Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the US (PALCUS) Scholarship Program – updated

Serving the Portuguese-American Community for over 30 years

The PALCUS Scholarship Program was established with the purpose of supporting Portuguese-American students in the pursuit of their higher education goals.  The merit-based scholarships are awarded to students of Portuguese ancestry who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in their academic careers and who show a commitment to completing an approved plan of study.

Since 2012, thirty-seven Portuguese-American graduate and undergraduate students from across the country have received PALCUS scholarships. The $1,000 scholarship awards are presented at the Annual Leadership Awards Gala.

Eligibility Requirements:

• PALCUS membership: Young Portuguese-American at $25 per year      
• U.S. citizenship or a permanent legal U.S. resident (proof of I551 card with no restrictions required),
• Portuguese ancestry of an aggregate of least 25%, i.e. total Portuguese ancestry of the applicant;
• Full-time student attending a baccalaureate or graduate degree program at an accredited college or university in the United States (high school seniors / entering freshmen are not eligible);
• Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of a minimum of 3.0. 

Selection Criteria:

The Scholarship Committee of the PALCUS Board of Directors will have the sole responsibility for the selection of the scholarship award recipients based upon the following:

• Academic record
• Extra-curricular activities
• Community Service
• Essay

Application Requirements

The applicant must submit the following by the application deadline:

• the PALCUS Scholarship Application Form;
• an official college academic transcript (with official seal or registrar’s signature; not a screenshot) from all colleges previously attended;
• a one page typewritten (double-spaced 12 pt. font) essay addressing the questions:

What impact has your Portuguese ancestry had upon your own personal development?

What role do you anticipate that your Portuguese ancestry will play in your future?

Discuss any specific career goals for the future or any community involvement that might be pertinent to the question.

What additional information would you like the Scholarship Committee to consider in evaluating your application?

• one Instructor’s Recommendation  submitted to PALCUS electronically in PDF format  on the attached form by a teacher or professor in an academic setting.

Submit applications through this link: https://www.palcus.org/scholarship-application

The Day of Portugal and Portuguese Heritage in Rhode Island recently awarded six scholarships to Portuguese-American students to help them achieve their post-secondary education goals. The $1,000 scholarships were awarded to students who applied and demonstrated academic excellence and a commitment to completing an approved course of study.

The recipients were:

Antone Mello, undeclared major, Worcester Polytechnic Institute;

Kayla Kelliher, Psychology, Rhode Island College;

Michaela Alarie, Biomedical Engineering, Hajim School of Engineering;

Juliet Antonio, Arts& Sciences – Theatre, Rhode Island College;

Aalyah Ribeiro, Marketing, Bryant University;

Sara Terrien, Political Science, College of the Holy Cross

About PALCUS

PALCUS is a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia.  It was founded in 1991 by a group of successful, forward-thinking Portuguese-Americans with the purpose of providing a singular national voice that would advocate for the interests of Portuguese-Americans in the United States. At the center of their vision was to establish and maintain channels of communication between the government of the Republic of Portugal, via the Embassy of Portugal to Washington, D.C., and the U.S. congressional delegation representing Portuguese-American communities.

Now in its 28th year, PALCUS has been true to its founding principles and much more. Throughout its history, the organization has evolved and matured, guided by a dedicated all-volunteer board of directors representing Portuguese-American communities throughout the United States. PALCUS has worked consistently and tirelessly, weathering changes in political and economic climates, to create and expand its programs. Its activities and events are mission-driven to address the community’s needs in the strategic areas of government affairs, international affairs, educational opportunities, Portuguese language and culture, community outreach and recognition of our community’s success.

PALCUS is a member-supported organization that depends on membership dues for operational and program support.  Nevertheless, membership is not required in order to benefit from our programs and advocacy initiatives. We are committed to serving all Portuguese-Americans in the United States who would benefit from our help.

Our Mission

PALCUS is committed to serving the community through increasingly active government relations efforts, the promotion of a greater awareness of ethnic accomplishments and encouraging stronger ties between Portugal and the United States. In this role, we advance the community professionally, politically and culturally, while working to ensure that issues directly affecting our community are addressed through our network of government and community leaders.

Our Vision

In order to create singular national voice to advocate for the Portuguese-American and Luso-American communities-at-large, PALCUS was founded in 1991 as a 501(c)3 non-partisan, non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. with a mission of addressing domestic and international  concerns of the Portuguese-American community. PALCUS strives to conduct an expanding program of research, educational and public affairs activities on salient issues of interest to the Portuguese-American community and the Luso-American relationship.