NHI MAGAZINE 2018€¦ · 04/08/2015 · Texas State and New Mexico State Legislatures. NHIers serve on County Commissioner Courts, city councils, and school boards. But NHI also

Fostering future community leaders for the expanding Latino

community throughout the United States and Latin America.

NHI MAGAZINE 2018N A T I O N A L H I S P A N I C I N S T I T U T E . O R G | N H I M A G A Z I N E . C O M

S T A R T I N G A T R A D I T I O N O F HOMECOMING

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Dear NHI Family and Friends,

This year is one of NHIers blazing new trails! We are excited to feature how the work of early leadership preparation has made a life-long impact on our community. Whether they be individuals in their late 40s, or recent high school graduates, this edition should be an encouraging read for any young person who is taking steps to prepare themselves for community leadership roles.

Inside, you’ll read about four NHIers who recently ran for Congress in 2018. We are proud to feature our very own Alexandria Ocasio as NHI Person of the Year, who is also a Congressional candidate vying to represent the Bronx and Queens. We also highlight Miguel Levario, George Rodriguez, and Xochitl Torres Small, all of whom got their first taste of policy formation as many as 25 years ago during their LDZ experiences. Inside, you’ll read how these candidates took their purpose to a higher calling through their candidacy. You’ll read about struggles, victories, and how they called upon lessons learned through the NHI experience to advance their cause. It’s an exciting time to witness the emergence of new citizens into the world of leadership — citizens who have prepared for these roles as early as 15 years old at the Great Debate.

This issue also highlights graduates of NHI’s Collegiate World Series capstone experience. The CWS is perhaps the least understood and yet the most vital of NHI’s three summer academy programs. Inside, you will hear the voices of individuals who participated in the CWS and how it impacted their lives as they exited the comforts of their homes and entered into the world of college.

We also recount our annual Celebración event held last November, featuring over 400 NHI students, volunteers, alumni, sponsors, and award recipients, as well as the 2017 Alumni Award winners we honored there.

This issue also features NHI’s development of three new relationships with the University of St. Francis, Schreiner University, and St. Mary’s University, which will all be hosting programs this summer.

We couldn’t do this work without the support of our donors, board of directors, host institutions, College Register, and volunteers whose combined efforts make our 15 annual national and international leadership experiences possible.

Enjoy the magazine and be sure to write us if you are interested in joining our editorial team. We look for contributions throughout the year on nhimagazine.com as well as in these pages.

Sincerely yours,

K. Nicole Nieto Executive Vice President

CONTENTS

NHI STAFF

Opinion: Looking back with pride,

but always looking forward

Opinion: What about the politics?

New homes for NHI programs

Alumni voices: How the CWS changed my life

Nieto wins CIC's Splete Award

Podcasting

Charting new territories

Distinguished Alumni profiles

Celebración 2017 award winners

Celebración 2017

NHI to Congress

NHI Person of the Year

Winston & Strawn LLP: Bringing

knowledge and support to NHI

Alumni voices: How NHI makes

the transition to college possible

Planning for Latino student support

on college campuses

Celebración 2017 participants

Participating high schools

NHI College Register

Donors

NHI Board of Trustees

University Partners

Gracias

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ERNESTO NIETOFounder and President

GLORIA DE LEÓNCo-Founder and Senior Executive Vice President

K. NICOLE NIETOExecutive Vice President

JULIO IRVING COTTOSenior Vice President

ZACHARY GONZALEZAssociate Vice President

DYLAN BESTEIROBusiness and Finance Officer

EFRAIN CORDOVAAsoociate Director of Business

GABRIELA MORALES BARAJASDirector, NHI-Villanova Leadership Service Center

PAOLA HERNANDEZExecutive Assistant to the President

INTERNSNATALIA CHAPA MILLSKARA JUECIELO DE LA CERDA

PHIL WESTEditor, NHI Magazine and NHIMagazine.comPrincipal, Orange Cone Agency (www.orangeconeagency.com)

NHI MAGAZINE | 2018 32 NHI MAGAZINE | 2018

OPINION: Looking Back With Pride, But Always Looking Forward

OPINION: What About the Politics?

BY ERNESTO NIETO

This summer, on July 20 to be exact, the National Hispanic Institute will turn 39 years old. It’s hard to believe that next year, we will celebrate 40 years. Both Gloria and I are amazed and grateful that we’re going to make it to that milestone. We’re the first to admit that the trajectory and success of an organization like NHI has come as a result of young people who deeply believe in our vision and especially value the goodness of our work. NHI has never lacked for former participants and invested friends to volunteer to help run our summer leadership initiatives. We even have alumni who have been part of the work for over 20 years who keep returning. Even as we look back with pride at what we’ve built as a community, we know we must look forward to NHI’s next challenge. First, NHI is undergoing a transition in preparing its future institutional leaders. We have emerging young leaders looking to take their turns at bat. With new faces also come new and sometimes different ideas. Our board, our alumni, and our current and future staff must prepare for the eventuality of new leadership if we plan on keeping NHI fresh, raising the bar on the quality of work we bring to our families, and especially if we expect to broaden our brand and reach more communities. NHI enjoys particular advantages that, while they sometimes go unnoticed, are nevertheless important to the legitimacy of the work and place we enjoy in the Latino community. It’s often overlooked, for instance, that NHI is actually organic, coming from the vision and the heart of the communities we serve. Parents, in particular, have witnessed the care we take in ensuring their children are receiving quality experiences when they go to programs. So many times over the years, we’ve been contacted by parents thanking the organization and paying witness to the changes they see happening in their children — always for the better. Because of this, NHI has successfully faced the test of time, not merely being another organization in the community that will

disappear. There is actual proof in the validity of the work, as well as admiration for the unchanging commitment that NHI has continued to deliver to young leaders for nearly four decades. If any unchanging truth has come out of this experiment, it has been that leadership training can have a transformational experience in the lives of young people. The work of NHI is always emboldened by the successes of its former participants. It does our hearts and spirits good to see four NHIers seeking to gain a voice and represent their communities in the U.S. Congress via this year’s midterm elections. I’ve been proud to see NHI alumni sworn in to the Texas State and New Mexico State Legislatures. NHIers serve on County Commissioner Courts, city councils, and school boards. But NHI also has a presence felt far beyond elective bodies. We also have doctors, attorneys, college professors, teachers, superintendents, and countless other professionals making differences in their communities. So now what? What are our next critical steps? Two words to watch in the next few years are stabilization — namely, of NHI initiatives in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Panamá — and expansion — looking to alumni networks nationally. This is to say that the National Hispanic Institute has reached a level of maturity among its alumni members that they can now play active, visible, leading roles in reaching new populations of youth. Making the case for community leadership training is no longer a question of supply. Questioning ourselves and our capacities to prosper as an organization is also a thing of the past. Today, we’re rich with human potential, and we have the research to prove that our programs have a deep and resonating impact on the mindsets of our young. The next steps are determining how far we wish to cast our net. And that is exciting, and what’s more, it’s real and right in front of us!

while simultaneously being beneficiaries of what results. The entrepreneurial aspect centers around our ability to bring forth and grow our ideas into being sustainable social ventures. What the model implies is that community development is a collective, holistic experience. Transformation and learning is not a one-directional endeavor offered by experts to passive recipients, but instead occurs in how we work and grow together. Our “return on investment” is not solely individual profit, but community equity. This co-creative approach is meant to elevate community capabilities and talents, build relationships, and shift our collective social narratives away from distorting beliefs that assume an inner deficiency and seek that we rely on external validation. It offers an alternative, in that CSE encourages community members to look inward enthusiastically and critically in order to craft a self-directed social agenda. While recognizing the usefulness and importance of reform-based activism, it also differentiates itself from risk intensive and community exhaustive social change models within advocacy frameworks. This world of legislative reform and activism is what we would commonly call “politics.” In this era of Trumpism, however — a time of overt and vulgar xenophobia, authoritarianism, and real-time climate change — leaving politics as they are would be to me a brutal mistake. Too many core issues that affect our lives as Latinos, including education, healthcare, criminal justice, and race and gender relations, as well as the state of employment and wealth inequality, hang in the balance. If we, as members and alumni of NHI, reflect on the most powerful lessons and life-changing experiences from our involvement with the Institute, then I believe we can view CSE as applicable within and across any number of contexts and domains, including politics. It is critically important, however, to reject a narrow view of politics as simply campaigns and legislation, and instead think of it as a much broader system of interconnections that produce and reproduce the world as is. As many critical intellectuals have pointed out, those who do not have any interest in political economy or politics tend to be the most influenced by the ideas of others. Today, the architects of society mainly operate through networks of influence and control over the agendas of powerful institutions. Like the film The Matrix, backdrops of ideas are more powerful when they pre-set the limits and boundaries for what is real and possible through implicit political interests that appear natural and objective, and like the film Inception, when those ideas feel intuitively original. To take a current example, people tend to think and act like units of human capital seeking a status driven “return on investment” for themselves as a personal brand. This is often encouraged in our education systems, public policy, and social media, with a very particular vision of either fame or failure. In government, laws are debated under a preconceived set of policy preferences much like items in a supermarket. The most visible policies are the most financed, and elections are largely determined by membership and loyalty to party as a brand rather than through debates over rights, ideals, and the kind of world we really want. Our “democratic” institutions are therefore shaped towards valuing hierarchies, self interests and powerful financial interests. With concepts such as Inquiry Based Learning (IBL), another NHI-taught model emphasizing the use of self-examination

through questions and dialogue, we are encouraged to examine the core of what motivates and shapes us. Applied to political campaigns, CSE and IBL together present an opportunity to engage in politics that visualize the multiple social forces and structures that shape the political life of a community. By this, I mean how contributions to levels of wealth inequality, the access and control over the most seemingly mundane institutions in our cities such as public space and public transportation systems, the role of arts and leisure, or the language and generalized attitudes of our peers, all have a profound impact on all our lives. This approach to politics suggests we would no longer mobilize campaigns simply to indulge in our expertise as professional Latinos that contribute to something like “diversity” and representation in American life. We instead do so in the spirit of public purpose that incorporates the heart, talent, and sweat of our community to elevate and cultivate our value and human capacity. That is, we as Latino/as become self-directed thought leaders of the U.S. democratic experience itself. I see CSE not as antagonistic or unrelated to political reform and advocacy, but simply as a distinct yet complimentary and necessary addition to the puzzle of building collective self-determination. Unraveling the binary between political participation and entrepreneurship, through practices that inspire affirming social narratives and build tangible community equity, can move us toward something much more transformative. It can potentially liberate entrepreneurship from being solely an individualistic profit-centered endeavor, and politics from being dependent on the gradual reforming of cultural orthodoxies and establishments. It is a generative possibility that both transforms the lens by which we view ourselves and equally strives to bring forth new governance models and institutions that better serve our communities.

Although the future of politics in America is unknown, our deeply rich, albeit complicated, intellectual and geographical history puts the Latino/a Diaspora in a unique position not only to have a tremendous influence on the politics and elections of tomorrow, but also to potentially change the game entirely.

Andres Bernal is a Colombian-born U.S. immigrant who grew up

on the South Side of Chicago and in McAllen. His involvement

with NHI began in 2004 at the National LDZ; he has served as a

Junior and Senior Counselor at the Texas LDZ from 2005-2012, a

Coach at the Texas CWS in 2012, Associate Educational Director

at the Colorado LDZ in 2012 and 2013, and Educational Director

of the Northeast CWS in 2017. He holds a bachelor’s degree in

Philosophy from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and a

master’s degree in Leadership Studies from the University of San

Diego. While attending the University of San Diego, Andres was

instrumental in the development of the current California LDZ. He

is currently a Ph.D. student in Public and Urban Policy at The New

School for Public Engagement in New York City, and an Adjunct

Professor in Urban Studies at Queens College. Andres also works

as an independent coach and organizational consultant. You can

learn more about his work at www.andres-bernal.com.

BY ANDRES BERNAL

In November 2017, a panel of speakers came together at Celebración, NHI’s annual showcase event, to discuss the future of Latino/as in American politics. I was one of the academics on the panel, which also included elected officials and candidates for Congress, contributing commentary from our unique perspectives and experiences about our desired outcomes for the community and nation as a whole.

Since then, I’ve pondered my own history within the Institute as it relates to the ideas I routinely wrestle with as a researcher, speaker, and thinker in the field of politics and policy. NHI’s work centers on the practice of Community Social Entrepreneurship (CSE). As I have understood it, this means the process and practice of applying an investor-beneficiary leadership model to community participation and development. In practice, as active members of Latino/a communities, we become generators of value through our own initiatives


NEW HOMES FORNHI PROGRAMSB Y P H I L W E S T

Every summer brings change for the National Hispanic Institute’s slate

of summer programs, though that change is more pronounced and

perceptible in certain years. 2018 will most definitely be one of those years, as

three programs — including NHI’s longest-running, flagship program — have

found new homes with inspired and inspiring host universities.

The Texas LDZ, after partnering with several different Austin-area

universities since the 1980s, will be hosted by St. Mary’s University

in the majority-Latino city of San Antonio, the Texas Star Great

Debate will move to Schreiner University in Kerrville (in the Texas Hill

Country), and the National LDZ will remain in the Chicago metro area,

specifically at the University of St. Francis.

St. Mary’s University: Where Texas Latino giants learned to lead

The Texas LDZ was first hosted in Austin in 1982, and by the next year,

it expanded from its initial two-day format to an eight-day format it

has kept to the present day. In the program, students create their own

political parties, run for offices, form a body of government complete

with a governor, a legislature, and a Supreme Court, and then debate

and attempt to pass legislation tackling issues germane to the

national and global Latino community.

Its move to San Antonio reflects, in part, a recognition of the city’s

long history of producing Latino leaders, and NHI’s enthusiasm to

expand its programming in San Antonio.

“There’s an impressive legacy of leadership in San Antonio, which

compliments the city’s rich history and its growth as the nation’s largest

majority-Latino city,” said NHI president and founder Ernesto Nieto.

“From the legendary Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez, to former

Mayor and HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros, State Senators Joe Bernal

and Leticia Van de Putte, and of course, Congressman Joaquin Castro

and his accomplished brother Julian, San Antonio has produced

leaders of which the entire Latino community can be proud.”

“We know that St. Mary’s, with the values it espouses and the

education it offers, has been instrumental in building San Antonio into

the city it is today,” Nieto added. “We’re excited to partner with St.

Mary’s on hosting this important program which, over the years, has

developed leaders making an impact throughout Texas, around the

nation, and increasingly, throughout the hemisphere.”

“The St. Mary’s University community is thrilled to be able to further

deepen and develop our relationship with the National Hispanic

Institute by hosting one of its premier programs this summer,” said

Rosalind Alderman, Ph.D., St. Mary’s University Vice Provost for

ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY | SCHREINER UNIVERSITY | UNIVERSITY OF ST. FRANCISNHI MAGAZINE | 2018 7

Enrollment Management. “As an institution, we are looking forward to

not simply hosting a summer program, but rather moving forward as a

partner with NHI to serve our shared community in helping to educate

informed leaders and citizens of the future.”

Schreiner University: Attracting the mix of students that Texas Star attracts

When the National Hispanic Institute’s Texas Star Great Debate first

started — as the South Texas Great Debate — it was envisioned as

a tournament for Texas students who weren’t in one of the major

metro areas represented by a Texas Great Debate team. It has, of

course, grown over the years to attract students from small towns

and big cities — and beyond Texas — who want a six-day Great

Debate experience. With the Texas Star Great Debate’s move to

Schreiner University in Kerrville this summer, NHI has a host institution

accustomed to attracting students from both big cities and small towns.

Larry Cantu, Schreiner University’s Vice President for Enrollment

Services, notes that his school has been involved with NHI for a few

years, initially through NHI College Fair participation. “I understood

the success they had in drawing students who will be very successful,”

he noted. Upon meeting Ernesto Nieto, Cantu learned more about

NHI, saw similarities between his Hispanic-serving institution and the

organization, including an emphasis on having students who graduate

from college within a specific time frame, and the asset-based view

of students and the communities from which they hail.

With its hosting of the Texas Star Great Debate, Schreiner is moving into

a more pronounced relationship with NHI, and Cantu feels the school’s

philosophical mindset makes it well-suited to the Great Debate program.

“The power of small is very important here,” said Cantu. “Students

get attracted to the smaller class size here, and beyond that, they look

at our academics and the feel of the university. The power of small is

really the embodiment of having that personalized attention, knowing

the students, giving them the support system that they really need to

be more successful. That takes place from enrollment, to the ability to

get engaged and involved in so many different activities on campus.”

Like so many alumni say about the Great Debate, Schreiner creates

an atmosphere in which shy students can become involved and

flourish within its setting. He notes that students from small towns

throughout the Texas Hill Country, as well as from San Antonio,

Houston, and the Rio Grande Valley, gravitate to Schreiner.

University of St. Francis: Motivated students welcome to this Chicagoland oasis

The University of St. Francis, a Catholic liberal arts college in Joliet,

Illinois, nearing its centenary celebration, has become the new host of

the National Hispanic Institute’s National LDZ — allowing NHI to keep

one of its flagship LDZ programs in the Chicago metro area.

Eric Wignall, Vice President of Admissions, Enrollment, and Marketing

for the University of St. Francis, expressed excitement to be working

with NHI, noting, “If we have the chance to have a group of highly

motivated students to come on to our campus, we absolutely want

to be part of that.” He also notes, regarding the LDZ program in

particular, “There’s never been a better time to learn about the

legislative process, to be involved, to figure out how to be a leader in

the community.”

“This is a fantastic way for students to get their hands on what they’ll

be needing to do 10 years from now, 15 years from now, when they

lead and go into jobs,” he added. “It’s fantastic for us to be able to

support students to do this, to learn how the legislative process works

and doesn’t work, how to plan, how to talk in front of people, how to

follow up and how to make things happen. That’s gigantic. They’re

going to learn so much from that.”

“I am excited about the opportunity to put the National LDZ in a new

landscape,” said NHI Senior Vice President Julio Cotto, who oversees

the organization’s LDZ programs. “Joliet gives us an opportunity to

be in a welcoming, safe, and growing community that is still within

reach of the Chicago metropolis. However, beyond the gorgeous

landscape and top notch facilities, the University of Saint Francis, as a

‘university with a mission,’ presents us with an environment designed

for young people to explore their purpose beyond career, their values,

their beliefs, and their overall contribution to the world. The University

of Saint Francis is much more than a career certifying institution and

that’s why the embrace and partnership goes beyond a practical and

doable transaction. We look forward to seeing an even bigger class

than last year which almost reached 220 students.”

