Hispanics on the Move
Acosta Re-Elected to Lead National Organization
Michael H. Acosta, director, FUMEC (The U.S.-Mexico Foundation for Science Fundaci�n M�xico-Estados Unidos para la Ciencia) Border Office at the University of Texas-El Paso, was re-elected to a second two-year term as national president of the Society of Mexican-American Engineers and Scientists Inc. (MAES), at the society's national board of directors meeting in Las Vegas.
Acosta will represent the society at all regional, national and government levels and will promote educational outreach programs such as the MAES Pipeline, which channels high school and college students into STEM disciplines.
Mart�nez Named Executive Director of Hogg Foundation
Dr. Octavio N. Mart�nez Jr., professor and clinical psychiatrist with experience in finance and banking, is the new executive director of the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health at the University of Texas (UT)-Austin. He took office Aug. 11 as the fifth executive director and the first Hispanic to lead the foundation since its creation in 1940. Mart�nez also will hold an academic appointment in the School of Social Work.
A native Texan, Mart�nez was a clinical psychiatrist at the Albemarle Mental Health Center and an associate professor at the Brody School of Medicine in North Carolina since 2006. He earned a master's degree in public health from Harvard University's School of Public Health, a Doctor of Medicine from Baylor College of Medicine and a master's and a bachelor's in business administration with a concentration in finance from UT-Austin.
NCLR Elects New Board Chair and Welcomes Four New Board Members
Andrea Baz�n, president, Triangle Community Foundation, a charitable foundation in Durham, N.C., has been elected chair of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) Board of Directors. She succeeds M�nica Lozano, publisher and CEO of La Opini�n, the nation's largest Spanish-language daily newspaper. Baz�n was co-founder and first executive director of El Pueblo, a North Carolina statewide advocacy and public policy organization and an NCLR affiliate. She earned a master's degree in social work and a master's in public health from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
NCLR also named four new members at the June 2008 meeting: C�sar �lvarez, CEO, Greenberg Traurig (Fla.); Linda Maz�n-Guti�rrez, president, Hispanic Women's Corporation (Ariz.); Dr. Clara Rodriguez, professor, Fordham University (N.Y.); and Cid Wilson, director of equity research, Kevin Dann & Partners (N.J.).
Longoria Parker to Host 2008 NCLR ALMA Awards
The 2008 National Council of La Raza ALMA (American Latino Media Arts) Awards, celebrating the outstanding artistic achievements of Latinos in motion pictures, television and music, will air Friday, Sept. 12, on ABC. Actress Eva Longoria Parker hosted the telecast, taped Aug. 17 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. NCLR created the ALMA Awards in 1995 as part of a strategy to promote the diverse, accurate and balanced portrayal of Latinos in the media and enhancement of the Latino image in the entertainment industry.
Lumina Foundation 'Official Honoree' at Webby Awards
The Webby Awards, the leading international honor for the Web, recently recognized Lumina Foundation for Education's Camino a la Universidad Web site (www.luminafoundation.org/latinos/) as an Official Honoree. The Web site was produced by Lumina Foundation staff in collaboration with Brainstorm, a nationally acclaimed leader in creative business and marketing resources.
Hailed as the 'Oscars of the Internet' by The New York Times, the Webby Awards honor excellence on the Internet, including Web sites, interactive advertising, online film and video and mobile Web sites. The awards are judged by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences, a global organization that includes David Bowie, Harvey Weinstein, Arianna Huffington, Matt Groening, Jamie Oliver, Internet inventor Vinton Cerf and RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser.
Julian Samora Legacy Project Becomes Part of UNM Research Center
The Julian Samora Legacy Project (JSLP), an organization dedicated to advancing the legacy of Hispanic scholar Julian Samora, is now part of the University of New Mexico's Southwest Hispanic Research Institute (SHRI). The goal of the JSLP, established in 2000, is to develop and disseminate the wealth of primary source material of the Julian Samora archive through a consortium of universities, institutes and private individuals committed to making the information available to a wide audience.
Hunter College Partners with Fried Frank in Diversity Initiative
Hunter College, the City University of New York, has partnered with the law firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP to form the Fried Frank Pre-Law Scholars Program. Its intent is to prepare the college's diverse student body to become competitive law school candidates through intensive LSAT and academic preparation and mentoring programs.
The Fried Frank Program will focus on intense and comprehensive preparation of Hunter's undergraduates, 33 percent of whom are identified as either Black or Hispanic, for law school admissions. The program includes early and extended LSAT workshops, interaction with Fried Frank lawyers for help with law school essays and other aspects of the application process, and exposure to the legal profession.
Journalism Professor Inducted into NAHJ Hall of Fame
Maggie Rivas-Rodr�guez, associate professor, School of Journalism, University of Texas-Austin, was inducted into the National Association of Hispanic Journalists' (NAHJ) Hall of Fame in July. A former journalist who worked for the Boston Globe, WFAA-TV in Dallas and the Dallas Morning News, RivasRodr�guez has advocated for improved coverage and inclusion of Latinos in media. She was on the committee that organized and founded the NAHJ in 1982, and she established two of NAHJ's most successful student projects: a convention newspaper produced by college students and professionals, and a nationwide high school writing contest.
Also inducted into the Hall of Fame were New York Daily News columnist Juan Gonz�lez and 19th-century journalist Francisco P. Ram�rez, editor of Los Angeles' first Spanishlanguage newspaper, El Clamor Publico.
