmen Munoz Entrepreneurship Scholarship.