Both Wignall and head of undergraduate admissions Eric Ruiz note

that St. Francis — being a college campus within easy reach of

Chicago but with its own distinct dynamic — will give National LDZ

attendees a college campus experience they simply can’t get in the

day-to-day world of high school.

“We have an attention to detail that we take to a next level,” Ruiz

notes, pointing out that St. Francis attracts a great number of first-

generation college students, which focuses them on creating an

experience that keeps their students invested.

The Texas Star Great Debate is sponsored in part by State Farm, and

both the Texas Star Great Debate and Texas LDZ are sponsored in

part by Winston & Strawn LLP.

“We have an attention to detail that we take to a next level.”

- ERIC RUIZ, UNIVERSITY OF ST. FRANCIS


HOW THE CWS CHANGED MY LIFE

Efrain Cordova

Stephanie Aranda

HIDALGO, TEXASSWARTHMORE COLLEGE

SAN ANTONIO, TEXASDREXEL UNIVERSITY

By Valeria Escobar

Participated In: 2011 Texas Great Debate, 2011 Celebración,

2012 Colorado LDZ, 2012 Celebración, 2013 Texas CWS, 2013

Celebración, Collegiate Leadership Network

Staffed: 2013-2016 Texas Star Great Debate, 2013-2015

International CWS, 2017 Texas CWS

Participated in: 2012 Texas Ambassador Great Debate, 2013

New York LDZ, 2014 International CWS

Staffed: 2014 California LDZ, 2014 Texas Star Great Debate,

2015 Colorado LDZ, 2015 Northeast Great Debate, 2015

International CWS, 2016 Northeast CWS, 2017 New York LDZ,

2017 Northeast CWS

How did the CWS influence your college search?I think the most important lesson I took from CWS is that the name of the institution doesn’t matter as much as what it will provide for me. I was really dead set on going to Columbia or Yale, because those names are what everyone gravitates towards. After going to CWS, it made me realize that there is so much more to a school that just the name: What it offers in diversity, the classes, the setting. That was definitely a huge influence on my decision.

Your college years require you to make a lot of very important decisions. Can you tell us about the role Inquiry Based Learning has played in your approach to this decision-making, and how it might help you when you leave college and into adulthood?I was on the IBL championship team at our CWS, as the lead on the investigative portion of the team. That ignited a new

fire within me and gave me confidence that I did not have in Great Debate and LDZ. Taking IBL and that confidence into my college life now definitely has influenced my day-to-day decisions. I don’t necessarily open my old notebook and go through every single step that we studied, but those ideas are so ingrained into my head now that they all play a factor into my decisions.

My school is a little unique, so I’m kind of already experiencing taking IBL outside of college into the workplace. I study architecture in a six-year program. For the first two years, we are full-time students, taking about seven classes each term. After those two first years, the following four years, we are part-time students. Classes are in the evening, but you have a full-time job during the day. Last summer when I was staffing CWS, we were faced with own “college struggle” IBL during our staff training. At first, I

How did the CWS influence your college search?I come from San Luis, and the only people in my family who have gone to college were my cousins. I didn’t really know what college was, and having the opportunity to speak with all of these admissions counselors truly gave me a lot of insight to how I should be writing my essays and how I should portray myself. While of course I wanted to get into a really good college, a college can also benefit from me being there. It threw me into this process of analyzing internal qualities that I can use to market myself. Really, what I will preach every single day is that the most valuable aspect of the program was IBL. As IBL started to make sense to me, I started to see it less and less as this obscure thinking mechanism and more as a “project in life management” technique.

Very fundamentally, it gave me the basics to identify how do I think I would fit in at this college and going through the process of asking questions like: • “What am I even looking at in a college?”• “What resonates with me?”• “How can I really know that just because a school is ranked number two, that they’re actually number two?’”• “What goes into these rankings?” Your college years require you to make a lot of very important decisions. Can you tell us about the role Inquiry Based Learning has played in your approach to this decision-making, and how it might help you when you leave college and into adulthood?I came into college as an English major, mostly because I had no idea what I wanted to do, and I didn’t want to come

thought, “Oh, I don’t have one, college is great. It’s so easy. I have a lot of fun. I make good grades. I travel a lot.” But then I realized, as I analyzed it a little more, that I definitely do tend to bite off more than I can chew, and I wouldn’t have realized that without IBL. How have you extended your leadership at your college campus?IBL definitely has given me an edge. I feel like a lot of my peers are shy or hesitant towards making suggestions for design decisions, because that’s how my profession tackles problems, by creating solutions to design problems. I feel like IBL has allowed me to consider furthermore the design things that can impact the community or make something at large a lot better. What do you think it was about the CWS that allowed you to gain that confidence you described earlier?Great Debate and LDZ are fun because you get to role play. But in CWS, it’s not pretend — it’s real. I think that’s probably what I enjoyed the most out of it. With Great Debate and LDZ, it was fun, but I didn’t really know much about politics before, so I didn’t feel as engaged. Although I was engaged, there was a connection missing. CWS is about yourself and your personal

future. It’s not necessarily that you’re competing against each other. Of course, you do compete, but it’s more proving yourself and thinking of what’s coming forward for you. What advice do you have for rising seniors attending the CWS this year?I would definitely say not to be afraid to express yourself. Sometimes when I’m with my friends, I feel like I can be less myself, and I have to put on a face that my friends know me for. I would say definitely be comfortable going out of your comfort zone. Of course, that’s something I did when I went to CWS. I feel like because I took that step to make myself feel okay to not be as shy as I was, it totally changed my whole experience and perspective.

Collegiate World Series is about much, much more than getting into college.

While the third and final program in NHI’s series for high school students does discuss college, it approaches college from a more holistic, leadership-based approach, where getting in and getting a degree is part of an overall preparation for leadership and commitment to one’s community. And the college admissions process is only part of the program; many students actually find the most useful, life-changing part of the program is from the introduction to Inquiry Based Learning.

We asked a group of NHers currently in college — who used CWS as a springboard to this phase of their leadership preparation — how the program impacted them, and how its lessons will stay with them beyond their college years.


Ricardo GonzalezBRONX, NYCOLLEGE OF ST. ROSE

Participated: 2015 Texas CWS

Staffed: 2016 Northeast Great Debate, 2017 Midwest Great

Debate, 2016 and 2017 Northeast CWS

in as undecided. But by the end of my sophomore year, I became an Economics major. To me, IBL has been a method of analysis and philosophical inquiry. I think we are prone to look at situations and immediately recognize, “All right, so this is the issue,” And try to deal with the issue at hand. What we don’t realize, for the most part, is that it’s so easy to miss the most minute detail. You have to go back and fix it and wind up wasting time. For example, my reasoning behind initially committing as an English major was, “I like reading, so I’ll be an English major.” That’s something that I could have very easily prevented by having an honest discussion with myself about what field I was really interested in. How have you extended your leadership at your college campus?My NHI experience has really pushed me to become this driven, fast-paced, “let’s get this done,” kind of guy. My biggest leadership involvement in college has been with my fraternity. I was always involved from the get-go on the executive board, culminating last semester when I was the President. I think NHI really helped me recognize that it’s totally fine for me to know how to do something; the issue, however,

is when I leave, what am I leaving behind, if people know how to continue to do the same kind of work, and expanding on it. I was very much in the mindset of “I’ll handle it.” NHI really helped me understand that part of being a leader is knowing how to step down and let others do the work and to monitor and make sure everyone understands what is going on. NHI didn’t give me an agenda of “this is who you need to be;” NHI gave me the tools I needed to make myself into whatever I wanted to be. What advice do you have for rising seniors attending the CWS this year?The best advice I could possibly give them is take it for what it is because I’ve always heard that it’s not as exciting as the Great Debate. it’s not as bonding and fun as the LDZ, but I can guarantee them that if they give their all at this program, it is a program that they will look back on as the one they learned the most from. All they really have to do is keep practicing what they learn and eventually it is going to become a tool that will make them unstoppable.

How did the CWS influence your college search?It’s a little bit complicated for me because I didn’t know where I was going to study. I have been living in Mexico for the past ten years, so the United States was a possibility. The CWS really helped me to visualize the process, to have a better outcome in the application process. In the end, I didn’t apply to colleges in the United States; I ended up going to Argentina and Mexico. I study medicine, and the system is a little bit different in the United States, which helped me decide that maybe the U.S. wasn’t the best place for me to go. But, for a lot of students, that’s one of the more useful parts of the program, because you learn how to create the best application possible in order to get into the best colleges.

Your college years require you to make a lot of very important decisions. Can you tell us about the role Inquiry Based Learning has played in your approach to this decision-making, and how it might help you when you leave college and into adulthood?The IBL was the best part for me because I’m open to looking for more solutions to a problem than just what everybody thinks. With the IBL model, it’s easier to establish a solution that is more creative and different from everything that has been tried, not only in college life but also in my personal life. I think I can see a global picture rather than just seeing a small part of the issue. IBL really helps you be conscious of the way you solve a

How did the CWS influence your college search?It influenced me in that I knew what to do when it came to the application process, knowing what to write in my personal essay and finding what schools fit me. Before CWS, I was unaware of what to write on an application to make me look unique. Even putting NHI on my application helped me stand out as a student, because NHI stands for something prestigious. Your college years require you to make a lot of very important decisions. Can you tell us about the role Inquiry Based Learning has played in your approach to this decision-making, and how it might help you when you leave college and into adulthood?IBL was a thing that existed for me, but I never had a name

for it. Deep critical thinking and processing information, questioning something before you offered an answer, was always something that was part of my life. NHI made me put a name to a process that is needed for every student. It really simplifies and breaks down what you’re trying to accomplish, to not stray away and distract yourself from something that is really important in your life. It helped me find a job and a passion in school — just sitting down and thinking about what I really want and what I really love. What is it that you’re passionate about right now?Right now, I am going to school for political science because I have a passion for politics. I have always had a mindset of helping people; that’s why I love staffing and having that

problem, because generally, you don’t have a structure of thinking [to solve a problem]; you just find whatever could work and take it. How are your able to employ that perspective you gained in IBL through medicine?When you try to diagnose a patient, and you have several symptoms and signs that you see in them, but it could be a million things, you need to be willing to try different techniques to find the disease. You could be open to a possibility that the patient could be affected by something else, not only the most common thing. How have you extended your leadership at your college campus?I think that my leadership abilities greatly improved after I went to the NHI programs. I definitely have never been so challenged as I was at NHI. I had to think a lot and be able to talk in front of a lot of people and be confident in that role. So, NHI has helped me a lot in my college experience right now, because if I have to work and manage a team, I can because I have those leadership skills. I’m also involved in the

political parties at school and elections that represent medical students. I’m being invited to a lot of programs through my demonstrated leadership, and I think NHI is a big part of that. What advice do you have for rising seniors attending the CWS this year?The most important part is the IBL. I would say pay attention to the steps and procedures of the inquiry-based method, because it is a great tool in decision-making for the rest of your life. In the college application portion, I think that a very important aspect is to know the counselors are very valuable to network with. If you could talk to the college representatives, it would be awesome, because they have a lot of doors that they could open for you. NHI is a big part of my life. I love how it impacted me; the experience that you have at those programs are so different from anything you could experience anywhere else. That’s why I love NHI so much, because the experience is unique. You are in an experience different from anything you’ve ever done. I love NHI so much; if people have the opportunity to go to a program, they certainly should.


Julieta GhiringhelliQUERETARO, MEXICOUNIVERSIDAD ANÁHUAC QUERÉTARO

Participated: 2013 National LDZ, 2014 Northeast CWS

Staffed: 2015 National LDZ, 2015 Northeast CWS


Aura OviedoTAMPA, FLORIDANEW YORK UNIVERSITY

Participated: 2013 International CWS

Staffed: 2016 International CWS, 2017 Northeast CWS

opportunity. It gives me that inner edge, with my public speaking and critical thinking background, when I go into a Congressional seminar (with the New York State Assembly) for my internships. How have you extended your leadership at your college campus?My school was unaware of what NHI stood for. When me and my brother went to college, we tried to implement NHI, because there are a lot of high schools near the Albany area. It took our leadership efforts to bring it into the financial aid and recruitment offices and other top people, to think about implementing it in our school, and we’re still in talks about that. I would say when it comes to group activities, I take charge and lead the way to find the best solution. I think that’s where my passion comes for politics — I just have that gut feeling, after analyzing everybody’s opinion, in which I think “x” is the best

resolution. I try to implement that and get a team behind the plan I want to execute. What advice do you have for rising seniors attending the CWS this year?Don’t be shy and don’t hold back. If the CWS is your first NHI program, as it was for me, I would consider doing whatever they give you as a head start, and have that inner edge, but also think about your future. I know a lot of participants are first-generation students, and this program gives you a sneak peek of graduation and adulthood. All these people that you admire? You can be one of them. You admire them and when you get up there, they admire you. NHI gives you an edge in telling you, “This is what you have to do, and this is our thinking process, and this is how we got here on this stage. Now it’s your turn to take the stage when you grow up and finish this program.”

How did the CWS influence your college search?It definitely helped me narrow down what would be a better fit for me. It exposed me to colleges I didn’t know were available to me. It taught me the differences between certain types of loans. It helped me expand my options, but at the same time, to narrow down my personal preferences. Your college years require you to make a lot of very important decisions. Can you tell us about the role Inquiry Based Learning has played in your approach to this decision-making, and how it might help you when you leave college and into adulthood?In every aspect of transitioning to college life into adulthood, and just adjusting to college life in general, the process really did help that. It’s very strategic, but at the same time, when I went through that process at CWS, it got into my subconscious.

I automatically go through that process now, in anything from figuring out a study schedule to being part of a club or trying to start an initiative, which I have been doing over the past couple of years at my campus. I’m taking situations that are happening around my campus, focusing on the very basics and finding realistic, approachable solutions. How have you extended your leadership at your college campus?The best example I can give right now is after Hurricane Maria, in recruiting the volunteers needed. I was working with a church nearby that coordinates with my college campus to get supplies to hand out to people who needed it. So, it was taking a huge situation where a lot of people needed different supplies, and finding a way to limit it to our community, seeing who needed what the most, and going though the most basic

How did the CWS influence your college search?When I attended CWS, I had only been living in the U.S. for a year, so the college process was foreign to me. I had never heard about FAFSA or Common App. It made me more informed about the process; in a way, it made it easier. In terms of how it influenced where I decided to go, my biggest takeaway was that it’s good to diversify and apply to as many schools as possible. The CWS really enhances your self-esteem when it comes to the college application process. I remember them telling us to apply to a school that we always dreamed of, even though it felt impossible. I definitely did, and I was accepted. During my application process, I revisited the notes I had filled out during the CWS and expanded on those. Your college years require you to make a lot of very important decisions. Can you tell us about the role Inquiry

Based Learning has played in your approach to this decision-making, and how it might help you when you leave college and into adulthood?Just recently, I had to decide if I wanted to go to law school right after college, or wait a little bit after I graduate. IBL taught me that it’s not just about the answer, it’s about how you get there, which means getting to the root cause. Throughout these last few years, every time I make a decision, it helps my personal growth to understand what had led me to make these decisions. Inquiry-based learning taught me that it’s not just about answering that one question, it’s about answering all of the surrounding questions that will provide a more informed decision. Even though I made a decision, I still revisit that decision, questioning it and seeing if it’s what I always wanted.

aspects of what was needed. It was the process of finding the people, trying to target who needed the extra attention in the moment the most, and how we could move on forward from there and keep expanding. What advice do you have for rising seniors attending the CWS this year?I’d advise them to take a lot of notes, make the most out of the experience, and immerse themselves in the process of IBL, because it will be a tool that they will use for the rest of their lives, especially in the transition from high school to college and from college to adulthood.


Tatiana MenaGUAYNABO, PUERTO RICOUNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO, RIO PIEDRAS CAMPUS

Participated: 2012 New York LDZ, 2013

Northeast CWS

Staffed: 2016 Northeast CWS


I moved from Honduras to Florida when I was 16, so I was always interested in immigration, but I recently began an interest in humanitarian rights. My goal initially was to head straight to law school after college, but I’ve come to realize that it’s a little unrealistic, and I have to experience the world before I commit to law school. For now, I think I want to work with NGOs, pushing for immigrant rights and seeing what that has to offer. But I come from a country that’s very troubled, and this last year we had elections, they were just horrible, so I feel like part of me knows I have to give back to the country where I come from — the country that led me to where I am today. How have you extended your leadership at your college campus?I’ve been working with Generation Citizen for almost three years, since my freshman year. I am currently on the leadership board, so I do recruitment and weekly meetings for our interns. Generation Citizen works in New York City public high schools and around the U.S., teaching students about civic action and engagement in local politics. The students that you see are demographically very similar. We go to schools across the five

boroughs; there is a lot of Latino engagement. We empower people and help them find a voice in local politics, because it’s important to acknowledge you don’t need to go straight to the federal level to make a change in your community. Someone like your principal could achieve change if you know how to advocate for it. What advice do you have for rising seniors attending the CWS this year?If you stay open-minded, it’s going to be a great experience from which you’ll take so much from while realizing its your last experience with NHI as students. I never did the other two programs, so I was like “Oh, this is NHI,” but for those who have done these programs, CWS is so different to what they are even used to. They might think, “Is this really what I signed up for?” I feel like that also helps you come into the programs with a completely different attitude. Just stay open-minded, realizing it is a little different from things you’ve done before, but that difference is appreciated and it’s good because its preparing you for your first year of college, where not everything is going to look like a game.

How did the CWS influence your college search?I would say that throughout the two days of the CWS college admissions process, I was most influenced by my peers’ personal motivation. They were able to push me to go above and beyond what was already expected of me up to that point. For example, the narrative of my high school was to stay close to home while continuing our education, but during CWS, I realized that there were a lot more opportunities for me to explore the world if I was willing to step outside of my comfort zone. Your college years require you to make a lot of very important

decisions. Can you tell us about the role Inquiry Based Learning has played in your approach to this decision-making, and how it might help you when you leave college and into adulthood?For me, the biggest takeaway from the IBL was that it’s okay for us to not have a solution right away. This humbled me, and helped me make decisions that were more honest with providing me with what I need — even if, at times, it was more difficult for me, like deciding to adjust to a new academic and social environment before taking on leadership positions, internships, or employment. A year ago, I would have thought I would be going into college taking on different extracurriculars. My freshman year success story would have


Gema TinocoPLANO, ILDEPAUL UNIVERSITY

been to successfully balance my family, academics, job, and extracurriculars. But I had to ask myself, “Why do I feel under pressure to take on these responsibilities right away? Are these others’ expectations I’m attempting to fulfill, or my own?” And so, through that process, I concluded that I needed to adjust to my academics and my schedule before I took on any other challenges. It was a difficult decision for me to make, but I think it was the best decision I’ve made for myself this year.

