Arkansas Student Facing Family Immigration Challenges Will Receive $1,000 Resilience Scholarship

$1,000 award honors the legacy of Jacksonville businessman Odes Goodsell and supports students impacted by deportation-related family disruption

JACKSONVILLE, AR, UNITED STATES, June 19, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A new scholarship created in memory of Arkansas businessman Odes Goodsell will award $1,000 to a graduating senior from local High School who has experienced immigration-related family hardship — including deportation, separation, or legal displacement.

The Odes Goodsell Immigrant Resilience Award is designed to recognize students who continue their education despite serious disruptions at home caused by immigration enforcement. The award was established by William Matthew Hawk, grandson of Odes Goodsell and founder of Odes Ventures, a Miami-based consulting firm with offices in New York City and Santo Domingo.

“My grandfather deeply respected the immigrant families he worked alongside for decades,” Hawk said. “He believed in hard work, second chances, and dignity for all people. This scholarship honors his legacy — and the students who reflect those same values today.”

The award also acknowledges the quiet service of Donna Goodsell Kent, daughter of Odes Goodsell and a retired Arkansas educator, who now resides in Hot Springs and volunteers her time helping immigrants prepare for U.S. citizenship and learn English.

The scholarship comes as Arkansas schools, particularly in Latino and immigrant communities, face increased hardship caused by deportation-related family separations. Many students continue their education under difficult personal circumstances — often without the resources or visibility to ask for help.

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How to Apply:

Applications open July 1, 2025 and close August 15, 2025.

If no eligible applicant from Jacksonville High School is selected by August 15, the scholarship window will reopen for two additional weeks (through August 31) to any Arkansas high school graduate who meets the same eligibility criteria.

Applicants must submit:
• A personal statement (max 500 words) describing the family’s immigration-related hardship and the student’s educational goals
• Proof of enrollment or acceptance into a post-secondary program (college, trade school, or certification program)
• A brief verification letter from a school counselor or teacher confirming the family impact

Submit via email to: finance@odesconsultoria.com
Subject line: Resilience Award Application – [Student’s Name]

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Scholarship Summary:
• Name: Odes Goodsell Immigrant Resilience Award
• Award Amount: $1,000
• Initial Application Window: July 1 – August 15, 2025
• If unclaimed: Opens statewide through August 31, 2025
• Eligibility: Arkansas high school graduate (Jacksonville priority) affected by immigration-related family hardship
• Apply via email: finance@odesconsultoria.com

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About Odes Ventures:

Odes LLC is a strategic consulting firm headquartered in Miami, Florida, with offices in New York City and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Odes advises governments, private investors, and international developers across sectors ranging from hospitality to healthcare logistics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the firm helped launch one of the most widely utilized biomolecular diagnostic laboratories in the Caribbean region, supporting national testing capacity and border reopening initiatives. Today, the company operates in Latin America, the Middle East, and the United States. It is named in memory of Odes Goodsell, a respected Arkansas businessman who built his career in metal and construction-related industries while mentoring and working closely with immigrant laborers and first-generation families. The scholarship launched in his name continues his commitment to hard work, dignity, and educational opportunity.

Philanthropy Team
ODES
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