The HENAAC Scholars Program addresses the immense need that the United States has to produce more domestic engineers and scientists. The goal of the program is to ensure STEM college retention with a 3.0 grade point average or higher; to guarantee college graduation with an undergraduate technical degree in four-five years; and, to contribute to Hispanic communities by producing STEM role models for future generations and securing the country's place as the finest technological leader in the world.

The key to cultivating tomorrow's technology leaders is to recognize and support the leadership of today's outstanding STEM students. Great Minds in STEM began to move in this direction in 1997 when we partnered with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) Foundation to present scholarships to the student leaders honored each year at the annual HENAAC Conference. The HENAAC Scholars Program was officially created in the year 2000 with the first scholarships being sponsored by the Ford Motor Company and presented at the HENAAC 2001 Conference.

In its eleventh year history, the HENAAC Scholars Program has shown tremendous growth and has distributed over $1,500,000 in educational grants to over 850 outstanding and deserving recipients.