Houston Salsa Dancers, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting educational advancement through the HSD Annual Scholarship Program by promoting the rich multicultural diversity of the art of Latin Dance and music in and around the Houston area.
About the Scholarship Program
Houston Salsa Dancers, Inc. (“HSD”) is a nonprofit organization that rewards annual scholarships to Texas residents entering an accredited college or university involved in community services or part of a community-based program at school or in their community. The duty of the Scholarship Committee is to encourage higher education by rewarding those who give back to their community. Scholarships are awarded at the Houston Salsa Congress and will be made available to the college or university of the student’s choosing for the following Fall Semester. Reward amounts and the number of recipients are determined on an annual basis based on the applications received.
About the Houston Salsa Congress
Annual fundraising event In 2000, under the direction of Jorge Mercado, Houston Salsa Dancers, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, hosted the first Houston Salsa Congress of its kind in the City of Houston highlighting the beauty, creativity, and culture of Latin music and dance. Today, under the direction of new Board Members, the Houston Salsa Congress has grown to become one of the largest Salsa events in the South and a “must-attend” for many around the world. By definition, a “Salsa Congress” is typically a multi-day dance festival featuring workshops, social dancing, performances, and competitions. The format was first pioneered at the Puerto Rico Salsa Congress in 1997. We are proud to say that the Houston Salsa Congress is 100% nonprofit with an integral part of our event funds contributing to the annual Houston Salsa Dancers, Inc. Educational Scholarship Program. Students participating in community-based programs and involved in Latin dance and/or music activities have an opportunity to apply each year.
Scholarship Recipients
2024 GRANT RECIPIENTS ($12,500)
– Salsa del Barrio ($1500)
– Kizomba Panama ($4000)
– Cesar Mastache ($1000)
– Judy & Alex ($2500)
– Freddy & Karina ($2000)
– Gio & Gaby ($1500)
2023 GRANT RECIPIENTS ($13,400)
– Rincon Salsero ($2000)
– Kizomba Panama ($2000)
– Freddy & Karina ($2000)
– Judy & Alex ($2500)
– UNICEF ($1600)
– Esteban & Maria ($1800)
– Gio & Gaby ($1500)
2022 GRANT RECIPIENTS ($10,300)
– Rincon Salsero ($2500)
– Kizomba Panama ($3000)
– Sound Stage Productions ($1000)
– Judy & Alex ($2000)
– Esteban & Maria ($1800)
2021 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ($0)
– Unable to provide scholarship grants due to COVID19
2020 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ($5000)
– Brandon Ngo – Western Governors University ($2500)
– Ethan Pham – University of Texas ($2500)
2019 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ($12,000)
– Zachary Chant – Lubbock Christian University ($3500)
– Jennifer Ho – University of Houston Clear Lake ($3500)
– Emilie Warren – Baylor College of Medicine ($2500)
– Clarissa Aguirre – University of Texas El Paso ($2500)
2018 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ($8000)
– Bridgette Ramirez – Harvard University ($3000)
– Brady Chant – Lubbock Christian University ($3000)
– Larry Medrano – Texas A&M Corpus Christi ($2000)
2017 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ($15,000)
– Anthony Pham – ($4000)
– Joshua Garcia – ($3500)
– Sara Nizzero – Rice University ($3000)
– Maha Khan – University of Houston ($2000)
– Sonia Rodriguez Batres – Montgomery College at Rockville ($1500)
– Elissa Nguyen – University of Houston ($1000)
2016 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ($10,250)
– Melanie Salazar – ($2500)
– Erin Durch – Texas Tech Health Science Center ($2500)
– Abigail McDougal – Rice University ($2500)
– Isaac Valdez – UT MD Anderson Cancer Center ($1750)
– Vy Nguyen – UTA ($1000)
2015 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ($10,000)
– Perla Rodriguez – Baylor College of Medicine ($4,000)
– Jonathan Santillan – Houston Baptist University ($3,000)
– Clarissa McCoy – Texas Tech University ($3,000)
2014 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ($11,000)
– Vy Nguyen – University of Texas ($5,000)
– Sara Nizzero – Rice University ($2,500)
– Isaac Valdez – University of Houston-Downtown ($1,500)
– Paulina Gomez – University of Houston – Main Campus ($1000)
– Jade Nguyen – University of Houston ($500)
– Alvaro Ordonez – University of Houston ($500)
2013 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ($10,000)
– Willa Hong – University of Houston ($2,500)
– Travis Dinh – University of Texas ($2,500)
– Caroline Ryan – University of Houston ($2,000)
– Bobbi Ruiz – University of the Incarnate Wood ($1,500)
– Natalie Cantor – University of Texas A&M ($1,500)
2012 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ($5000)
– Heather Arnett – University of Oklahoma ($1,500)
– Jennifer Lopez – University of Houston ($1,000)
– Eduardo Valdez – University of Houston ($1,000)
– Alejandra Hernandez – University of Texas ($750)
– Krisztina Petho-Robertson – University of Houston ($750)
2011 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ($1500)
– Jessica Szota – University of Texas – ($1,000)
– Daisy Hernandez – Baylor University ($250)
– Stephanie Cruz – Hawaii Pacific University ($250)
2010 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ($1500)
– Tiffany Doan – University of Texas ($600)
– Andrea de la Torre – University of Houston ($500)
– Fina Mutqina – University of Houston ($400)
2008 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ($3600)
– Claudia Vasquez – University of Houston ($1,600)
– Carlos Mejia – University of Texas ($1,200)
– Anghelov Medina – University of Phoenix ($800)
– Simon Vaamonde – Community Dancer
– Raul Orlando Edwards – Community Instructor
2006 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ($6,000)
– Total Amount Awarded ($6,000)