Danny Gutierrez Memorial Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by National Hispanic Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees

Danny Gutierrez Memorial Scholarship — Overview

The Danny Gutierrez Memorial Scholarship supports students pursuing electronics and engineering-related degrees who require financial help to attend college. Each year a single award is granted to a student majoring in electronics or an engineering/technical discipline. The scholarship honors Danny Gutierrez, a longtime friend and mentor within NHCFAE who devoted himself to helping others, especially those striving for higher education. Danny earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from California State University, Northridge and began his professional career with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

In memory of Danny, who passed away on March 26, 2008 after a prolonged battle with cancer, this scholarship was created to continue his legacy of service. Danny served NHCFAE for twelve years — six of those as Regional Chapter Director for the Western Pacific Chapter, one year as Vice President completing a vacated term, and for two and a half years as National Director of Resources prior to his passing. His honesty, loyalty, humor, and friendship are fondly remembered.

Application Window
- The application period opens February 1, 2026 and closes April 30, 2026.
- Official opening time: February 1, 2026 at 8:00 AM Eastern Time.
- Deadline: April 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (EDT). Late submissions will not be accepted.

Eligibility
- Major must be in Engineering/Technical fields only (electronics or engineering majors).
- Must be a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident living in the United States or Puerto Rico.
- Current DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients are eligible.
- Applicant must be accepted to, or currently enrolled in, an accredited college, university, or vocational/trade school at the time the scholarship is awarded.
- All application materials must be received by April 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT.

Selection Criteria
The NHCFAE Scholarship Selection Committee reviews applications based on:
- Field of study (Engineering/Technical only)
- Demonstrated financial need
- Academic achievement (GPA and transcripts)
- Student activities and leadership
- Honors and awards
- Community involvement
- Personal qualities, strengths, and potential for future success

The committee’s decisions are final.

Required Application Materials
- Complete the online application: (Danny Gutierrez Scholarship application page).
- Upload the FAFSA Financial Report as submitted to your institution (or comparable financial documentation submitted to the school).
- Official transcript from your most recent institution (high school, college, vocational/trade school). Include verification of enrollment. Schools must compute and indicate an unweighted GPA on a 4.0 scale on the official transcript. First-year graduate students should submit their undergraduate transcript.
- Letter of Recommendation (dated within the past year) from a school official who can verify academic honors/awards, student activities, and community involvement, and who can speak to your motivation, leadership, and potential. The letter should include the recommender’s school name, address, and telephone number. If you have multiple letters, combine them into a single file before uploading.

Post-Award Requirements and Recognition
- Scholarship recipients will be asked to submit a short article for the NHCFAE Familia newsletter/magazine.
- Recipients must provide a video (under 60 seconds) describing their educational goals and how the scholarship will support those goals.
- Awardees will be recognized at the Annual National Training Conference.
- Scholarship recipients’ names will be published on the NHCFAE website and in the Familia newsletter/magazine.

Notification
- Selected applicants will be notified by September 1, 2026 at the latest.

Equal Opportunity
Applications are considered without regard to race, color, national origin, age, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Questions
Direct questions about the scholarship to the National Director of Education at doe@nhcfae.org.