How have you extended your leadership at your college campus?Just because I’m not involved in extracurriculars right now doesn’t mean that I haven’t been able to take a leadership position within the classroom. I feel like I’ve been more open than before in participating in class discussions. I’ve also extended my house to different study groups for different classes. Academically, I feel like I’ve been putting my foot forward with my classes, and developing relationships with my professors.

What advice do you have for rising seniors attending the CWS this year?Go in to the CWS knowing what questions to ask college admissions representatives. It would have helped me during my CWS to ask, “How do I personally fit into your college?”I think a lot of kids tend to ask questions like “How big is your college?” And “What kind of classes does your college have to offer?” They don’t ask what values the colleges carry.

For their senior year, I would say to prioritize how they want to use their last academic year before college. My senior year was really difficult because I was taking AP classes that were difficult and didn’t necessarily need for my major, and extracurriculars I wasn’t wholly passionate about. Sometimes you just have to ask yourself, “Am I doing this solely because it looks good on a transcript, or am I doing this for my best interest?”

Participated: 2014 Midwest Great Debate, 2015

National LDZ. 2016 International CWS, 2016

Celebración

Staffed: 2015-2017 Midwest Great Debate,

2016-2017 National LDZ, 2017 Northeast CWS,

2017 Celebración


NIETO WINS CIC’S SPLETE AWARD

This past January, NHI founder and President Ernesto Nieto

added an especially impressive award to his list of accolades.

Nieto was honored by the Council of Independent Colleges

(CIC), an international association of independent colleges

and universities with more than 700 member institutions,

with the Allen P. Splete Award for Outstanding Service at the

organization’s annual dinner event in Florida.

The Splete Award, first awarded in 1988, is presented annually

“to an individual, publication, or organization in recognition

of significant contributions to independent higher education,”

according to the CIC’s literature on the award. Nieto exemplifies

a further criterion of the award: “Demonstrat[ing] national

leadership, through ideas and commitment, on behalf of private

colleges and universities.”

Robert Maginn, CEO of award-sponsoring company Jenzabar,

presented the award to Nieto. In an article on the Jenzabar blog,

Maginn praised Nieto and his work, noting, “Mr. Nieto has made

an indelible impact in independent higher education by creating

a leadership institute for Latino youth. Grounded in Mr. Nieto’s

vision, NHI has become a pillar of leadership, community, and

social entrepreneurship in independent higher education.”

Nieto, who attended with NHI co-founder and Senior Executive

Vice President Gloria de Leon, noted that he accepted the

award on behalf of all NHI staff members and volunteers. “We

were honored and humbled by the recognition, which should

really go to everyone involved in the effort to bring programs to

our students and to CIC member schools,” Nieto said. “In my

remarks, I talked about my background in inner-city schools, a

family that lifted itself up from sharecropping, and how Gloria

had a similar background. The organization does incredible work

expanding opportunities for a lot of people, including many of

the Latino youth who are alumni of our programs. It was truly

special to gather with them and to be in their presence.”

According to its mission statement, “The Council of Independent

Colleges is an association of nonprofit independent colleges

and universities that has worked since 1956 to support college

and university leadership; advance institutional excellence; and

enhance public understanding of private higher education’s

contributions to society.”

PODCASTINGInspiring a 21st century audience through digital audio

Through the National Hispanic Institute, numerous young Latinos and Latinas have found their voices, developing them as part of their journey to becoming leaders.

Now, in a new podcast series from NHI, alumni who have emerged as leaders are being interviewed by NHI president and founder Ernesto Nieto to celebrate their contributions and to explore how they utilize NHI teachings in their leadership roles.

The Notables podcast series launched in February 2018 with two

people instrumental to NHI’s ongoing success — the organization’s

Senior Vice President and LDZ Director, Julio Cotto, and its Director of

Special Projects, Paola Hernandez — each sitting down with Nieto for

an interview.

The other interviews that followed immediately after widened the

circle from those directly engaged with NHI work. Carlos Paz, Natalia

Palmarini, Tino Villarreal, and John Rodarte all still maintain close

connections with NHI, and are inspiring students in their respective

regions, but they are also carving out leadership roles in their

communities not directly related to NHI recruiting or coaching.

Paz, for example, is currently the Congressional Director at the

Congressional Hispanic Caucus, committed to “building bridges

and creating meaningful results between Community, Creatives,

Government and Business” even while working in Washington, D.C.

during a particularly tumultuous time. The wide-ranging conversation

he has with Nieto includes thoughts on the current political climate

and the roles that Latinos might play in shaping it.

Palmarini, a Villanova University graduate now working in New York

City, focuses on making the transition from college to the post-college

“real world” in her interview. Villarreal, while a former NHI staffer

and the Tip of Texas Project Administrator, discusses his role as an

educator and Athletic Director at St. Joseph Academy in Brownsville.

And John Rodarte, an educator in New Mexico who was the first

Ricky Miranda Award recipient in the state (at the 1988 New Mexico

LDZ) talks about his connection to the Land of Enchantment in a joint

interview with Nieto and Gloria de Leon.

The most recent additions include Latino researcher and NHI

board member Joseph Villescas, filmmaker A.J. Del Cueto,

and Congressional candidate and NHI 2017 Person of the Year

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

“We have a lot of noteworthy alumni who have accomplishments

going beyond their work with NHI students,” said Hernandez of the

series. “What Ernesto wants this podcast to be is a chance for people

to learn about what they’re doing, what life’s been like for them, what

advice they can give, whether their NHI experiences be just a few

years ago or 30 years ago.”

The Notables series is the latest in NHI’s podcast offerings. The

Platicas series, launched in October 2016, is another conversation

series focused on NHI’s ideas – capturing their evolution into this

new, emerging era of Latino community life. There’s also a group

of podcasts, called Infopods, that gives students information, as

they prepare to enter programs, geared toward their success in NHI

summer programs.

THE PODCASTS CAN BE FOUND THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFERENT SOURCES:

LIBSYN: http://nationalhispanicinstitutemedia.libsyn.com/

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/NHITV

SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/nhi_podcasts

ITUNES (OR PODCASTS APP ON IPHONE:Search “NHI Podcasts”


CHARTING NEW TERRITORIES

Omaha. A quiet community with cold weather, corporate giants,

kind neighbors, and Warren Buffett. But it’s also, perhaps

surprisingly, a new frontier in the middle of the United States for

the National Hispanic Institute. It’s a place where I spent a week

of my life and never thought I would miss it as much as I still do

to this day. It’s a place that truly opened its doors to NHI. And

it was all possible because of a man who believed in our work

for literally my entire life. He even invited me into his home in

the middle of winter, a gesture that provided me a life-changing

experience. His name is Jim Swanson.

Since the early 1990s, Jim, better known as “Swanny,” has been

sending Omaha students to Chicago-hosted editions of the

LDZ Youth Legislative Session. Swanny is a school counselor,

head soccer coach, and role model for students at Creighton

Preparatory School, an all-boys Catholic school. For nearly

30 years, he has poured his heart and soul into transforming

students in the classroom and on the soccer field. Swanny even

received a Citation of Merit from NHI in 2014 for his dedication

to serving Latino families for NHI. Four years later, Jim and his

wife, Frances, invited me to Omaha to build a new generation of

Nebraskans in our organization

In Omaha, I met a number of students, even those who

didn’t participate in NHI, who were impacted by Swanny.

All shared that he was their hero, holding a particular love

for his community consistent with their experience at Prep. I

learned most about the Swanson family when I was shooting

hoops with Jim and his two sons (Dermot & Aidan) on a snow

day. Jim would often open the school gym so students could

play basketball. Those who know the Midwest know there is

a particular love for basketball going beyond mere pastime

for many families. It was an escape from snow and 0-degree

Fahrenheit weather. The family and friends gathering to shoot

hoops held an unconditional love for each other and spent time

talking and catching up in between pickup games. Frances,

from Ireland, always had a hot plate of food and kettle of tea on

the stove when the rest of her family returned home for the day.

Other students would flock to Jim’s house, and it was common

for many friends to visit throughout the week. For the Swanson

family, their doors were always open.

I battled the snow on NHI’s behalf to grow relationships with

Omaha Westside High School and Millard South High School,

two of the city’s largest high schools for Latino youth. Swanny

also introduced me to educators, business people, and other

community leaders he knew. I sat down with the President of

the Omaha Public Schools’ Board, as well as a representative

from the Mayor’s office to hear more about their vision for this

community. They held the same love for Omaha that Jim holds:

A deep familial love.

A local radio show host, Jorge Rosas, invited Swanny, two

Prep students (Angel Arcos and Max Quint), and me to speak

about our movement. For 30 energized minutes en Español,

we brought Jorge into a world of optimism for this Latino

community flourishing in the Omaha-Lincoln corridor.

Jim’s efforts opened the doors to new opportunities for the

Institute and strengthened its footprint in Nebraska’s largest city.

The Dean of Admissions at Creighton University gave up her

snow day to come and have coffee with me and talk about us

building a relationship together. Every day felt warmer because

of these gestures — all thanks to Swanny.

Creighton Prep, Duchesne Academy, Mercy High School, and

Papillion La Vista High School will be sending students to NHI

this summer. A business association in South Omaha is eyeing

sponsorship of students for 2018-2019 summer leadership

programs, while conversations about NHI’s continued growth in

Omaha’s Catholic schools is already underway. The radio station

asked for an hour-long segment next time we visit, and families

who work for large corporations will encourage their companies

to support NHI’s work.

A Texan mobilizing Nebraskans during the winter in Omaha is

perhaps an unusual scenario for community development. But

I feel — with Swanny’s support — we were successful, and I’m

excited for my next opportunity to return to what is, in more

ways than one, the Heartland. I’m even working on my

jump shot.

OMAHA By Zachary Gonzalez

OHIO: The Next Frontier?

The National Hispanic Institute will

be conducting a feasibility study

throughout Ohio, Indiana, Michigan,

Kentucky, and Western Pennsylvania

for a prospective leadership program

in Northwest Ohio. If you reside in

any of these areas, and are interested

in pulling together teachers, school

leaders, families, businesses, and/

or organizations for meetings, please

contact Zachary Gonzalez at zgonzalez@

nhimail.com, or (512) 357-6137 ext. 205,

to get information on the proposed

2019 Ohio Great Debate campaign.


Throughout college, I used to travel to New York City to visit

close friends who were studying film and photography. We

spent most of our time together in Manhattan around the art

and film scene, and I developed a love for art from these trips.

Before experiencing it for myself, I asked my friends, “What’s it

like living in New York City?”

“Well,” they typically responded, “Which New York?” New

York, after all, is comprised of thousands of micro-communities

with millions of people, mostly stacked on top of each other,

living and working in what is famously called “the city that never

sleeps.” Some may have even sold everything they own just to

make it here.

In the fall of 2017, I came back to New York City, but this time as

a full-time professional, on the hunt to organize people behind

the National Hispanic Institute. NHI changed my life, providing me

wings to fly within my imagination, when I was 15 years old. And

now, New York City would be the largest community I’d attempt to

mobilize in my six years of developing communities for NHI.

I learned that New York is a city with a grind. Energy envelopes

your eyes, ears, and senses when you walk out of a skyscraper,

hustling towards your next stop with everyone else from

around the world. People aren’t necessarily rude, despite what

mainstream stereotypes tell you about New Yorkers. It’s just

that tourists block the entrance to the subway, taking photos

while you’re trying to get to work! And yes, every inch of space

matters. Real estate doesn’t go cheap here, and a lot can

happen in a New York minute.

I also learned that New York is a community that dreams. How

many songs have been sung about the way the streets, lights,

and views make you feel? Millions here are dreaming about

what the city means to their future and what they’re working

towards. Some have worked their entire life to get here or just

to survive here. The people who live in New York understand

sacrifice and ambition.

New Yorkers also own a global vision. One World Trade is the

symbol of this belief. People that I met saw their contribution to

society in terms of how it impacts the world. Often, their family

story originated from a trek across the world to New York. And

for those who were born and raised in New York, it only takes a

few generations back in time to identify the immigration trends

of Italians or Puerto Ricans that build various neighborhoods

and civic structures.

New York is the fourth most populated state for Latinos in the

United States, and an estimated 2.3 million Latinos live in New

York City — roughly the population of all of Houston! I had a

chance to visit over 20 high schools, and we’ll see up to 50 New

York youth join this summer.

This is exciting, and it wouldn’t have been possible without

special alumni: Steven Hernandez, Xavier Logan, Natalia

Palmarini, Maya Fidelia, Jorge Lee, and Arturo “AJ” Gomez.

These members led special campaigns across the NYC metro

area with high schools, universities, businesses, Catholic entities,

and education leaders. Two served as keynote speakers for NHI

at special events, and I couldn’t be prouder of their commitment

to NHI’s mission.

I always ask students how they see their future. In New York,

students shared with me that in 30 years, diversity would

finally be embraced in every classroom across our nation. More

languages would be spoken in schools. The population of the cities

and classes would increase. And technology would connect us with

the largest digital classroom of like-minded learners.

Keep a lookout! The Empire State is on the rise this year. There

are rumors that two NHI alumni have already stepped forward

to form NHI Alliances in the Bronx and Queens. A New York

City Councilman and former NHI participant could help us

write a brand-new chapter in Brooklyn, expanding our footprint

to a new borough for the organization. And a bold alumna

who deserves special recognition for her help in our efforts,

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, may even represent New York’s 14th

Congressional District in the U.S. Congress.

NYC


By Zachary Gonzalez


The National Hispanic Institute honored two noteworthy alumni at the 2017 edition of

Celebración. One is a Texas State Representative who is emerging as an important Latina leader

in her own right, and the other is a longtime NHI educator — serving in Education Director and

Project Administrator roles — connecting Latino entrepreneurs with the physical spaces they

need in order to be successful.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI PROFILES

MARY GONZALEZDistinguished Alumni in Public Policy

Gonzalez is a Texas State Representative from the 75th District (in El Paso County). She was first elected in 2012 and was named Freshman of the Year by the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus. She has been involved with NHI since 1999, when she was part of the California LDZ, and 2000, when she participated in the California CWS. She also worked with NHI in the John F. Lopez Summer Internship program for three years, involved with the CWS program and with the Collaborative Research Center’s efforts.

As a state representative, she has shown a commitment to her constituents, the statewide Latino community, and NHI principles of community social entrepreneurship, championing causes like special education funding, public school finance, and rural development and infrastructure.

She has been recognized by a number of media outlets, including Latino Leaders for her leadership in education, as one of ten “Next Generation Latinas” by Latina, and as one of the 10 newly-elected politicians to watch in the nation by NBC Latino.

“NHI created the foundation for all the work that I do to promote social justice and equity,” she said. “NHI taught me more than skills; it provided the opportunity for character, value and leadership development. “

LOUIE TIJERINADistinguished Alumni for Community Leadership

Tijerina is a commercial real estate broker with CBRE in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, specializing in connecting Latino businesspeople and entrepreneurs with retail and office space. He has a long history of involvement with NHI, dating back to representing the Tip of Texas at the 2005 Texas Great Debate, participating in the 2006 National LDZ and 2007 New York CWS, and then staffing a number of programs from 2007 on.

He is the former director of admissions for NHI, working at the organization’s headquarters from 2011 to 2014, and currently serves as project administrator for the NHI - Fort Worth region (serving Fort Worth, Arlington, and the rest of Tarrant County). He also serves as an education director for NHI programs, including the three most recent editions of the Texas Star Great Debate.

“Being a part of the NHI community has molded me into the person I am today,” Tijerina said, adding, “Being named a distinguished alum is a great honor, but I see it as more of a responsibility. As we move into a new era within the organization, it is the responsibility of the alums to ensure its growth and future. Leadership doesn’t have an age requirement, it has a will requirement. It is our job to work together as an NHI community to grow the organization, and I am committed to this lifetime endeavor.”

Last year, I had the opportunity to make the first NHI visit to Las

Vegas in at least 15 years. The city does have some history with

NHI — home to the short-lived UNLV Collegiate World Series in

the 1990s — I walked in not knowing what to expect.

I assumed, that perhaps like many Southwestern or Western

states, I’d find mostly Mexican-American or Chicano communities,

but to my surprise and delight, I found a much more diverse

Latino population thriving in Nevada’s largest city. The first

community meeting I attended was at a local Cuban restaurant.

Later on, I met our undergraduate volunteer (who culturally

identifies as Peruvian) next door to a Guatemalan restaurant

across from the UNLV campus. This was clearly not the West

Coast nor the Southwest. This was, simply, Vegas — and this is

how Vegas has been for quite some time. In fact, the concept of

a multinational, Latino community had existed in Nevada for a lot

longer than it has in other parts of the country. “Cultural unity” is

not merely en vogue or a rallying cry in Vegas: It is reality.

Jose Loya, the Assistant Principal at Rancho High School (the

2017 NHI High School of the Year), initially invited me to his city

to get to know its growing and relevant Latino community. In

2013, as part of the many challenges thrown at “rookies” at the

Maxwell office, Zachary Gonzalez was charged with identifying a

handful of potential partners who might consider nominating at

least one or two students to the California LDZ. Loya responded

to Zach’s campaign (which included mailouts, calls, e-mails,

and social media blitzes).

This year, Loya will travel with a delegation of twelve students

from three Vegas-area schools, after seeing the difference

NHI has made for those Rancho students who initially

accepted NHI’s invitation. It has been a great example of an

organic, outreach effort. A school community recognized NHI’s

value, and decided to co-invest and make leadership vital.

From that original group, many remain involved as volunteer

recruiters and staff. Jerson Zarate, for example, has staffed a

number of programs and has been a fixture at Celebración

since graduating from high school. As a student at UNLV, he

has the advantage of being able to be a local anchor for NHI’s

future recruiting efforts.

