Circle de Luz, the Davidson-based nonprofit that has mentored young Latinas since 2008, is recruiting community members to fund $5,000 college scholarships for its incoming Class of 2032.

The organization's Mija giving circle asks donors to pledge as little as $15 per month for six years, pooling small contributions to guarantee each graduating student a scholarship, according to Lake Norman Publications. Executive director Tere González García said the model makes philanthropy accessible.

"Many small gifts collectively fuel big dreams," González García said in the campaign announcement Friday, Aug. 7. "... We're calling on all community members to join this incredible effort to invest in a powerful six-year journey of mentorship, leadership development and wraparound support."

The Class of 2032 cohort will be seventh-graders entering the program this fall. Circle de Luz selects a small group of students each year from Charlotte-Mecklenburg middle schools and provides six years of one-on-one mentoring, developmental programming and connections to community resources. Many participants are the first in their families to attend college.

Eight scholarships need to be funded for the new class. As of mid-July, the organization reported on Instagram that three of the eight had already been covered. The campaign's Givebutter page shows donations continuing to come in, though the fundraising total may reflect contributions across multiple cohorts.

How the giving circle works

"Mija" is a Spanish term of endearment signaling care and protectiveness. Donors who join the giving circle commit to one of several tiers:

• $15/month ($1,080 over six years)
• $35/month ($2,520 over six years)
• $70/month ($5,040 total, enough to fully underwrite one student's scholarship)
• One-time gift of $5,000 covers a full scholarship immediately

Of each contribution, 80% goes directly to the scholarship fund and 20% covers administrative costs. The giving circle is open to individuals, families, friend groups, clubs, companies or organizations. Donors can also give in honor of a woman in their lives.

An 18-year track record

Davidson resident and Davidson College alumna Rosie Molinary founded Circle de Luz in 2008 and still serves as board chair. The organization's first cohort, the Class of 2020, completed the full six-year program and enrolled at schools including UNC Charlotte, Queens University, UNC Greensboro and Central Piedmont Community College, according to the nonprofit's annual report.

A 2018 News of Davidson profile recognized Molinary as a "Distinguished Davidsonian" when the organization marked its tenth anniversary.

How to join

Residents interested in becoming a Mija can sign up at givebutter.com/becomeamija or contact Sofia Herrera-Acosta at [email protected]. More information about the program is available at circledeluz.org/get-involved/become-a-mija/.

The campaign has no set deadline. Giving continues on a rolling basis until all eight Class of 2032 scholarships are fully funded.