The Latin American Studies Alumni Graduate Student Travel fund was created by the Center for Latin American Studies' Alumni Board in 2005 to support graduate student travel. The Center at the University of Florida is the oldest institution of its kind in the U.S.

Founded in 1930, UF's Institute of Inter-American Affairs awarded its first Master of Arts Degree in Latin American Studies in 1931. The institute became the Center for Latin American Studies in 1963 and was among the first programs in the country to be designated a National Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Education. Today, the Center remains a leading recipient of the Department of Education funding and offers one of the country's preeminent area studies program