When NHI recognized Rancho High School at the 2017

Celebración event in San Marcos last November. Loya was

there to receive the honor on behalf of the school, and

immediately went back to work to encourage members of the

Clark County School District to jump on board.

Students from Las Vegas understand business, commerce,

marketing, and branding. Despite being in a desert, they

also see that there is a large world with endless cultures and

dozens of languages. They get a little taste of it if they want,

even more so than American bastions like Chicago, New York,

and Los Angeles. However, they also understand division,

greed, excess, and exploitation. They also know that one

can do business and build equity in an ethical and

innovative way.

All of this thinking adds a new flavor to NHI learning, because

the learning comes from the members and their personal

experiences. I, for one, am excited to see NHIers in Las Vegas

become a community of leaders, knowing and accepting that

the world moves fast and that all cultures have value — and

knowing how to be in that world in a creative, fair, honest,

and moral way. These leaders will truly make their mark in the

coming years.

L AS VEGAS


By Julio Cotto


UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGOCOLLEGE OF THE YEAR

Since 2014, the University of San Diego has hosted the California LDZ, one of NHI’s fastest growing programs, primarily serving students from the Western United States, but also drawing a significant Texas contingent.

The Catholic university, founded in 1949, states in its mission that it is “committed to advancing academic excellence, expanding liberal and professional knowledge, creating a diverse and inclusive community and preparing leaders who are dedicated to ethical conduct and compassionate service.”

“As we learned more about NHI and what it stood for, we knew it was a great fit for USD and our mission and values,” said Stephen Pultz, the University’s Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management. “It’s great to be able to support organizations that are like-minded, around this idea of developing community leaders, of bringing talented high school students committed to community social entrepreneurship.”

RANCHO HIGH SCHOOL LAS VEGAS, NEVADAHigh School of the Year

Rancho High School, located in Las Vegas, Nevada, has built a relationship with NHI dating back to 2014. Rancho students and alumni have graduated to Assistant Secretary of State

and Secretary of State positions with NHI programs, and this past summer, the school sent five students to the California LDZ program to continue the relationship.

“This award represents a vote of confidence for the work we have just begun in our partnership with the National Hispanic Institute,” said Rancho High School Assistant Principal Jose Loya. “We have, in a sense, planted a seed in the Las Vegas

community to develop the leaders in our valley, so that they may go out into their local, state, and world communities to promote positive change. As special as this is for Rancho, we do not want to be the only school in Nevada to take advantage of the learning opportunities offered by NHI. May we serve as the first, but not the last school from the Silver State to nurture nuestros lideres del futuro.

An article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal article on Rancho’s award noted that nearly 75 percent of the school’s 3,235-strong student body is Latino.

HOUSTON ISDSchool District of the Year

The Houston Independent School District, which sent 84 students to NHI programs this past year, has a long tradition of supporting NHI’s mission. In January 2016, the school district pledged $100,000 to fund scholarships for its students to attend NHI programs, $50,000 each for 2016 and 2017, which is the largest commitment of its kind to date.

“It’s a real validation of this partnership that has grown and strengthened over a decade,” said David Johnston, the district’s Director for College Readiness. “We have been working together, recruiting kids and funding kids and seeing the results of that hard work. To have that be acknowledged is a tremendous honor for us, especially since NHI works with so many outstanding districts.”

It’s also fitting that HISD is honored this year — Manuel Rodriguez, Jr., an NHI Hall of Fame honoree in 2013 and a longtime supporter of NHI’s work, passed away this July after 14 years as an HISD board member and a life of tireless public service.

Award WinnersNHI

ELENA POJMANFemale College Student of the Year

Currently a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in Mathematics with an Actuarial Science concentration, Pojman participated in the 2013 Texas Ambassador Great Debate, reaching the Final Four in Mock Trial, and the 2014 Texas LDZ, where she served as Senator Majority Whip. She’s been active in staffing programs and coaching students since then, including ongoing work with Austin students participating in the Texas Great Debate.

“I have poured countless hours into this organization over the past few years,” Pojman said. “Through every experience, every misstep, every success, and every friend made, I have grown as an individual and have been able to work with a diverse cast of characters. I am extremely honored to be named Female College Student of the Year as it honors not only the blood, sweat, and tears I’ve shed; it pays homage to the wonderful people who have allowed me to carve out my space in the world.”

EFRAIN CORDOVAMale College Student of the Year

Efrain Cordova, a senior at Swarthmore College majoring in Economics with an emphasis on Behavioral Economics and Finance, has been involved with NHI for the past six years — and is planning further engagement with the organization he regards as “home.”

Cordova first engaged with NHI as a member of the RGV team at the 2011 Texas Great Debate, then as Speaker of the House in the 2012 Colorado LDZ, and then a standout participant at the 2013 Texas CWS. He has most recently served as a John F. Lopez intern for two consecutive summers.

“For the past six years, my work with the National Hispanic Institute has proven to be the most rewarding and meaningful set of experiences I could have ever hoped for,” Cordova said. “The opportunity to engage with such a brilliant group of individuals reaffirms my belief that change is possible in this world if we are willing to work for it.”

MARLENE MALDONADO COTULLA HIGH SCHOOLCounselor of the Year

Marlene Maldonado has been a Cotulla ISD employee since 1999 and a counselor at Cotulla High School since 2003. She was also instrumental in launching a scholarship program for the district, starting in 2012, to help Cotulla students attend NHI programs.

This past summer, Cotulla High School had 23 students participate in NHI programs. In the school’s graduating Class of 2018, eight NHI alumni — including three who trekked to the 2017 International Collegiate World Series program — are all pursuing higher education, which Maldonado attributes to NHI’s influence.

“I’m invested in NHI and what it does for our kids,” she said. “It gives them social exposure, and gives them what they need for the future, teaching them about college, about what the future’s going to be like for them, things that they don’t get in high school. It makes such a difference for them.”


CELEBRAC IÓN 2017

Celebracion 2017, hosted in San Marcos, Texas, featured a first-of-its-kind competition, putting social media and video editing know-how front and center. NHI founder and president Ernesto Nieto declared that the teams “mov[ed] NHI forward 10 years” with their entries. The annual gathering also featured a magical, nighttime homecoming event at NHI headquarters in nearby Maxwell.

NHI MAGAZINE | 2018 29

Here, we highlight three of the candidates — George Rodriguez, who ran in Texas’ 32nd District (covering parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area); Miguel Levario, who has moved on to the general election to represent Texas’ 19th District (which includes Lubbock and Abilene, and Xochitl Torres Small, vying to represent New Mexico’s 2nd District (covering more than half the state, including all of Southern New Mexico).

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, running in New York’s 14th District, which includes parts of the Bronx and Queens, was named our NHI Person of the Year to close out 2017; she’s featured on Page 34.

George Rodriguez: “I feel like we elevated the discussion.”

George Rodriguez has a long history with NHI — he won the governorship at the 1984 Texas LDZ in Austin, and has gone on to be deeply involved with NHI in a range of roles, including his current ones as a member of NHI’s Board of Directors and a Project Administrator for the Greater Dallas region.

He was motivated to run for Congress, as he told NHIMagazine.com in June 2017, because, as he put it, “I realized that there was a narrative that was being created for our country that was not about our America,” adding that he wanted to run “not to just be able to bring opportunity to all Texans, but . . . to change the American narrative to one that embraces women and diversity.”

He cited his more than 20 years of practicing immigration law, along with 30 years of engagement with NHI and the Latino community, as an expertise Congress greatly needed.

Rodriguez entered a keenly-contested primary in a crowded field, ultimately landing short of votes to pass on to the general election. He noted in our June 2017 interview with him, regarding a field that would get even more crowded before the primary, that his biggest challenge would be to distinguish himself from the rest of the field. But as he noted, “What I have that they do not have is NHI.”

He went on to explain:

“Just about everything I know about leadership I learned from NHI. Many of the concepts and beliefs I have are formed because NHI emphasizes how to think for yourself and create your own narrative. I find it funny, when I tell a room of people that I do not use the word “minority,” nor do I allow my campaign people to refer to people as minorities, how they respond. Although they are very receptive, they are also in awe of the concept. To me, it’s just become a part of who I am.”

Though Rodriguez finished fifth in what was ultimately a seven-candidate field, he reflects that it “wasn’t as devastating as you think it might be.”

As he explained, “I was surrounded by lots of people who supported me, and we felt that it was a good campaign that attracted a lot of volunteers. I felt like we elevated the discussion and were friendly to both Democratic and Republican voters, which reflected who I am and what kind of campaign it was.”

Rodriguez saw himself as providing a contrast between the “Democratic machine” and a more grassroots style of campaign. “I got into this race because I was tired of corporate, plastic politicians. I don’t regret the approach we took. We

wanted the voters to have to make up their mind about what kind of candidate they wanted to beat Pete [Sessions, the Republican incumbent].”

In the end, two former Obama Administration officials — Colin Allred, backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and Lillian Salerno, backed by EMILY’s List — advanced to the May runoff in the Dallas-area district, seen as one of three Texas Congressional districts that could move from the Republican to the Democratic column in November.

Miguel Levario: “We’ve proved we won’t be left out.”

The good news for Miguel Levario, the other NHI alumni who sought to become part of the Texas Congressional delegation, ran unopposed in the 19th District that includes his Lubbock hometown, and will face incumbent Jodey Arrington in November. He’s encouraged by Democratic turnout throughout the district — including in the less populous sections of what is regarded as a largely rural district — and feels it portends well for bringing change to the district in November.

“We’ve proved we won’t be left out,” Levario said of his supporters. “We’ve built a strong following so far.”

Levario is discussing issues important to the voters in the district, which include the cities of Lubbock and Abilene. Levario notes that Taylor County, which includes Abilene, saw Democratic participation in the 2018 primaries jump 106 percent over 2014 totals, whereas Republican participation over the same span of time actually dropped 32 percent.

“As a longtime resident of Lubbock, I am invested in our community and feel that I need to step up and be a facilitator for change,” Levario said as to why he ran. “We deserve choices when it comes to our representation,” he said, noting that Arrington didn’t even have a Democratic challenger two years ago, winning more than 86 percent of the vote against a Libertarian and a Green Party candidate.

“My wife and I felt we needed to act,” he said. “I’ve always seen myself as a scholar-activist and running for public office is an evolution of my activism. We are running a grassroots campaign both financially and strategically with block walking, town halls, small donations, and many face-to-face encounters. People can expect me to be honest, transparent, and consistent with my viewpoints. I am running as a person from the community with deep concerns the direction our district and country are taking.”

Issues concerning the district’s voters include jobs and health care issues; since Lubbock is a medical hub for the entire region, the two issues are especially intertwined.

“The public speaking skills I’ve learned in NHI have been important to my campaigning,” Levario noted. “I think back to YLC [today, known as the Great Debate] when I had to talk about issues and formulate arguments, and I think back to LDZ when I get myself out there to talk to people and campaign.”

While he’d love for the chance to represent Lubbock and the rest of the district in Congress, he has a healthy perspective on what happens if the vote doesn’t go his way come November.

NHI TO CONGRESSThis year, a group of NHI alumni — choosing individually, but as part of a historic

collective of Third Reality-minded leaders — set their sights on U.S. Congressional

seats. Two candidates from Texas went through the primaries with wildly different

experiences, a New Mexico candidate proceeded to the general election, and a

candidate in New York City awaited her primary as we went to press.

(A fifth candidate, Carlos Ramirez-Rosa — running for the seat being vacated by legendary Chicago

congressman Luis Gutierrez — stepped down in January to endorse eventual primary winner Jesus

“Chuy” Garcia, and is resuming his duties as alderman for Chicago’s 35th Ward.)

B Y P H I L W E S T


“I am not a career politician and I am perfectly happy being a history professor at Texas Tech. My run for Congress is truly an act of service, and not a self-fulfilling or self-serving endeavor.”

Xochitl Torres Small: “What if this person I’m waiting for is me?”

Xochitl Torres Small’s interest in following politics harkens back in part to her National Hispanic Institute involvement in the early 2000s. Throughout her career — including her current role as a water attorney — politics has played a central role in the work she’s done to better her community. And when longtime Congressman Steve Pearce announced he wouldn’t return to represent the New Mexico 2nd Congressional District in Washington in 2019 — creating a competitive race in this unusual political climate — that got Torres Small looking to see who she’d endorse and get behind.

“I’m from Las Cruces, which is the largest city in the district. I’ve grown up here, and never really felt like the person who was elected to represent this district was representing me or my community,” she says. “I felt this large disconnect between my home and what was happening in Washington. When this opportunity came up, I was really excited about finding the right person who would represent the entire district. I was waiting for that person to announce . . . and there was just this moment where I suddenly thought, ‘What if this person I’m waiting for is me?’”

And so, in January, she decided to run for the open Congressional seat, and moved quickly toward the June 5 primary ever since — which she won with nearly 73 percent of the vote.

Torres Small is no stranger to public policy; she worked as a

field representative for Senator Tom Udall’s campaign and in various behind-the-scenes governmental roles. But she has now stepped into the limelight via a campaign where she’s emerging as a compelling Democratic candidate, in what Cook Political Report is naming one of nearly 100 competitive Congressional seats for the upcoming midterm elections.

The district she’s running in, in addition to being competitive, is also massive. As Torres Small points out, it’s the fifth-largest Congressional District in the nation, and the largest that is an actual district within a state. (Alaska, Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming, each larger than NM-2, each only send one at-large representative.) It’s a decidedly rural district, meaning that issues like access to health care and wi-fi are serious concerns. It’s also a majority Latino district that has never been represented by a Latino or Latina — something Torres Small is looking to change.

She advanced to the general election, in part, by scoring a victory at the state’s Democratic convention. As the New Mexico Political Reporter noted, she won support from its attendees by nearly a 2:1 margin over her main competitor in the race. She also won a key endorsement from EMILY’s List, a nationwide organization supporting female candidates, which could prove instrumental in the general election.

Torres Small will also draw on her NHI experiences from high school as she proceeds to November, starting with the 2000 Colorado Great Debate, which she learned of from a Spanish teacher who urged her to participate. She calls that initial program “transformative,” noting that it expanded her ideas of who identified as Latino.

The following year, she attended the 2001 California LDZ,

where she not only learned parliamentary procedure, but gained a concept of governance that is unmistakably NHI — ”My understanding of leadership changed there,” she said, noting that she learned the importance of collaborating with people who might initially be competitors. “[I learned] how to learn this structure that’s imposed on you to take on that same structure.” She remembers collaborating with students to, in her words, “learn this thing we had no familiarity with, no previous experience with, to then make it a tool we used for change.”

Though running for Congress is unparalleled in her life so far, the “shedding the fear of the unknown”— which she experienced so memorably in NHI, is something she’s living as she travels the district she seeks to represent. She notes that the lesson of “understanding the value that comes from collaboration that comes from diverse communities” is important, as well as “recognizing that when working within a Hispanic community, it is not a monolith. There’s a vast set of experiences, all of which help serve the community.” She notes that seven Native American tribes live within the district, further adding to the diversity and the complexity of the district.

By living and working where she grew up, Torres Small is embodying a talking point discussed in NHI: contributing to

the community where you have roots. It is, in fact, an idea that’s driving her campaign.

“A big part of why I’m running is that we need to be poised for opportunity here in Southern New Mexico, and not feel like we have to leave the state to reach our dreams,” she said. “I think that’s so much of how people feel. Everyone has friends and family members who have left Southern New Mexico because they felt like they couldn’t reach their dreams here. So many people feel stuck here, like they don’t have access to opportunities that they would have if they were born somewhere else. What we run the risk of is an enormous brain drain, where people are no longer serving communities where they grew up.”

Torres Small seeks to be a leader who not only keeps people invested in their vast district, but helps Washington refocus on the needs of communities like hers. And she could remarkably go from deciding she wanted to be the leader to affect that change at the start of a calendar year to being elected as that leader before that year ends.

NHI MAGAZINE | 2018 33

Of the four Congressional races involving NHIers in 2018, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s may be the most compelling. Her district, New York’s 14th, is a Democratic stronghold represented by one of the most established Democratic leaders. But Ocasio-Cortez, convinced her district can be represented better and more fully than it has been, is committing to a primary challenge that is challenging norms and raising questions that might not otherwise be asked.

(The following excerpts represent our conversation with her;

our full conversation is available at our online magazine,

NHIMagazine.com.)

As you continue to engage with the community over the course of the campaign, how has your view of the race evolved?I think that, especially coming from an NHI perspective, there

are so many of these principles that we learn with the Institute.

Whether it’s community-based entrepreneurship or community

equity building, we hear these terms, and I think we understand

[broadly] what it means — investing in ourselves and increasing

our own capacities so we can build and prosper within our

own communities instead of looking elsewhere and outside for

solutions. In running this campaign, I’ve really seen what that

means in action. For example, a lot of people in New York and

in our community typically don’t have skills in organizing. A lot

of other campaigns hire professional organizers to knock on

doors for you, but we’ve done the exact opposite. We go into

communities and we train people ourselves in how to organize

and then let them do it and organize their own communities on

their own blocks. Doing that, on many other different levels and

working with people to build those skills so that they can use

them in their own communities, has been really game-changing

for us.

Do you believe your understanding of leadership has evolved since entering the race?100%. For any NHIer, once you throw your hat in the ring and

decide you’re going to do something unprecedented, you

really learn how to liberate yourself from a lot of the existing

paradigms of the world as it is. In New York, the existing rules —

and one of the big reasons I initially, previous to this experience,

never thought politics was for me — is that you need to work

your way up, you need to know the right people, you need to

get this guy’s permission. We haven’t done any of that. There

has been a lot of rules that we’ve broken. We are running this

campaign pretty outside of this system, outside the status quo.

We are saying things that are not usually talked about. I have

no problem advocating for the Latino community very expressly

in my campaign. A lot of people say you can’t talk about one

specific group or another specific group, but I’m a Latina. We

have no Latinas in Congress. I think electorally, we need to realize

that we are a force and we have the capacity to make demands

of our public officials without playing by the usual rules. I think

a lot of Latino/as that aren’t within the NHI paradigm get a little

tokenized by their party.

