Scholars Latino Initiative

Scholars Latino Initiative (SLI) supports Latino/a/x high school students with college access through rigorous academic challenge, leadership development, scholarships, and supportive mentorships. VISION: We envision SLI to be a community-based, not-for-profit organization built on partnerships with high schools, universities, communities, students, and parents, and dedicated to advancing Latino/a/x students’ post-high school educational opportunities. SLI advocates for Latino/a/x opportunities and strives for social justice and equity. Scholars are mentored to be leaders that positively contribute to their communities. HISTORY: The original SLI was founded by Peter Iver Kaufman and others in 2001 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2008 Kaufman brought SLI to the University of Richmond, Virginia, where he continues to lead, and later to the Shenandoah Valley, where this organization was incorporated in 2012 and became a 501c3 public charity.