Higher Ed Leaders Honored with Diversity in Health Awards
Juanita Barrena, David Hayes-Bautista and Linda Squires-Grohe were honored as the 2008 Champions of Health Professions Diversity by the California Wellness Foundation during its sixth annual awards ceremony held June 9 in San Francisco. The honorees each received a cash award of $25,000.
Barrena, Ph.D., is a professor of biological sciences at California State University-Sacramento and director of the Science Educational Equity program, which provides academic support in an effort to redress inequities in access to higher education and careers in the sciences and health professions.
Hayes-Bautista, Ph.D., is a professor of medicine and director of the Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles.
Squires-Grohe is dean of the School of Health and Physical Education and has been dean of the John Adams Campus at San Francisco City College.
MAOF Founder Receives Honorary Doctorate
Dionicio Morales, founder and former president of the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF), a leading Latino-serving social service organization, received an honorary doctorate from California State University at its 61st commencement exercises in June. Helping children and families in need since 1963 and spanning seven counties, MAOF provides service to more than 100,000 Californians, 95 percent of whom earn a low to moderate income. MAOF programs include child care and development, resource and referral, alternative payment programs, senior and disabled services, welfare-to-work employment services, youth programs, a food bank and financial-literacy and computer-literacy education.
STC Graduates 46 High School Students
Forty-six students in South Texas College's Dual Enrollment Academies graduated from the college this spring, earning associate degrees in biology or engineering, weeks before they earned their high school diplomas, and were awarded more than $1.8 million in scholarships to attend universities across the nation. The program targets academically gifted and highly motivated students. Applicants are screened to ensure that they can meet the challenges and rigors of the program head on. To date, 59 students have graduated from the college's Dual Enrollment Academies, 61 more are currently enrolled, and 116 new students will be starting academy programs in fall 2008.
Pew Reports on Harsh Impact of Economic Slowdown on Latinos
The Pew Hispanic Center released a report on the impact of the economic slowdown on Latino workers. Using data through the first quarter of 2008, the report finds an economic downturn having a disproportionate impact on Hispanic workers. From a historic low in late 2006, the unemployment rate for Latinos rose sharply in 2007 and currently stands well above the rate for nonLatinos. The report is available online at www.pewhispanic.org.
New Fund for Re-Entering Students at Colorado State
The Bernard Osher Foundation has established a $50,000 scholarship fund for former undergraduate students re-enrolling at Colorado State University. Beginning in fall 2008, Colorado State will award 11 to 12 scholarships in the $4,000 range to re-entry students to help them pursue bachelor's degrees. Applicants for the Osher Re-entry Scholarship must be between 25 and 50 with a cumulative gap in their education of five or more years.
Headquartered in San Francisco, the foundation was established in 1977 by Bernard Osher, founding director of World Savings, one of the largest savings institutions in the U.S. The foundation seeks to improve quality of life through support for higher education and the arts and provides postsecondary scholarship funding to colleges and universities across the nation, with special attention to re-entry students.
R�o Hondo Alum Honored with Brown University's Joslin Award
R�o Hondo College (Calif.) alumnus Eric Rodr�guez was honored at Brown University with the prestigious 2008 Joslin Award. Rodr�guez transferred to Brown University upon graduation from R�o Hondo College in 2006. The award, named for late Judge Alfred Joslin, class of '35, recognizes seniors who have distinguished themselves through involvement in campus life and student activities.
Hunter College Graduate Named N.Y.C. Urban Fellow
Elizabeth Rodr�guez, recent political science graduate, Hunter College, the City University of New York, was selected as a New York City Urban Fellow. The program offers 25 college students from across the nation the opportunity to gain work experience in local government and public service. As an Urban Fellow, Rodr�guez will spend nine months working full time for a New York City mayoral agency and receive a $25,000 stipend. She plans to go on to law school once the fellowship is completed.
Chicano Filmmaker Shows New Film at Texas A&M-Kingsville
Texas A&M University-Kingsville System Center-San Antonio alumnus Efrain Guti�rrez, recognized by scholars as the first Chicano filmmaker, showed his newest production Barrio Tales/Historias del Barrio: Tops, Kites and Marbles at Jones Auditorium on May 30. The movie tells the story of a grandfather suffering from Alzheimer's disease who is able to remember the days of his youth while teaching his granddaughter the classic childhood games of tops, kites and marbles. Comic relief comes from the characters Baby Marin and Primo, featured in Guti�rrez's last movie Lowrider Spring Break en San Qilmas, released in 2001. According to Guti�rrez (pictured r. with actor Domingo Ch�vez, L)1 the film is the first in a series of Barrio Tales. Production will start on the next, Barrio Tales: Skateboarding Barrio Olympics, in November.
Latino Writers and Journalists Named 'Best Reference Book'
Jamie Mart�nez Wood's Latino Writers and Journalists, published by Facts on File, an imprint of Infobase Publishing, has received the 10th Annual International Latino Book Award for 'Best Reference Book' from Latino Literacy Now, a nonprofit organization that supports and promotes literacy and literary excellence within the Latino community. Mart�nez Wood earned a bachelor's degree in communications and public relations from California State University-Fullerton. She is the author of five nonfiction books, including The Hispanic Baby Name Book.
