Center for Latino/a & Latin American Studies

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Honor Dr. Chinea for nearly 25 years of service and unquestionable commitment to WSU and its Latino/a students by contributing to a scholarship endowment in his name. 

Over the years, as the director of the center, Dr. Chinea has enriched the academic culture of the university and helped hundreds of students take advantage of opportunities that have allowed them to benefit from higher education.

In 2003, Jorge L. Chinea became director of the Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies. In his time as director, he has developed or led a variety of innovative initiatives to provide opportunities for underrepresented students at WSU to develop their academic and leadership skills, such as the Latino Leadership Opportunity Program in Washington, D.C., the Afro-Latino Lecture Series, the Summer Enrichment Program, the College to Career Program, El Nuevo Comienzo Latina/o/x and Native Student Graduation Celebration, and La Academia del Pueblo Latino/a Studies Research Conference. He has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support center programming and student scholarships and has mentored colleagues and students at all levels, including doctoral students. Additionally, he has built strong partnerships with organizations in Detroit, Puerto Rico and beyond.

In addition to juggling administrative and teaching duties, Dr. Chinea has made significant contributions to the fields of Caribbean and Latin American History through research and scholarship. A professor in the Department of History and adjunct faculty of the Department of African American Studies, he specializes in the social and economic history of colonial Latin America and has written extensively on the interplay of race, labor and immigration in the Caribbean during the colonial era. His awards include a Mellon Foreign Area Fellowship for Research at the Library of Congress and grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.

Dr. Chinea approaches his multiple roles in and beyond WSU with great respect for the people around him. He is a caring teacher, colleague, supervisor, husband, father and grandfather. This scholarship effort is being organized by alumni and community supporters of the Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies in appreciation of the years of service he has given to WSU and the Detroit communities, and to ensure that Dr. Chinea's legacy of uplifting students can continue in perpetuity and encourage others to support student academic success.

Now, we honor Dr. Chinea's commitment to providing opportunities to underrepresented students at WSU, his research and scholarship, and his service by creating an endowed scholarship in his name. This scholarship will be awarded to a student who is earning a minor in Latino/a Studies at WSU and maintains at least a 2.5 GPA, with preference given to students with a demonstrated commitment to community service/engagement. 

This is an irrevocable gift and shall be used for establishing an endowed scholarship in Dr. Jorge Chinea's name at Wayne State University.  If at any time in the judgment of Wayne State University it is impractical or impossible to carry out this purpose, then this gift shall be used at the discretion of Wayne State University for such other purpose as they determine to be consistent with my interests and intentions.  

In the unlikely event that the amount received does not meet the minimum funding threshold to establish a named endowed or expendable fund under University Policy, 04-4 Private Support For Named Professorships, Scholarships, Academic And Educational Programs And Endowed Chairs, then the university will not be required to establish the fund, and it will transfer the amount received to a spending account for use in a manner they determine to be consistent with my interests and intentions.  

Achieve your charitable goals and create your WSU legacy with a gift in your estate plan. 

Wayne State faculty and staff can give via payroll deduction here.