Updates

Mission Santa Maria is happy to share that five Mission School graduates will complete their second semester in the DP World Shipping work-study program in February. DP World’s program sends admitted high-school graduates to the best public university in Guayaquil, while simultaneously working at their shipping port for two years. Mission Santa Maria provides living scholarships to graduates from the Mission School that are accepted to this rigorous program. These students would not be able to participate in this program without your support and a scholarship from Mission Santa Maria.

The program participants graduate from the work-study program with an engineering degree as well as the opportunity to apply for full-time jobs with DP World, and other shipping companies in Ecuador. The five scholarship recipients currently enrolled in the program will graduate in 2025. It is our hope that this program will open direct doors to gainful and dignified employment.

The entire Mission School senior class listening to a presentation about Mission Santa Maria’s scholarship program with DP World Shipping and their work-study program. Seniors will be invited to apply for a scholarship to the program.

Last week, the 5 scholarship recipients supported by Mission Santa Maria, returned to the Mission School to give a presentation about the program to current Mission School high school seniors. The work-study scholarship recipients talked about everything from the application process to the balance of studying engineering at a top university while interning at a shipping port. As you might imagine, none of the high school seniors had ever seen a shipping port, nor did they understand the training or jobs related to working at a port. The presentation was a good way to introduce students to the program and to Mission Santa Maria’s scholarship support.

At the end of the presentation, Jim shared that Mission Santa Maria is asking for applicants for a new group of scholars. Applications will be shared with all Mission School seniors, and of the completed applications, 15 students will be selected and invited to apply for the work-study program. Applications will be considered based on academic qualifications and financial need. Priority will be given to young adults that are aging out of the Mission Home, since we consider these the most vulnerable children impacted by our programs. Mission Santa Maria will help prepare the 15 students selected with additional technology and English courses. Of this group, it is likely that only a few will be admitted to DP World’s work-study program.

We are particularly excited about this program because of its direct path to employment. In addition, students in this program graduate after only 2 years, versus a university degree which takes between 4-5 years to complete in Ecuador. We are so grateful to all of you for making this program possible.