Richard Grayson Aguas Buenas VISTA Volunteer Scholarship
UPR Foundation Channels Philanthropic Support for Aguas Buenas Students at the University of Puerto Rico
The UPR Foundation, Inc. officially awarded the Richard Grayson Aguas Buenas VISTA Volunteer Scholarships, thanks to a donation of $9,270.00 from Mr. Richard Grayson, a resident of Rochelle, New York, and a longtime volunteer with the VISTA program in the Aguas Buenas community. This donation was received and channeled by the Foundation to facilitate access to higher education for incoming students at the University of Puerto Rico.
According to the donor's criteria, the scholarships were awarded to graduates of Aguas Buenas Urban High School who are currently enrolled or are incoming students at any of the UPR campuses. The UPR Foundation, in coordination with the Vice Presidency for Philanthropy and the Academic Advising Office of the Urban High School, organized a special call for applications and the process of identifying eligible students.
As a result, the UPR Foundation authorized the awarding of nine (9) scholarships, each for $1,000.00, for a total of $9,000.00 in direct financial aid to students. The scholarships were scheduled to be disbursed via direct deposit, in accordance with current institutional policies.
The scholarship recipients are pursuing undergraduate studies at the following campuses of the University of Puerto Rico system:
Scholarship Recipients – Academic Year 2025–2026
- Adriana Benítez Serrano — Cayey Campus
- Camila Rivera Ortiz — Cayey Campus
- Kiara Figueroa López — Cayey Campus
- Wilfred Torres Cartagena — Cayey Campus
- Sheilianys Flores Reyes — Cayey Campus
- Diana Santiago Díaz — Humacao Campus
- Yeslian García Mendoza — Humacao Campus
- Sebastián Pérez Silva — Mayagüez Campus
- Chris Rodríguez-Rivera — Río Piedras Campus
The official scholarship award ceremony took place on April 14, 2026, with the participation of Mr. Richard Grayson and members of his family, in an event that reaffirmed his commitment to education, community service, and the academic development of Puerto Rican students.
This initiative highlights the role of the UPR Foundation, Inc. as a key link between donors and the University of Puerto Rico, ensuring that philanthropic resources translate into concrete educational opportunities and honoring the legacy of volunteer service that inspires the VISTA program and the scholarship named after its benefactor.