You participated in the 2005 National LDZ with a legislative body full of NHIers. How could national political discourse be transformed through the asset-based thinking and community social entrepreneurship values in NHI philosophy?There are so many politicians that view the world through either a

deficit-based mentality or a zero-sum mentality, which is that one

community’s gain is another community’s loss. There are a lot of

people out there that think the Latino community’s gain [would]

somehow [be] their loss. When you shift to an asset-based point

of view, you realize that the more communities are better off in

this country, the better off our whole country is. It’s not a zero-

sum, it’s about growing who we are . . .I think by having an asset-

based mentality and eliminating these notions that somehow

embracing immigrant populations is going to make us worse,

it’s the exact opposite. It makes us better, it makes us stronger, it

makes us more diverse.

Win or lose, what community mobilizing structures will stay long after the campaign to facilitate leadership in every citizen, ensuring a future of diverse representation and community investment?That’s really the question that you should be asking every single

elected official, because far too often, people run for office

and then just give up on all the organizing that they did. That is

not a sustained movement. It’s really a shame, because “win or

lose,” you’re doing really great work to mobilize and educate

the community, and the idea that stops is a waste of time and

money, frankly. If you’re not preserving that structure and you’re

not preserving that change, even if you’re not necessarily on the

head of it, what’s the point of running? A big thing we try to do,

as we run, [is educating] people that volunteer on our campaign

on the essential skills of community organizing, so that they

themselves can run for office or help the next person. We build

relationships between people, drawing connections between

communities that have previously been more siloed off.

Alexandria Ocasio-CortezN H I P e r s o n o f t h e Y e a rBy Valeria EscobarTRANSFORMING THE DNA OF CONGRESSIONAL BATTLES


2018 marks the second year of the National Hispanic Institute’s

partnership with Winston & Strawn LLP, a national law firm with offices

in Dallas, Texas. The relationship was initiated through discussions

between NHI board member George Rodriguez, and W&S Partner

Todd Thorson, who are friends and members of the Dallas legal

community. They discussed ways in which Winston & Strawn could

further involve itself in community life.

“As the local project administrator here in Dallas,” Rodriguez said,

“we are always looking to connect our young NHIers with local

leaders and professional organizations. We couldn’t have found a

better fit than Winston & Strawn. They have been out to many of our

events, donate their personal time, and have opened up their offices

for fundraising efforts. And they personally make it a point to learn

more about the community we are serving.”

In April, NHI at Dallas held its annual Project L.E.A.D. fundraiser at the

W&S offices in downtown Dallas, where the group raised more than

$25,000 and held 25 round table discussions with NHI students to raise

awareness about important social matters impacting Latino communities.

“It was a fantastic experience watching parents, students, and

community members discuss everything from immigration to

education to being ‘NHI legacy children,’” said Thorson. “It’s

impressive to watch these young people use the skills they developed

at NHI to make passionate statements about their understanding of

the world around them. They are ready to take on leadership roles at

a very young age.”

In 2017, Ms. Rachael Gearing, attorney with Winston & Strawn,

and Thorson presented to the NHI board of directors on corporate

governance, on matters relating to the NHI Alliance groups during

Celebración, and participated in the Texas CWS. In 2018, they are

helping NHI enhance its organizational policies, develop even more

robust governance practices for alliances, and will participate in select

summer programs as guest judges.

“Working with the NHI board, administrators, and students has been

an incredibly meaningful opportunity,” said Gearing. “It’s an absolute

honor and pleasure to support NHI and to help expand its impact on

new communities and students.”

Nicole Nieto, NHI’s executive vice president, summed up the

partnership as one of friendship, support, and encouragement.

“Winston & Strawn has been nothing but supportive since day one.

We have benefited from their experience and knowledge of corporate

governance, and their extended contacts in so many facets of law. We are

working with caring individuals who enjoy participating in NHI’s world.”

My first semester in college was — like those of most others — an

absolute whirlwind. Thankfully, I had what I’d learned from the

National Hispanic Institute to help me turn what might have been a

hot mess into what would become the best five months of my life.

Walking onto campus that first day, I shared many skills with my peers.

I could rattle off historical trivia, muddle through calculus, and knock

out an essay in no time flat. These abilities were essential — and I

thank my former schools for helping me develop them — but certainly

not enough to survive this new and confusing collegiate world. NHI

filled in the gaps, giving me those intangible skills — like the ability

to identify the assets at my disposal, evaluate the possible outcomes

of a particular decision, and remain optimistic when a challenge takes

multiple attempts to overcome — that helped me stand out and find

my place on campus.

Walking around campus and getting lost, for example, was already

a familiar experience. After all, how could strolling across my small

liberal arts campus compare to chasing lost participants across

UT Austin in heels? When night arrived, navigating a shared dorm

with my new roommate felt like a breeze, rather than the awkward

nightmare it might have been had NHI not forced me to sleep in a

dorm half-a-dozen times before. The same went for social events,

where meeting dozens of new faces, dancing, and trying to make

friends in an unfamiliar environment had all become old hat.

The lessons I learned in professional development were equally

important. When it came time for my first on-campus job interview,

I walked in wearing proper business formal — clothes I had already

bought for NHI programs, picked out with the advice of my former

coaches. I sealed the deal with a strong handshake, smile, and eye-

contact, just like my educational directors taught me to.

These skills are key to surviving both college and the world beyond.

Certainly, they are to thank for the amazing graduation rates among

NHI alumni. However, NHI prepares its graduates to do so much more

than just survive. It prepares us to become leaders in giving back to

our local community, which is what truly matters.

For me, this manifested in the chance to join our local student

government — where I constantly use my knowledge of government

processes and Robert’s Rules of Order that I learned at my LDZ. While

NHI is great for preparing alumni to enter these sorts of programs,

the kind of leadership it develops is so much more than just political

activism. Rather, it is broad enough to guide any student interested in

making a difference and taking on meaningful, sustainable projects.

Likewise, NHI provides the tools to ensure that the projects its alumni

take on are sustainable. Not only does this mean that NHIers make

a difference in their community that lasts long after their graduation,

but it also teaches us to build re-evaluation processes into our initial

plans. This process allows us to accept that initial solutions are rarely

the right ones, so it is unlikely to ever see NHIers give up before the

job is done.

As college tuitions rise, and as more and more people question

the value of college, perhaps the most powerful gifts NHI gives its

participants are a sense of purpose and a value for education. As

alumni, we step on college campuses feeling proud of our Latino

community. NHI has invested in us, and knowing that we have an

obligation to give back is an empowering calling. With a team of so

many NHIers standing with us in this goal, how could we not succeed?

Madison Alvarez is a first year at Georgetown University, pursuing a

B.S. in International Affairs with a minor in Spanish. Through NHI, she

participated in Oratory at the 2014 TX Great Debate and coached

her Dallas region for three years after. Madison was also Chief Justice

at the 2015 Texas LDZ and a member of the winning teams at both

Celebración 2015 and the 2016 Texas CWS. She is continuing her NHI

involvement as a counselor for the Texas LDZ.

WINSTON & STRAWN LLPHow NHI makes the transition to college possible

B Y N I C O L E N I E T O

B Y M A D I S O N A LV A R E Z

B r i n g i n g k n o w l e d g e a n d s u p p o r t t o N H I


As NHI students embark upon the next step of their lives in college, they will also experience new cultural environments. After nearly forty years of working with nearly 100,000 alumni, we offer some observations about college campus cultures that may shed light upon the emotional and social experience of our students.

The National Hispanic Institute, being an organization with a successful track record of engaging young Latinos in community endeavors, is often asked if there is a “secret recipe” that inspires youth to engage in their own personal and professional development. Colleges and universities are particularly interested in better understanding the appeal of NHI programs, in order to learn how to attract and retain Latino student populations. There are two areas that can be explored for institutions and college students who may be interested in building a quality college life experience for Latino students: making adjustments to the organizational culture of the college to better fit the needs of Latino student populations and integrating Latino students into the college’s overall community outreach strategy. The organizational culture of colleges and universities plays a significant role in how Latino students integrate into campus life. As freshmen arrive to campus for the first time, they either immediately feel familiar with the college culture or “foreign” to it. While most all students sense the excitement of a new place and space, some may feel a greater need to give up part of themselves to fit in; others feel at home and may even be trend-setters. Students who feel stressed by the need to “fit in” to their environment may experience emotional and social challenges that are overpowering, creating imbalance in their college experience. Other students may feel at home setting the cultural bar for the institution; they lead the way and do not require self-change in order to fit in socially or academically. This latter set of students, for purposes of this narrative, are considered part of the “mainstream” campus culture. An institution that strives to create an atmosphere where each student feels valued and respected may ask itself: Is there a set of challenging experiences where all students are required to undergo self-change, whereby no student from any particular background has a clear and strong advantage over others? Is there a way to create a greater vision whereby students in the mainstream culture and students who feel outside of it can contribute to advancing a higher calling together? One possibility is for institutions to support the creation of

community life programs with alternate forms of validation to spawn opportunities for students from different backgrounds to collaborate. For example, engaging students in constructive conversations around matters that are important to them, helping them build a management structure to address challenges and activities, and supporting their projects with university financing would be a means for students to create a legacy on campus. Programming like this not only builds new friendships and trust between students from different backgrounds, but it can also reduce cliques and offer new possibilities for people to work together who may not ordinarily cross paths. The National Hispanic Institute, for example, has designed leadership challenges where academic readiness has little relation to success. Instead, initiative, determination, collaboration, courage, and inspiring others are traits that earn participating students greater rewards. When students feel valued in these areas, even if they come from outside of the “mainstream” culture, they are able to lead in the formation of new organizations, networks, and social circles. This builds a strong sense of belonging and value in the group, which positively impacts retention and encourages them to remain visible leaders. Another consideration is to inventory how institutional leaders view their role in shaping the populations being served. For example, some populations may strive to develop their future leaders in science and technology. Institutions wishing to attract these populations may invest in developing new programming, relationships with future employers, and the like, in order to build a compelling rationale for enrollment. In the case of attracting Latino populations, perhaps an institution might ask itself what studies could be conducted to learn more about Latino populations so that an evaluation of possible academic revisions to the institution's traditional classes could be considered. By inviting Latino students to enroll in the campus community, does the institution see itself as assisting them in a “community exit strategy,” or does the institution view itself as a platform through which students can develop themselves to subsequently advance their home community families and opportunities? The second area where changes can be made is in the area of Latino community outreach in admission offices. Admission officers who are tasked with targeting and recruiting students from Latino populations work hard to share information and opportunities about their respective campuses. In most cases

the goal is to increase the representation of Latino students at their universities for purposes of diversifying their communities. While representation is clearly important, a clear institutional strategy to integrate them into campus life and give them opportunities to develop themselves to provide leadership in their home communities is often a work in progress. To this end, outreach officers may feel uneasy about overselling their campus, and instead talk about the many resources and opportunities students can design for themselves. This approach requires highly self-managed students who know how to design their own collegiate experience — this can be a tough challenge!

Below are some possibilities for how an admissions or outreach offices can embed some community engagement strategies into the life of their admission practices, even if the entire institution does not have a clearly defined strategy for Latino student engagement and retention. Outreach and retention: Familiarize the parents of Latino students with your campus, its safety, and build rapport between them and campus faculty and student life personnel who they can call. This will help strengthen trust between parents and the institution.

• Outreach: Develop materials in Spanish that are available on your website, and make sure you have admission personnel who speak Spanish to build connections with Spanish-speaking families.

• Outreach: Build value and capacity in your current Latino students. Ask them to serve on advisory boards and in committees for outreach/recruitment efforts throughout their collegiate experience. Train them to host meet-and greet events and make public relations calls to students in their hometowns.

• Retention: Involve new students immediately to volunteer at the institution; ask them to serve in roles such as tour guides, parent hosts, admissions hosts, etc. Give them titles (like Student Ambassador) and publicly thank them for their contribution.

• Retention: Encourage Latino campus organizations to incorporate mentorship programs into their year-round work programs, whereby incoming students feel welcome and connected immediately to upperclassmen. Ask the upperclassmen to organize recognition events for the younger students whereby they shine light on achievements in academics, athletics, community volunteerism, and participation in extracurricular activities.

• Retention: Invite incoming freshmen to get involved in a “success club” where they team up with academic counselors if grades fall below a certain mark. Upperclassmen can help mentor younger students on time management, best study practices, rest, exercise, and nutrition to encourage a healthy lifestyle (as well as being in the best possible physical and mental state for achievement).

• Associations: Utilize community-based organizations, like the National Hispanic Institute, to invite students and parents to local meetings during outreach visitations and to access databases of eligible candidates.

• Associations: Join the National Hispanic Institute’s College Register at https://www.nationalhispanicinstitute.org collegeregister/ to target high-achieving Latino students!

PLANNING FOR LATINO STUDENT SUPPORT ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

By Nicole Nieto


Great Debate Students Marceli Ollervidez, Alamo Heights HS, San Antonio, TX, USAAntonio Valdez, Alamo Heights HS, San Antonio, TX, USAArian Delatorre, Argo Community HS, Summit, IL, USARichard Ocampo, Argo Community HS, Summit, IL, USAEvan Ruvalcaba, Argo Community HS, Summit, IL, USANicholas Slana, Argo Community HS, Summit, IL, USAEmilio Garcia , Bellarmine College Preparatory, San Jose, CA, USAMia Gonzalez, Bishop Dunne HS, Dallas, TX, USAMaximus Hinojosa-Rowland, Bishop Dunne HS, Dallas, TX, USAMia Morales, Bishop Dunne HS, Dallas, TX, USADennis “Anthony” Saucedo, Bishop Dunne HS, Dallas, TX, USATimothy Torres, Brooks Collegiate Academy, San Antonio, TX, USAJohn Antowan, Cathedral HS, El Paso, TX, USAAlan Loya-Silva, Cathedral HS, El Paso, TX, USAAndres Nevarez, Cathedral HS, El Paso, TX, USALogan Gillian, Cedar Ridge HS, Round Rock, TX, USAFranco Alonso, Central Catholic HS, San Antonio, TX, USASergio Padilla, Central Catholic HS, San Antonio, TX, USAAiram Alvarado, Challenge Early College HS, Stafford, TX, USAAlejandro Acevedo, Christopher Columbus HS, Miami, FL, USAMichael Janulionis, Christopher Columbus HS, Miami, FL, USARyan Benway, Coronado HS, El Paso, TX, USADaniela Cisneros, Coronado HS, El Paso, TX, USALaura Enriquez, Coronado HS, El Paso, TX, USASara Henry, Coronado HS, El Paso, TX, USAAlexa Herrera, Coronado HS, El Paso, TX, USASophia Rojo, Coronado HS, El Paso, TX, USAGabriela Perkins, Cotulla HS, Cotulla, TX, USAFabiola Jaimes, Cypress Falls HS, Houston, TX, USABenjamin Sanchez Mendez, Cypress Falls HS, Houston, TX, USAMeghan Si, Cypress Falls HS, Houston, TX, USAAhtziri Serrano, Cypress Falls HS, Houston, TX, USAChristopher Torres, DeBakey HS, Houston, TX, USAKinnereth Serrano, DeBakey HS, Houston, TX, USACamila Navarro, Deerfield Academy, El Paso, TX, USAViviana Campos, East Austin College Prep, Austin, TX, USAMartin Gonzalez Perez, East Austin College Prep, Austin, TX, USAJesse Lopez, East Austin College Prep, Austin, TX, USARicardo Monterroso, East Austin College Prep, Austin, TX, USAManuel Orona, East Austin College Prep, Austin, TX, USASergio Orozco, East Austin College Prep, Austin, TX, USALuis Sanchez, East Austin College Prep, Austin, TX, USACharlotte Starace, East Austin College Prep, Austin, TX, USAZenyda Steele, East Austin College Prep, Austin, TX, USACaroline Trejo, East Austin College Prep, Austin, TX, USARaquel Rodriguez, Eastwood Academy, Houston, TX, USAAngelica Sifuentes, Eastwood Academy, Houston, TX, USARobert Escudero, El Paso HS, El Paso, TX, USABenjamin Grajeda, El Paso HS, El Paso, TX, USAElizabeth Ramos, Energy Institute HS, Houston, TX, USAKarina Casas, Falfurrias HS, Falfurrias, TX, USAJ’nissa Garza, Falfurrias HS, Falfurrias, TX, USAJanay Garza, Falfurrias HS, Falfurrias, TX, USA

Baliah Leal, Falfurrias HS, Falfurrias, TX, USACarissa Palacios, Falfurrias HS, Falfurrias, TX, USAMarissa Tamez, Falfurrias HS, Falfurrias, TX, USALara Cantu, Goose Creek Memorial HS, Baytown, TX, USAEvelyn Estrada, Goose Creek Memorial HS, Baytown, TX, USAMia Gonzalez, Goose Creek Memorial HS, Baytown, TX, USADaniel Sinecio, Goose Creek Memorial HS, Baytown, TX, USAJamille Ballesteros, Grayslake Central HS, Grayslake, IL, USAEmily Guerrero, Harmony School of Discovery, Houston, TX, USABrayam Henderson, Hastings HS, Houston, TX, USAStephanie Gomez HS for Law and Criminal Justice, Houston, TX, USAAnna Brashear, IDEA Brownsville, Brownsville, TX, USAJulianna Desjardins, IDEA Brownsville, Brownsville, TX, USASofia Guerra, IDEA Brownsville, Brownsville, TX, USANathan Hinojosa, IDEA South Flores, San Antonio, TX, USAAralyn Vasquez, IDEA South Flores, San Antonio, TX, USAKourtney Bowen, Incarnate Word HS, San Antonio, TX, USAIsabel De La Cruz, Incarnate Word HS, San Antonio, TX, USAAarzoo Maknojia, Incarnate Word HS, San Antonio, TX, USAMary Provencio, Incarnate Word HS, San Antonio, TX, USADaniella Aguirre, J.W. Nixon HS, Laredo, TX, USASergio Sanchez, J.W. Nixon HS, Laredo, TX, USASarah Eckenroth, Judson Early College Academy, Converse, TX, USAKaitlyn Padron, Judson Early College Academy , Converse, TX, USAJareth Quintero, Judson Early College Academy, Converse, TX, USASara Raffel, Judson Early College Academy, Converse, TX, USAJuliana Vargas, Judson Early College Academy, Converse, TX, USAZion Thomas, Karen Wagner HS, San Antonio, TX, USALazaro Garza, La Joya HS, Mission, TX, USANatnael Gizaw, Lee HS, Houston, TX, USACarina Martinez, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy, Kansas City, MO, USAAlejandra Pecina, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy, Kansas City, MO, USAMeghan Brittain, Loretto Academy, El Paso, TX, USAVictoria Villarreal, Loretto Academy, El Paso, TX, USAChristian Martinez Pena, Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy, Houston, TX, USAUziel Rodriguez, Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy, Houston, TX, USATeresa Vielma, Oratory Athenaeum, Pharr, TX, USABreña Hernandez, Palatine HS, Palatine, IL, USAOscar Reyes, Palatine HS, Palatine, IL, USARoberto Ayala, Palmview HS, Mission, TX, USACebastian Marquez, Pecos HS, Pecos, NM, USATeresa Godinez, Riverside Brookfield HS, North Riverside, IL, USAIsela Soto Miranda, Round Lake HS, Round Lake Park, IL, USAAnayeli Ocampo, Round Lake HS, Round Lake Park, IL, USASophia Mohammed, Round Rock HS, Round Rock, TX, USAIsabella Sanchez, Saint Mary’s Hall, San Antonio, TX, USAQuesia Ynoa, Saint Nicholas School, La Romana, Dominican RepublicIzel Pineda, Sandra Day O’Connor HS, San Antonio, TX, USASarah Sandoval, School of Business and Management, Dallas, TX, USADaniela Castillo, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Querétaro, MexicoAdam Mondragon, W.B. Ray HS, Corpus Christi, TX, USAJonathan Hernandez, Warren Township HS, Grayslake, IL, USADiego Puente, Warren Township HS, Grayslake, IL, USANatalie Laurel, West Oso HS, Corpus Christi, TX, USABlanca, Valdillez, William J. Brennan HS, San Antonio, TX, USA

