Equipping future leaders with the knowledge and skills for economic mobility and social action

The Tropics Foundation provides financial aid in the form of scholarship for students to study at the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) in Turrialba, Costa Rica. Many of the students we support come from rural, agricultural backgrounds. These future leaders, decision makers and influencers understand the region’s socioeconomic, agricultural and environmental challenges and are uniquely positioned to contribute to solutions.

Introducing The Tropics Foundation Scholarship Funds

70% of the students who are accepted to study at CATIE don’t end up enrolling because they lack the funds. To address this, we designed a scholarship program that aligns with our organizational value of ensuring all young people have a chance to reach their full potential. Effective immediately, we are launching two responsive regional scholarship funds: the Miley González Scholarship Fund for Indigenous Peoples—that will award at least $35,000 each year to students from Latin America’s Indigenous Communities, and the Pathways to Progress Fund - that will support general scholarships for students from CATIE’s 13 member countries.

Join with us and fund our region’s future. If you value education and want to celebrate and support a brighter future for students in the Latin American region, make a donation in any amount to one or both of our scholarship funds. Donations are tax deductible. If you give any amount, you will be invited to special events that celebrate our scholars.   If you give more than $10,000, you will be invited to campus to tour the programs and meet the students.

Pathways to Progress Fund

This fund gives preference to students from Latin American and the Caribbean who demonstrate financial need. Traditional and nontraditional students are eligible.

Through the generosity of donors, The Tropics Foundation manages this robust foundation-led scholarship program with the goal of awarding nearly $350 thousand in scholarships from donors around the world.

Miley González Scholarship Fund for Indigenous Peoples

This fund is specifically developed to support students from Latin American’s Indigenous communities. These students are applying to get advanced degrees at an ever growing rate yet have historically low representation.

Meet Montserrat Villafuerte, the 2023 Miley González Scholar

Through the generosity of donors, The Tropics Foundation manages this critical foundation-led scholarship program with the goal of awarding $35 thousand dollars in scholarships from donors to deserving students every year.

Meet the Current Scholarship Scholars

  • Cassio Pinheiro

    Brazil

    Studying the Agroforestry and Sustainable Agriculture Masters Program

  • Claudia Argueta

    Honduras

    Studying Economics, Development, and Climate Change Masters Program

  • Rosanna Guzmán

    Dominican Republic

    Studying Management and Conservation of Tropical Forests and Biodiversity Masters Program

  • Alejandra Paniagua

    Paraguay

    Studying Management of Hydrographic Basins and Water Resources Masters Program

Alumni Spotlight

Indira Ortiz ‘15

Megan Kelly ‘22

Roberto Salom-Pérez ‘19

Tom Okot ‘19

Julia Baumgartner ‘17

Martha María Ríos ‘11

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