Daniel Morales, YES Prep Southwest, Houston, TX, USAGiovanni Gomez, YES Prep Southwest, Houston, TX, USACynthia Rivas, YES Prep West, Houston, TX, USAAbigail Garcia, Young Women’s Leadership Academy, San Antonio, TX, USAIsabella Garcia, Young Women’s Leadership Academy, San Antonio, TX, USACarissa Cortez, Young Women’s Leadership Academy, San Antonio, TX, USAAbigail Garcia, Young Women’s Leadership Academy, San Antonio, TX, USAMelanie Harrell, Young Women’s Leadership Academy, San Antonio, TX, USASelina Hernandez, Young Women’s Leadership Academy, San Antonio, TX, USAThalia Revilla, Young Women’s Leadership Academy, San Antonio, TX, USALola Sanchez, Young Women’s Leadership Academy, San Antonio, TX, USASkyler Williams, Young Women’s Leadership Academy, San Antonio, TX, USAEvelyn Plascencia, Zion Benton Township HS, Zion, IL, USA

LDZ Students Bianca Estrada, Adams City HS, Commerce City, CO, USAKevin Padilla, Adams City HS, Commerce City, CO, USAJuan Maldonado, Agoura HS, Calabasas, CA, USAElias Muniz, Alamo Heights HS, San Antonio, TX, USAGabriel Acosta, All Hallows HS, Bronx, NY, USAJoel Aguirre, All Hallows HS, Bronx, NY, USASamantha Garza, Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, Austin, TX, USAEve Hurwitz, The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush, Philadelphia, PA, USALeticia de León, Austin HS, Austin, TX, USAAndres Gomez, Austin HS, Austin, TX, USAArmando Gaona, Bellaire HS, Houston, TX, USACristell Jimenez, Bellaire HS, Houston, TX, USARandall Bowling, Cathedral HS, El Paso, TX, USAMaricela Esparza, Cedar Ridge HS, Round Rock, TX, USAAidan Martinez, Cedar Ridge HS, Round Rock, TX, USAAntonia Lavadour, Centauri HS, La Jara, CO, USARoman Neaves, Central Catholic HS, San Antonio, TX, USAMatthew Solis, Central Catholic HS, San Antonio, TX, USAJosh Uviedo, Central Catholic HS, San Antonio, TX, USAIndira Marquez Robles, Challenge Early College HS, Houston, TX, USAAlbert Rosas, Challenge Early College HS, Houston, TX, USAAlejandro Maldonado, Champion HS, Fair Oaks Ranch, TX, USADavid Velador, Cholla HS, Tucson, AZ, USAIsaiah Rodriguez Nava, Chula Vista HS, Chula Vista, CA, USAAdriana Acosta, Clark HS, San Antonio, TX, USAMichael Cervantes, Clear Springs HS, League City, TX, USAJuan Castrellón Arosemena, Colegio Brader, Panamá, PanamáMaria Ramirez, Colegio Javier, Panamá, PanamáGraciela Blandon, Coronado HS, El Paso, TX, USAAllissa Arzate, Cypress Falls HS, Houston, TX, USAEnrique Salinas, Cypress Falls HS, Houston, TX, USACitlalli Ibarra, Cypress Lakes HS, Katy, TX, USAPreston Mendez, Cypress Woods HS, Cypress, TX, USARobert Ramirez, DeBakey HS, Houston, TX, USAAlma Gomez Martinez, Denver Montessori HS, Denver, CO, USADaniel Lopez, Donna HS, Donna, TX, USAAna Arellano Avalos, Downtown College Prep Alum Rock, San Jose, CA, USAJorge Garcia , Eagle Pass HS, Eagle Pass, TX, USA

Jorge Ramirez, Earl Warren HS, San Antonio, TX, USAYael Trevino, East Austin College Prep, Austin, TX, USANatasha Reyes, Eastwood HS, El Paso, TX, USANicolas Gonzalez, El Paso HS, El Paso, TX, USAArianne Ontiveros, El Paso HS, El Paso, TX, USARicardo Padilla, Energy Institute HS, Houston, TX, USABelinda Lara Falfurrias HS, Falfurrias, TX, USAPerla Hurtado Flores, Fort Collins HS, Fort Collins, CO, USAChristopher Cerino, Goose Creek Memorial HS, Baytown, TX, USAAbigail Morales, Hanna HS, Brownsville, TX, USABryahna Lara, Hays HS, San Marcos, TX, USAPaolina Sada-Nieto, Hays HS, Kyle, TX, USAIsabella Sada-Nieto, Hays HS, Kyle, TX, USAJuliana Johnson, HS for the Performing and Visual Arts, Houston, TX, USADario Castillo , Highland Park HS, Highland Park, IL, USAJosue Estrada, Hinkley HS, Aurora, CO, USACora Martinez, Hinkley HS, Aurora, CO, USADibanhi Salazar, IDEA Donna, Donna, TX, USADaniel Flores, IDEA Donna, Donna, TX, USAJose Lopez, IDEA Frontier, Brownsville, TX, USANaomi Padron, IDEA Frontier, Brownsville, TX, USAArianny Silva, IDEA Mission, Mission, TX, USASamantha Aleman, IDEA Pharr, Pharr, TX, USASofia Ramirez, IDEA Pharr, Pharr, TX, USASalma Suarez, IDEA Pharr, Pharr, TX, USAHumberto Guerra, IDEA Quest, Edinburg, TX, USAJuan Torres, IDEA Quest, Edinburg, TX, USAMia Ybáñez, IDEA Quest, Edinburg, TX, USARene Avila, IDEA San Benito, San Benito, TX, USABelicia Garcia, IDEA Weslaco, Weslaco, TX, USAAdalia Garza, IDEA Weslaco, Weslaco, TX, USAJanelle Garza, IDEA Weslaco, Weslaco, TX, USAAlejandro Cantu, IMPACT Early College HS, Baytown, TX, USATy Young, IMPACT Early College HS, Baytown, TX, USAAdrianna Gonzalez, Incarnate Word HS, Floresville, TX, USAFrancisco Rios, International Leadership of Texas Arlington-Grand Prairie HS, Grand Prairie, TX, USAJonathan Ruiz, J.W. Nixon HS, Laredo, TX, USAEduardo Ortiz, Johnson HS, San Antonio, TX, USARaudel Gonzalez, Juarez Lincoln HS, Mission, TX, USASierra Verdin, KIPP King Collegiate, San Lorenzo, CA, USAKristian Olvera, La Salle Academy, New York, NY, USAKarina Flores, Lamar HS, Houston, TX, USAMylan Gonzales, Lamar HS, Houston, TX, USAReilly Garcia, Leander HS, Leander, TX, USASofia Hernandez, Legacy Christian Academy, San Antonio, TX, USACelia Escobar, Loretto Academy, El Paso, TX, USAOlivia Vara, Loretto Academy, El Paso, TX, USAMayka Coutino, Martin HS, Laredo, TX, USAMia Gomez-Reyes, Martin HS, Laredo, TX, USAIsabela Barrera, McAllen HS, McAllen, TX, USAJesus Garcia, Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy, Houston, TX, USAAna Moreno, Milby HS, Houston, TX, USAAnthony Balderas, Palmview HS, Mission, TX, USAKassie Elizondo, Paschal HS, Fort Worth, TX, USANicholas Beltran, Plano HS, Plano, IL, USAStephen McDonald, Pueblo Central HS, Pueblo, CO, USAKevin Angeles, Rancho HS, North Las Vegas, NV. USAAlex Fragoso, Rangeview HS, Aurora, CO, USAMariana Rodriguez, Robert E. Lee HS, Baytown, TX, USAAdam Vasquez, Rocky Mountain HS, Fort Collins, CO, USADarwin Cortes, Rocky Mountain HS, Fort Collins, CO, USAJoseph Garza, Roosevelt HS Data Magnet School, San Antonio, TX, USACarlos Juvera, St. Augustine HS, Chula Vista, CA, USABianca Aridjis-Olivos, St. Dominic Savio Catholic HS, Austin,TX, USAIsaiah Franco, Saint Joseph’s Preparatory, Newton, PA, USAAmber Mendoza, St. Lucy’s Priory HS, West Covina, CA, USASteven Gonzalez, St. Thomas HS , Houston, TX, USA

Valerie Cervantes, School for the Talented and Gifted at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center, Dallas, TX, USARhett Guzman, Somerset HS, Somerset, TX, USACody Moreno, Somerset HS, Somerset, TX, USAGiancarlo Acevedo, Southwest Miami HS, Miami, FL, USANoor Mohamed, Summit International Preparatory, Arlington, TX, USADiego Parás, UDEM Unidad San Pedro, Monterrey, MexicoMadison Ruiz, Uplift North Hills Prep, Arlington, TX, USAAlicia Talamas, Ursuline Academy, Coppell, TX, USANikole Myers, Veterans Memorial HS, Corpus Christi, TX, USAMarina Stevens, W. B. Ray HS, Corpus Christi, TX, USACarlos Carroll, W.B. Ray HS, Corpus Christi, TX, USASamantha Bonilla, Warren Township HS, Gurnee, IL, USAKelsey, Argomaniz, Wauconda HS, Wauconda, IL, USATiana Guerra , Weslaco HS, Weslaco, TX, USAFiama Villagrana-Ocasio, Westside HS, Houston, TX, USARubi Rivas, Westtown School, West Chester, PA, USA

CWS Students Jeremey Escamilla, Alamo Heights HS, San Antonio, TX, USACarlos De La Torre, Argo Community HS, Summit, IL, USASaturnino Osorio, Brazoswood High School, Clute, TX, USADominic Mendoza, Brazoswood High School, Clute, TX, USALucas Garza, South Texas Business, Education & Technology Academy, Edinburg, TX, USAJonathan Rodriguez , Cardinal Hayes High School, New York , NY, USAEsteban Ortiz, Cathedral High School, El Paso, TX, USAElyssa Espinoza, Centauri HS, La Jara, CO, USAVianey Valdez, Centauri HS, La Jara, CO, USARaul Diego, Central Catholic HS, San Antonio, TX, USARoss Gabriel Garcia, Central Catholic HS, San Antonio, TX, USAMarcus Gonzales, Central Catholic HS, San Antonio, TX, USAFelix Gonzalez, Central Catholic HS, San Antonio, TX, USAJames Leal, Central Catholic HS, San Antonio, TX, USAMelissa Vazquez, Challenge Early College HS, Houston, TX, USAAnna Ruiz, Clint HS, Clint, TX, USAConnor Crowley, Coronado HS, El Paso, TX, USARegina Legarreta, Coronado HS, El Paso, TX, USAGina Saenz, Coronado HS, El Paso, TX, USAFredrick Rodriguez, Cristo Rey Jesuit, Houston, TX, USAGeorge Cortez, Cypress Lakes HS, Katy , TX, USAAlvaro Vazquez, De La Salle HS, Concord, CA, USALuis Mares, Dubiski Career HS, Arlington, TX, USAReynaldo Puente, Earl Warren HS, San Antonio, TX, USAJorge Trevino, East Austin College Prep, Austin, TX, USAAbel Sepulveda, Edinburg HS, Edinburg, TX, USADavid Ruiz, Energized for STEM Academy, Houston, TX, USASimei Avila, Energy Institute HS, Houston, TX, USAMichael Deras, Energy Institute HS, Houston, TX, USALucero Zamarripa, Energy Institute HS, Houston, TX, USACassie Ibarra, Highland Park HS, Highland Park, IL, USANanci Sarmiento, Highland Park HS, Highland Park, IL, USAKatherine Charette, Horizon HS, Scottsdale, AZ, USAAndrea Bazan IDEA Frontier, Brownsville, TX, USAErika Estrada, IDEA Quest, Mission, TX, USAKatia Melo-Medina, IDEA Quest, Mission, TX, USAValery Tobias, IDEA Quest, McAllen, TX, USAAaron Trevino, IDEA Quest, McAllen, TX, USAIris Atilano, IDEA San Juan, San Juan, TX, USAMonique Gonzalez, IDEA San Juan, San Juan, TX USADaniela Cespedes, IDEA Weslaco, Weslaco, TX, USADianaLee Enriquez, IDEA Weslaco, Weslaco, TX, USAJulissa Garcia, IDEA Weslaco, Weslaco, TX, USAAlyssa Gomez, IDEA Weslaco, Weslaco, TX, USAGiselle Gonzalez-Cantu, IDEA Weslaco, Weslaco, TX, USALuis Lizardo, IDEA Weslaco, Weslaco, TX, USAKatherine Serna, J. W. Nixon HS, Laredo, TX, USA

Jaelynn Martinez, King HS, Corpus Christi, TX, USAJacquelyn Arroyo, KIPP Generations Collegiate, Houston, TX, USAIndhira Mata, KIPP Generations Collegiate, Houston, TX, USAMariela Gonzalez, La Joya HS, La Joya, TX, USAJuan Madrid, La Joya HS, La Joya, TX, USAVicente Martinez, La Joya HS, La Joya, TX, USAOscar Salinas, La Joya HS, La Joya, TX, USASirine Ennadi, Lamar HS, Houston, TX, USAJacqueline Legate, Loretto Academy, El Paso, TX, USAAnjali Bisaria, New Rochelle HS, New Rochelle, TX, USAFrancisco Vielma, Oratory Athenaeum, Pharr, TX, USACassandra Hernandez De La Cruz, Parkland HS, El Paso, TX, USARamon Montoya, Plano HS, Plano, IL, USATeresa Holley, Radford HS, El Paso, TX, USAMaya Návar, Radford HS, El Paso, TX, USASarah Marsh, Ray HS, Corpus Christi, TX, USAChristian Hernandez, Round Lake HS, Round Lake, IL, USAGabriel Soto-Miranda, Round Lake HS, Round Lake, IL, USAPatrick Nicholson, St. Dominic Savio Catholic HS, Austin, TX, USAMichael Longoria, Sandra Day O’Connor HS, San Antonio, TX, USATatyana Brown, School for the Talented and Gifted at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center, Dallas, TX, USAAngela Rodriguez, Sharpstown HS, Houston, TX, USAHanae Ruiz, Sharpstown HS, Houston, TX, USASarahi Ruiz, Sharpstown HS, Houston, TX, USAMatthew Marroquin, Storm Lake HS, Storm Lake, IA, USAWilber Dominguez, Stratford HS, Houston, TX, USAJaniah Luciano, Teaneck HS, Teaneck, NJ, USAMaria Gorecki, United HS, Laredo, TX, USALuis Ramirez, Uplift Heights Preparatory, Dallas, TX, USACynara Perdomo, Uplift Infinity Prep, Irving, TX, USAJessica Mora, Warren Township HS, Gurnee, IL, USAAbner Turcios, Westbury HS, Houston, TX, USAEmma Teunissen-Bermeo, Westtown School, West Chester, PA, USAEric Ponce, The Westwood School, Dallas, TX, USAJonathan Mendez, YES Prep Southeast, Houston, TX, USAVeronica Berger, Young Women’s Leadership Academy, San Antonio, TX, USA

CLN Students Jose Estrada, Austin Community College, Austin, TX, USAEdgar Vasquez, Blinn College, Brenham, TX, USALuis Loya, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO, USADavid Ruybal, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO, USAGema Tinoco, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USAJennifer Rivera, DePauw University, Greencastle, IN, USAAna Acosta, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PAJulian Garcia-Mendez (on gap year), Menlo Park, CA, USAAbdul Mustafa, Hunter College, New York, NY, USAMario Monrroy Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USAAntonio Morin, St. Edward’s University, Austin, TX, USVictoria, Sanchez, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX, USACalixto Diaz, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USAAriel Gonzalez, The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY, USAEmilio Balderas, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USAElias VanLoo, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USAVictor Estrada, University of Illinois-Springfield, Springfield, IL, USAJerson Zarate, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USALupe Velez Manrriquez, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, USAAndrea Fernandez, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USAAlfredo Lozano, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USAElena Pojman, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USAAndrea Yarritu, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USAMiranda Amey, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, USAKevin Silverman, Williams College, Williamstown, MA, USA

CELEBRAC IÓN 2 0 1 7 PAR T I C I PAN TS


NHI Star Schools( S c h o o l s t h a t h a d 1 0 + a p p l i c a n t s a s o f M a y 1 , 2 0 1 8 )

A c a d e m i a M a r i a R e i n a , Sa n J u a n , P u e r t o R i c oA l l H a l l ow s H S , B ro n x , N Y, U S AA n n R i c h a r d s S c h o o l Fo r Yo u n g Wo m e n L e a d e r s , A u s t i n , T X , U S AA r g o Co m m u n i t y H S , S u m m i t , I L , U S AB i s h o p D u n n e H S , D a l l a s , T X , U S AC a t h e d ra l H S , E l Pa s o , T X , U S ACe d a r R i d g e H S , R o u n d R o c k , T X , U S ACe n t ra l C a t h o l i c H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S ACo l e g i o B ra d e r, Pa n a m á , Pa n a m á Co l e g i o R e a l , Pa n a m á , Pa n a m á Co l e g i o Sa n A g u s t i n d e Pa n a m á , Pa n a m áCo ro n a d o H S , E l Pa s o , T X , U S ACo t u l l a H S , Co t u l l a , T X , U S AC r i s t o R e y S t . M a r t i n Co l l e g e P re p , Wa u k e g a n , I L , U S AC y p re s s Fa l l s H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AC y p re s s R i d g e H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AD e B a k e y H S f o r H e a l t h P ro f e s s i o n s , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AEa s t A u s t i n Co l l e g e P re p , A u s t i n , T X , U S AEa s t w o o d A c a d e m y, H o u s t o n , T X , U S AE l Pa s o H S , E l Pa s o , T X , U S AE n e r g y I n s t i t u t e H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AFa l f u r r i a s H i g h S c h o o l , Fa l f u r r i a s , T X , U S AFo r t Co l l i n s H S , Fo r t Co l l i n s , C O, U S AH e a l t h C a re e r s H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AH i g h l a n d Pa r k H S , H i g h l a n d Pa r k , I L , U S AI n t e r n a t i o n a l B a c c a l a u re a t e a t La m a r A c a d e m y, M c A l l e n , T X , U S AI D E A A l l a n , A u s t i n , T X , U S AI D E A B row n s v i l l e , B row n s v i l l e , T X , U S AI D E A P h a r r, P h a r r, T X , U S AI D E A Sa n J u a n , Sa n J u a n , T X , U S AI D E A We s l a c o , We s l a c o , T X , U S AI n c a r n a t e Wo r d A c a d e m y, Co r p u s C h r i s t i , T X , U S AI n c a r n a t e Wo r d H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AJ. W. N i xo n H S , La re d o , T X , U S AJ u d g e B a re f o o t Sa n d e r s La w M a g n e t , D a l l a s , T X , U S AKi n g C h a v e z H S , Sa n D i e g o , C A , U S ALa k e Fo re s t H S , La k e Fo re s t , I L , U S ALo re t t o A c a d e m y, E l Pa s o , T X , U S ALy o n s Tow n s h i p H S , La G ra n g e , I L , U S AM c A l l e n M e m o r i a l H S , M c A l l e n , T X , U S AM i l b y H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S APa n a m e r i c a n S c h o o l , Pa n a m á , Pa n a m á

Pa s c h a l H S , Fo r t Wo r t h , T X , U S APe b b l e H i l l s H S , E l Pa s o , T X , U S AP l a n o H S , P l a n o , I L , U S AR a n c h o H S , La s Ve g a s , N V, U S AR a y H S , Co r p u s C h r i s t i , T X , U S AR a y m o n d & Ti r z a M a r t i n H S , La re d o , T X , U S AR i v e r s i d e B ro o k f i e l d H S , R i v e r s i d e , I L , U S AR o u n d La k e H S , R o u n d La k e , I L , U S ASa i n t J o s e p h A c a d e m y, B row n s v i l l e , T X , U S AS c h o o l f o r t h e Ta l e n t e d a n d G i f t e d a t Yv o n n e A . Ew e l l Tow n v i e w M a g n e t Ce n t e r, D a l l a s , T X , U S AS c h o o l o f B u s i n e s s a n d M a n a g e m e n t a t Yv o n n e A . Ew e l l Tow n v i e w M a g n e t Ce n t e r, D a l l a s , T X , U S AS c h o o l o f S c i e n c e a n d E n g i n e e r i n g a t Yv o n n e A . Ew e l l Tow n v i e w M a g n e t Ce n t e r, D a l l a s , T X , U S AT h e S c i e n c e A c a d e m y o f S o u t h Te x a s , M e rc e d e s , T X , U S AS h a r p s t ow n H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AS h a r y l a n d H S , M i s s i o n , T X , U S AS o m e r s e t H i g h S c h o o l , S o m e r s e t , T X , U S AS o u t h Te x a s B u s i n e s s Ed u c a t i o n Te c h n o l o g y A c a d e m y, Ed i n b u r g , T X , U S AS o u t h Te x a s H S f o r H e a l t h P ro f e s s i o n s , M e rc e d e s , T X , U S AS t o n y Po i n t H S , R o u n d R o c k , T X , U S AS t o r m La k e H S , S t o r m La k e , I A , U S ATe a n e c k H S , Te a n e c k , N J, U S AU p l i f t S u m m i t I n t e r n a t i o n a l P re p , A r l i n g t o n , T X , U S AVe t e ra n s M e m o r i a l H S , B row n s v i l l e , T X , U S AWa r re n Tow n s h i p H S , G ra y s l a k e , I L , U S AYo u n g Wo m e n’s L e a d e r s h i p A c a d e m y, Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S A

NHI Excellence Schools( S c h o o l s t h a t h a d 6 - 9 a p p l i c a n t s a s o f M a y 1 , 2 0 1 8 )

A d a m s C i t y H S , Co m m e rc e C i t y, C O, U S AA d va n c e d L e a r n i n g A c a d e m y, Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AEa s t w o o d H S , E l Pa s o , T X , U S AEs c u e l a C a r l o s Pe re y ra , To r re o n , M e x i c oI D E A M i s s i o n , M i s s i o n , T X , U S AI D E A Q u e s t , Ed i n b u r g , T X , U S AI D E A Sa n B e n i t o , Sa n B e n i t o , T X , U S AI D E A S o u t h F l o re s Co l l e g e P re p , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AI M PA C T Ea r l y Co l l e g e H S , B a y t ow n , T X , U S AJ u d s o n Ea r l y Co l l e g e A c a d e m y, L i v e O a k , T X , U S AJ u d s o n H S , Co n v e r s e , T X , U S AKe n n e t t H S , Ke n n e t t S q u a re , PA , U S ALa re d o Ea r l y Co l l e g e H S , La re d o , T X , U S AM c A l l e n H S , M c A l l e n , T X , U S AR ow e H S , M c A l l e n , T X , U S A

PARTICIPATING HIGH SCHOOLSS c h o o l o f H e a l t h P ro f e s s i o n s a t Yv o n n e A . Ew e l l Tow n v i e w M a g n e t Ce n t e r, D a l l a s , T X , U S AS o u t h H i l l s H S , Fo r t Wo r t h , T X , U S AS t . D o m i n i c Sa v i o C a t h o l i c H S , R o u n d R o c k , T X , U S AVe t e ra n s M e m o r i a l H S , Co r p u s C h r i s t i , T X , U S AWe s l a c o H S , We s l a c o , T X , U S AWe s t w o o d H S , A u s t i n , T X , U S A

NHI Investor Schools( S c h o o l s t h a t h a d 3 - 5 a p p l i c a n t s a s o f M a y 1 , 2 0 1 8 )

A c a d e m y o f M o u n t Sa i n t U r s u l a , B ro n x , N Y, U S AA c a d e m y o f O u r La d y o f Pe a c e , Sa n D i e g o , C A , U S AA m e r i c a s H S , E l Pa s o , T X , U S AA n d e r s o n H S , A u s t i n , T X , U S AB A S I S Sa n A n t o n i o S h a va n o Pa r k , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AB e l l a i re H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AB ow i e H S , A u s t i n , T X , U S AB u r b a n k H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AC a r ro l l H S , S o u t h l a k e , T X , U S AC E M Co l o m b i a , Sa n t o D o m i n g o , D o m i n i c a n R e p u b l i cC E M L . E . N o l a s c o , Sa n t o D o m i n g o , D o m i n i c a n R e p u b l i cCe n t ra l H S , P u e b l o , C O, U S AC h r i s t o p h e r Co l u m b u s H S , M i a m i , F L , U S ACo l e g i o d e Pa n a m á , Pa n a m á , Pa n a m áCo l e g i o S u n H i l l s Va l l e y, Q u e re t a ro , M e x i c oC re i g h t o n P re p , O m a h a , N E , U S AC r i s t o R e y J e s u i t Co l l e g e P re p , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AC y p re s s Wo o d s H S , C y p re s s , T X , U S AD i a m o n d H i l l - J a r v i s H S , Fo r t Wo r t h , T X , U S AD u c h e s n e A c a d e m y o f t h e Sa c re d H e a r t , O m a h a , N E , U S AEa r l y Co l l e g e H S , La re d o , T X , U S AEa r l y Co l l e g e H S , R o u n d R o c k , T X , U S AEs c u e l a To m a s A l va Ed i s o n , M e x i c o C i t y, M e x i c oEq u i p o A c a d e m y, La s Ve g a s , N V, U SF l o u r B l u f f H S , Co r p u s C h r i s t i , T X , U S AFo r d h a m P re p S c h o o l , B ro n x , N Y, U S AFo s s i l R i d g e H S , Fo r t Co l l i n s , C O, U S AFra n k l i n H S , E l Pa s o , T X , U S AG a rc i a Ea r l y Co l l e g e H S , La re d o , T X , U S AG o o s e C re e k M e m o r i a l H S , B a y t ow n , T X , U S AG ra y s l a k e N o r t h H S , G ra y s l a k e , I L , U S AH a n n a H S , B row n s v i l l e , T X , U S AH a r l e m Vi l l a g e A c a d e m i e s H i g h , N e w Yo r k , N Y, U S AH a y s H S , B u d a , T X , U S AH i g h S c h o o l o f La w a n d J u s t i c e , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AI D E A D o n n a , D o n n a , T X , U S AI D E A Fro n t i e r, B row n s v i l l e , T X , U S AI n t e r n a t i o n a l L e a d e r s h i p o f Te x a s A r l i n g t o n - G ra n d P ra i r i e H S , A r l i n g t o n , T X , U S AI n t e r n a t i o n a l L e a d e r s h i p o f Te x a s Ka t y We s t p a r k H S , Ka t y, T X , U S AKa re n Wa g n e r H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AK I P P G e n e ra t i o n s Co l l e g i a t e , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AK I P P H o u s t o n H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AK I P P Ki n g Co l l e g i a t e , Sa n Lo re n z o , C A , U S AK l e i n Co l l i n s H S , S p r i n g , T X , U S AK l e i n O a k H S , To m b a l l , T X , U S A

La m a r H S , La m a r, C O, U S AL E E H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AL i c e o M a n u e l A u re l i o Ta va re z J u s t o , Sa n t o C i u d a d , D o m i n i c a n R e p u b l i cL i n c o l n Co l l e g e P re p A c a d e m y, Ka n s a s C i t y, M O, U S ALo n d o n H S , Co r p u s C h r i s t i , T X , U S AM a r s h a l l t ow n H S , M a r s h a l l t ow n , I A , U S AM c N e i l H S , A u s t i n , T X , U S AM i c k e y L e l a n d Co l l e g e P re p a ra t o r y A c a d e m y f o r Yo u n g M e n , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AM o l i n e H S , M o l i n e , I L , U S AN o r t h S i d e H S , Fo r t Wo r t h , T X , U S AN o r t h w e s t Ea r l y Co l l e g e H S , E l Pa s o , T X , U S AO a k R i d g e H S , Co n ro e , T X , U S AO l i v e r We n d e l l H o l m e s H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AO ra t o r y A t h e n a e u m f o r U n i v e r s i t y P re p a ra t i o n , M c A l l e n , T X , U S APa l m v i e w H S , Pa l m v i e w, T X , U S AP ro v i d e n c e H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AP h a r r Sa n J u a n A l a m o H S , P h a r r, T X , U S AR a d f o r d H S , E l Pa s o , T X , U S AR o b e r t E . L e e H S , B a y t ow n , T XR o c k y Fo r d J u n i o r S e n i o r H S , R o c k y Fo r d , C O, U S AR o c k y M o u n t a i n H S , Fo r t Co l l i n s , C O, U S AR o n a l d R e a g a n H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AR o s i e M . Co l l i n s S o r re l l s S c h o o l o f Ed u c a t i o n a n d S o c i a l S e r v i c e s , D a l l a s , T X , U S ASa i n t G e o r g e S c h o o l , Sa n t o D o m i n g o , D o m i n i c a n R e p u b l i cS i e r ra N e va d a H S , R e n o , N V, U S AS o u t h Te x a s A c a d e m y f o r M e d i c a l P ro f e s s i o n s , O l m i t o , T X , U S AS o u t h w e s t H S , Fo r t Wo r t h , T X , U S AS t . J e a n B a p t i s t e H S , N e w Yo r k C i t y, N Y, U S AT h o m a s J e f f e r s o n H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AT M I E p i s c o p a l , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S ATra v i s Ea r l y Co l l e g e H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AU - E R R E C a m p u s Va l l e A l t o , M o n t e r re y, M e x i c oU n i t e d H S , La re d o , T X , U S AU p l i f t Lu n a P re p a ra t o r y, D a l l a s , T X , U S AU p l i f t Lu n a P re p a ra t o r y - S e c o n d a r y, D a l l a s , T X , U S AU p l i f t Wi l l i a m s P re p a ra t o r y, D a l l a s , T X , U S AWa u c o n d a H S , Wa u c o n d a , I L , U S AWe s t O s o H S , Co r p u s C h r i s t i , T X , U S AWe s t t ow n S c h o o l , We s t C h e s t e r, PA , U S AY ES P re p Ea s t E n d , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AY ES P re p S o u t h e a s t , Pa s a d e n a , T X , U S AY ES P re p S o u t h w e s t , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AZ i o n B e n t o n Tow n s h i p H S , Z i o n , I L , U S A

NHI Partner Schools( S c h o o l s t h a t h a d 1 -2 a p p l i c a n t s a s o f M a y 1 , 2 0 1 8 )

A c a d e m i a d e l Pe r p e t u o S o c o r ro , Sa n J u a n , P u e r t o R i c oA c h i e v e Ea r l y Co l l e g e H S , M c A l l e n , T X , U S AA d l a i E . S t e v e n s o n H S , B u f f a l o G ro v e , I L , U S AA l b u q u e r q u e H S , A l b u q u e r q u e , N M , U S AA l l e n H S , A l l e n , T X , U S AA n t i g u a I n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l , C i u d a d Vi e j a , G u a t e m a l aA n t o n i a n Co l l e g e P re p a ra t o r y H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AA rc h b i s h o p S t e p i n a c H S , W h i t e P l a i n s , N Y, U S A


T h e A r t s A c a d e m y a t B e n j a m i n R u s h , P h i l a d e l p h i a , PA , U S AA u s t i n H S , A u s t i n , T X , U S AAv o n G ro v e H S , We s t G ro v e , PA , U S AT h e Aw t y I n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AB a r r i n g t o n H S , C a r p e n t e r s v i l l e , I L , U S AB e l l a r m i n e Co l l e g e P re p a ra t o r y, Sa n J o s e , C A , U S AB e t h u n e H S , B e t h u n e , C O, U S AB i s h o p I re t o n H S , A l e x a n d r i a , VA , U S AB i s h o p Lo u g h l i n M e m o r i a l H S , N e w Yo r k , N Y, U S AB o b J o n e s H S , M a d i s o n , A L , U S AB ra c k e n r i d g e H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AB ra n d e i s H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AB ro o k l i n e H S , B ro o k l i n e , M A , U S AB ro o k s A c a d e m y o f S c i e n c e a n d E n g i n e e r i n g , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AB ro o k s Co l l e g i a t e A c a d e m y, Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AB u r l i n g t o n H S , B u r l i n g t o n , C O, U S AC a l d w e l l H S , C a l d w e l l , I D , U S AC a m p b e l l H a l l S c h o o l , Lo s A n g e l e s , C A , U S AC a r d i n a l H a y e s H S , B ro n x , N Y, U S AC a t h e d ra l H S , B ro n x , N Y, U S AC é s a r E . C h á v e z H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AC h a m p i o n H S , B o e r n e , T X , U S AC h o l l a H i g h M a g n e t S c h o o l , Tu c s o n , A Z , U S AC h u rc h i l l H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AC i n c o R a n c h H S , Ka t y, T X , U S AC l a r k H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AC l i n t H S , C l i n t , T X , U S ACo l e g i o D e La s Es c l a va s , Pa n a m á , Pa n a m áCo l e g i o Ev e re s t Z a c a t e c a s , G u a d a l u p e , M e x i c oCo l e g i o I n g l e s , To r re o n , M e x i c oCo l e g i o Sa i n t N i c o l a s S c h o o l , La R o m a n a , D o m i n i c a n R e p u b l i cCo l e g i o Sa n I g n a c i o , G u a y n a b o , P u e r t o R i c oCo l l e y v i l l e H e r i t a g e H S , Co l l e y v i l l e , T X , U S ACo n s t r u c t i o n C a re e r s A c a d e m y -Wa r re n H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S ACo o p e r C i t y H S , Co o p e r C i t y, F L , U S ACo v e n a n t C h r i s t i a n A c a d e m y, Co l l e y v i l l e , T X , U S AC r i s t o R e y B ro o k l y n H S , B ro o k l y n , N Y, U S AC r i s t o R e y H S , D a l l a s , T X , U S AC r i s t o R e y J e s u i t , M i l w a u k e e , W I , U S AC y p re s s C re e k H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AC y p re s s S p r i n g s H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AD e l Va l l e H S , E l Pa s o , T X , U S AD e n v e r M o n t e s s o r i H S , D e n v e r, C O, U S AD i v i n e Sa v i o r H o l y A n g e l s H S , M i l w a u k e e , W I , U S AD o n n a H S , D o n n a , T X , U S AD ow n t ow n Co l l e g e P re p , Sa n J o s e , C A , U S AD r i p p i n g S p r i n g s H S , D r i p p i n g S p r i n g s , T X , U S AD u b i s k i C a re e r H S , G ra n d P ra i r i e , T X , U S AEa g l e Pa s s H S , Ea g l e Pa s s , T X , U S AEa s t H S , P u e b l o , C O, U S AEd i n a H S , Ed i n a , M N , U S AEd m o n d N o r t h H S , Ed m o n d , O K , U S AE i s e n h ow e r H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AE l D o ra d o H S , E l Pa s o , T X , U S AEs c u e l a d e l D e p o r t e d e Sa n J u a n , Sa n J u a n , P u e r t o R i c oFi r s t B a p t i s t H S , B row n s v i l l e , T X , U S A

Fo r t M o r g a n H S , Fo r t M o r g a n , C O, U S AFo r t Wo r t h Co u n t r y D a y S c h o o l , Fo r t Wo r t h , T X , U S AFox Te c h n i c a l H S A d va n c e d L e a r n i n g A c a d e m y, Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AG e o r g e B u s h H S , R i c h m o n d , T X , U S AG e o r g e We s t i n g h o u s e Co l l e g e P re p , C h i c a g o , I L , U S AG l a d y s Po r t e r Ea r l y Co l l e g e H S , B row n s v i l l e , T X , U S AG l e n b a r d We s t H S , G l e n E l l y n , I L , U S AG ra n t Co m m u n i t y H S , Fox La k e , I L , U S AH a r l i n g e n S o u t h H S , H a r l i n g e n , T X , U S AH a r m o n y S c h o o l o f I n n o va t i o n - S u g a r La n d , S u g a r La n d , T X , U S AH a r m o n y S c h o o l o f D i s c o v e r y, H o u s t o n , T X , U S AH a r m o n y S c h o o l o f I n g e n u i t y, H o u s t o n , T X , U S AH a r va r d -We s t l a k e S c h o o l , Lo s A n g e l e s , C A , U S AH a s t i n g s H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AH i l l c re s t H S , D a l l a s , T X , U S AH o f f m a n Es t a t e s H S , H o f f m a n Es t a t e s , I L , U S AH o l y C ro s s H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AH o l y Fa m i l y H S , We s t m i n s t e r, C O, U S AH o l y o k e H S , H o l y o k e , C O, U S AH o u s t o n A c a d e m y f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l S t u d i e s , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AI m a g i n e I n t e r n a t i o n a l A c a d e m y o f N o r t h Te x a s , A l l e n , T X , U S AI n s t i t u t o A t e n e a , Pa n a m á , Pa n a m áI n s t i t u t o Pe n i n s u l a r, C a b o Sa n Lu c a s , M e x i c oI n s t i t u t o Po l i t é c n i c o H a i n a m o s a , Sa n t o D o m i n g o , D o m i n i c a n R e p u b l i cI n s t i t u t o Te c n o l o g i c o D e M o n t e r re y, To r re o n , M e x i c oI n t e r n a t i o n a l L e a d e r s h i p o f Te x a s : Ka t y -We s t p a r k H S , R i c h m o n d , T X , U S AI n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l o f t h e A m e r i c a s , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S A i S c h o o l H i g h a t U n i v e r s i t y Pa r k , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AJ a m e s B . Co n a n t H S , H o f f m a n Es t a t e s , I L , U S AJ e r s e y Vi l l a g e H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AJ e s u i t Co l l e g e P re p , D a l l a s , T X , U S AJ o h n B . A l e x a n d e r H S , La re d o , T X , U S AJ o h n F. Ke n n e d y A m e r i c a n S c h o o l o f Q u e re t a ro , Q u e re t a ro , M e x i c oJ o h n n y G . Ec o n o m e d e s H S , Ed i n b u r g , T X , U S AJ o h n s o n H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AJ u a n D i e g o A c a d e m y, M i s s i o n , T X , U S AJ u a re z - L i n c o l n H S , M i s s i o n , T X , U S AKa s h m e re H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AKi n g H S , Co r p u s C h r i s t i , T X , U S AK I P P A u s t i n B ra v e H S , A u s t i n , T X , U S AK I P P A u s t i n Co l l e g i a t e , A u s t i n , T X , U S AK I P P N o r t h e a s t D e n v e r L e a d e r s h i p A c a d e m y, D e n v e r, C O, U S AK I P P N YC Co l l e g e P re p , B ro n x , N Y, U S ALa C u e va H S , A l b u q u e r q u e , N M , U S ALa Fe r i a H S , La Fe r i a , T X , U S ALa J o ya H S , La J o ya , T X , U S ALa J u n t a H S , La J u n t a , C O, U S ALa f a y e t t e H S , M a y o , F L , U S ALa k e R i d g e H S , M a n s f i e l d , T X , U S ALa n g h a m C re e k H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S ALa ra m i e H S , La ra m i e , W Y, U S AL e g a c y C h r i s t i a n A c a d e m y, Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AL e h m a n H S , Ky l e , T X , U S AL e n a p e H S , M e d f o r d , N J, U S AL e t o H S , Ta m p a , F L , U S AL i c e o A g u a d i l l a n o , A g u a d i l l a , P u e r t o R i c o

Lo s Fre s n o s U n i t e d , Lo s Fre s n o s , T X , U S ALo t u s S c h o o l o f E xc e l l e n c e , A u ro ra , C O, U S ALo u i s E . D i e r u f f H S , A l l e n t ow n , PA , U S AM a c A r t h u r H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AM a d i s o n H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AM a ra n a t h a H S , A l h a m b ra , C A , U S AM a r i n e C re e k Co l l e g i a t e H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AM c Ki n n e y H S , M c Ki n n e y, T X , U S AM e d i c a l H S , M i s s i o n , T X , U S AM e d i c a l A c a d e m y, B row n s v i l l e , T X , U S AM e d i n a Va l l e y H S , La c o s t e , T X , U S AM e m o r i a l H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AM e n d h a m H S , M e n d h a m , N J, U S AM e n l o S c h o o l , A t h e r t o n , C A , U S AM i d d l e Co l l e g e H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AM o ra v i a n A c a d e m y, B e t h l e h e m , PA , U S AM o ra v i a n A c a d e m y U p p e r S c h o o l , Tu c s o n , A Z , U S AM u c h i n Co l l e g e P re p , C h i c a g o , I L , U S AM u n d e l e i n H S , M u n d e l e i n , I L , U S AN e w R o c h e l l e H S , N e w R o c h e l l e , N Y, U S AN o r t h Sa l e m H S , N o r t h Sa l e m , N Y, U S AO x f o r d I n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l , Pa n a m á , Pa n a m áT h e Pa c k e r Co l l e g i a t e I n s t i t u t e , B ro o k l y n , N Y, U S APa l o s Ve r d e s H S , R a n c h o Pa l o s Ve r d e s , C A , U S APa p i l l i o n - La Vi s t a H S , La Vi s t a , N E , U S APa s a d e n a M e m o r i a l H S , Pa s a d e n a , T X , U S APe a r s a l l H S , Pe a r s a l l , T X , U S APe c o s H S , Pe c o s , N M , U S APe e k s k i l l H S , Pe e k s k i l l , N Y, U S APe n n Tre a t y H S , P h i l a d e l p h i a , PA , U S AP l a z a A c a d e m y, Ka n s a s C i t y, M O, U S AP re p Te c C a m p u s Sa n t a C a t a r i n a , M o n t e r re y, M e x i c oP u e b l o H S , Tu c s o n , A Z , U S AR a n g e v i e w H S , A u ro ra , C O, U S AR e g e n t s S c h o o l o f A u s t i n , A u s t i n , T X , U S AR i c h l a n d Co l l e g i a t e H S , D a l l a s , T X , U S AR i o G ra n d e H S , R i o G ra n d e C i t y, T X , U S AR i v e ra H S , B row n s v i l l e , T X , U S AR i v e r s i d e H S , E l Pa s o , T X , U S AR o u n d R o c k C h r i s t i a n A c a d e m y, R o u n d R o c k , T X , U S AR o u n d R o c k Ea r l y Co l l e g e H S , R o u n d R o c k , T X , U S AR o y M i l l e r H S , Co r p u s C h r i s t i , T X , U S ASa g e C re e k H S , C a r l s b a d , C A , U S AS t . A n d re w ’s E p i s c o p a l S c h o o l , A u s t i n , T X , U S AS t . A n t h o n y C a t h o l i c H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AS t . B re n d a n H S , M i a m i , F L , U S ASa i n t J o s e p h P re p a ra t o r y S c h o o l , P h i l a d e l p h i a , PA , U S AS t . J o s e p h H S , Vi c t o r i a , T X , U S ASa i n t M a r y ’s H a l l , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S ASa m H o u s t o n H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S ASa n D i e g o H S , Sa n D i e g o , T X , U S ASa n d ra D a y O ’Co n n o r H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AS c h a u m b u r g H S , S c h a u m b e r g , I L , U S AS e g u i n H S , S e g u i n , T X , U S AS e v e n La k e s H S , Ka t y, T X , U S AS i l va H e a l t h M a g n e t H S , E l Pa s o , T X , U S A

S i n t o n H S , S i n t o n , T X , U S AS o c o r ro H S , E l Pa s o , T X , U S AS o m e r s e t H S , S o m e r s e t , T X , U S AS o u t h G ra n d P ra i r i e H S , G ra n d P ra i r i e , T X , U S AS o u t h H S , P u e b l o , C O, U S AS o u t h s i d e H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AT h e S t o n y B ro o k S c h o o l , S t o n y B ro o k , N YS t ra t f o r d H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AS t u a r t C a re e r Te c h H S , B a y t ow n , T X , U S AS u f f i e l d A c a d e m y, S u f f i e l d , C T, U S AS u m m i t I n t e r n a t i o n a l P re p a ra t o r y, I r v i n g , T X , U S ATa y l o r H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S ATe h a c h a p i H S , Te h a c h a p i , C A , U S ATe x a s A c a d e m y o f B i o m e d i c a l S c i e n c e s , Fo r t Wo r t h , T X , U S AT h e Wo o d l a n d s H S , T h e Wo o d l a n d s , T X , U S AT h o m a s Ed i s o n H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AT h o m a s J e f f e r s o n H S , D e n v e r, C O, U S AT h o m a s R o o s e v e l t H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S ATi m b e r C re e k H S , Fo r t Wo r t h , T X , U S ATo m b a l l M e m o r i a l H S , To m b a l l , T X , U S ATu c s o n H i g h M a g n e t S c h o o l , Tu c s o n , A Z , U S AU n i v e r s a l A c a d e m y, I r v i n g , T X , U S AU p l i f t H e i g h t s P re p a ra t o r y, D a l l a s T X , U S AU p l i f t N o r t h H i l l s P re p a ra t o r y, I r v i n g , T X , U S AU r s u l i n e A c a d e m y o f D a l l a s , D a l l a s , T X , U S AVa n d e r g r i f t H S , L e a n d e r, T X , U S AVe r b u m D e i H S , Lo s A n g e l e s , C A , U S AVe t e ra n s M e m o r i a l H S , M i s s i o n , T X , U S AVi c t o r i a R o b b i n s S c h o o l , Sa n M i g u e l d e A l l e n d e , M e x i c oVi r g i n i a A c a d e m y, As h b u r n , VA , U S AWa s h i n g t o n v i l l e H S , Wa s h i n g t o n v i l l e , N Y, U S AWa u k e g a n H S , Wa u k e g a n , I L , U S AWe s t L e a d e r s h i p A c a d e m y, D e n v e r, C O, U S AWe s t R i d g e S c h o o l , Pa s a d e n a , C A , U S AWe s t l a k e H S , A u s t i n , T X , U S AWe s t r i d g e M i d d l e S c h o o l , O r l a n d o , F L , U S AW h e a t l e y H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AW h i t e h a l l H S , W h i t e h a l l , PA , U S AWi n d s o r H S , Wi n d s o r, C O, U S AWi l l i a m B . Tra v i s A c a d e m y / Va n g u a r d f o r t h e A c a d e m i c a l l y Ta l e n t e d a n d G i f t e d , D a l l a s , T X , U S AWi l l i a m Fre m d H S , S c h a u m b u r g , I L , U S AWi l l i a m J . B re n n a n H S , Sa n A n t o n i o , T X , U S AY ES P re p N o r t h b ro o k H S , H o u s t o n , T X , U S AYu m a H S , Yu m a , C O, U S A


DONORS*Bold denotes NHI Host Institution

Adams State University Amherst College Arcadia University Augustana College Austin College Bates College Baylor UniversityBryant University Cabrini University Case Western Reserve University Colby College Colorado Mesa UniversityColorado State University - Fort Collins Colorado State University - Pueblo Cornell University Drake UniversityEarlham UniversityElizabethtown CollegeElmhurst College Emory University Florida International University Florida State University - PanamaThe George Washington University Georgia Institute of Technology Howard Payne UniversityIowa State UniversityMarquette UniversityMiami University (Ohio)Michigan State UniversityNational Catholic College Admission Association New York University Northwestern UniversityNova Southeastern UniversityOakland UniversityOberlin CollegeOur Lady of the Lake University Penn State University Purdue University Saint Joseph’s UniversitySaint Leo University Schreiner University Society of Actuaries Southern Methodist University – Lyle School of EngineeringSouthwestern University

Stanford UniversitySt. Mary’s UniversitySwarthmore CollegeTexas A&M UniversityTexas Tech UniversityTrinity CollegeTrinity UniversityTulane UniversityUniversity of Colorado - BoulderUniversity of DenverUniversity of HoustonUniversity of Minnesota University of New Mexico University of North TexasUniversity of Northern ColoradoUniversity of OklahomaUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PittsburghUniversity of RichmondUniversity of RochesterUniversity of San DiegoUniversity of San FranciscoUniversity of St. FrancisUniversity of TampaUniversity of Texas at ArlingtonUniversity of Texas at AustinUniversity of the Incarnate WordUniversity of Wisconsin - ParksideVanderbilt UniversityVillanova UniversityWashington University in St. LouisWheaton CollegeYale University

INDIVIDUALS

Phil AdairErika AguirreLanie AlanizLeo AlanizFrank ArriagaOlivia ArriagaTeresa Alvarado-PatlanDavid BarreraRachel Basoco Andres BernalDylan BesteiroJohn BlevinsAdam BrennanChristopher BurgeJudy CabazaWillie CantuSalome CardonaLia CarpioLeslie CarranzaDr. Elvis CavazosSarah CeballosSteven CesarNatalia Chapa MillsDiana CharbonneauEduardo A. ChavezMark ChavezChristina ChaviraWilliam ConsvegraChristina CoronaCarla CosciaFrank de la Portilla Jr. Cielo de la CerdaAlan de LeonGloria de LeonAlex del BarrioPete DiazFrederick DominguezMerced ElizondoAllison ElkinsCraig Elkins Tracy Estes NavarAnita FernandezMatt and Sandra FicenecJonathon FigueroaJose FloresMarisol FloresJohn FlorezCharity FrancoAdrian GalvanJuan Garcia Jr. and Melissa GarciaFrank GarzaKatrina GarzaKaren GaytanElba GonzalezZachary GonzalezDenise GuajardoJonathan Guerrero

Cynthia GurrolaJanitzio GuzmanLuis Felipe Guzman, Jr.Claudia HartlebenPaola HernandezBrianna Hinojosa-FloresAddie HollersMarquez JulietaAdele KaroumSandra KatzEric LaraAdriel LaresLonnie LimonJohn and Barbara LindRuby Lira John F. LopezJames LuseroGiancarlo MartinezHerbert MartinezKedwin MartinezAngela MasciateDaryl McGuireAndrea MedinaMajid MehrinfarSigrid MirandaMichelle MoffittChristopher MonsivaisDiana MoralesVeronica MoralesFabian MunozNaylet MunozErnesto NietoNicole NietoJennifer OlguinLynn OslerRobert OntiverosMichael PadillaDebra PalaciosLorraine PalaciosNatalia PalmariniLaura G. & Gerardo PayanCarlos Paz, Jr. Andrew PerezJennifer PerriJoshua PleasantAndres RamirezSamuel RamirezClaudia A. ReyesVictor ReyesRaymond RicoJoe Rocha IIIJohn RodarteDaniela Rodriguez AlmonteAndrea Govea RosalesBryan SanchezLeroy SanchezHumberto SaenzVictor SaenzMichelle Saenz-Rodriguez

Keith SattelmaierArthur D. Soto-VasquezMichael SotoCeleste Surface Dan TamayoLouie TijerinaLaura TorresKristina & Robert TusiniDavid TorresMarcos VelozJorge VillalobosAtenogenes “Teno” VillarrealCelestino VillarrealLorraine VillarrealTony VillarrealJoseph VillescasNicholas ZebrowskiMarisa Zepeda

ORGANIZATIONS

Alliance Real Estate GroupApple Inc. (Jaime Gonzalez & Israel Ramirez)AT&TAT&T Employee Giving CampaignBP Foundation Inc. (Carmen Saenz)Capital Spectrum/CSICity of Austin Dahill Office Technology CorporationDishLATINOFlores ConstructionGeorge RodriguezHaleakala Homes LLCHouston Endowment Inc. M. Lynn Osler State Farm InsuranceOCI GroupReal Estate Executives of Austin LLCRGVFLASpanish Tech Co.Speck TransportationState Farm State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.Sudexo Inc. and AffiliatesSureScore, Inc. Terry Black’s BBQ LLCTexas Food and Wine Festival3rd Reality PublicationsTusini Ventures Inc. Union Pacific RailroadUniversity of Western New Mexico - Albuquerque Rene Vela D.D.S., PA. - Vela Dental CentersVamos Marketing and DesignWells Fargo BankWinston & Strawn LLP

NHI CO L L E G E R EG I S T E R


Board of TrusteesNHI

LIA CARPIODirectorSan Luis Valley Bridging BordersAlamosa, CO

REYNA HERNANDEZ Project Manager National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement (NAFSCE)Chicago, IL

DR. JOHN P. MINOGUE Co-Founder and FinancierNational Tiger SanctuaryChicago, IL

LAURA TORRES Statewide CTE CoordinatorTexas Education AgencyAustin, TXChicago, IL

FRANK DE LA PORTILLAEnrollment Services-Veterans AffairsHouston Community CollegeHouston, TX

MICHELLE LAREDO-TORRES Principal and Owner NY Nena Productions, LLCNew York, NY

ERNESTO NIETO President National Hispanic InstituteMaxwell, TX

KRISTINA TUSINI Associate Professor of SociologyLone Star College-University ParkHouston, TX

JP GARCIACTO/CEOVeMiDoc/XNetworksMenlo Park, CA

ADRIEL LARES CFO FastlySan Francisco, CA

P. RAFAEL OLMOS PriestParroquia Sagrada FamiliaDavid, Panamá

CELESTINO VILLARREAL Athletic DirectorSaint Joseph AcademyBrownsville, TX

MELISSA GARCIA Realtor JBGoodwin RealtorsAustin, TX

LONNIE LIMON Managing Director Dieste, Inc. Austin, TX

GEORGE RODRIGUEZ Managing Partner Saenz-Rodriguez & Associates, PC Dallas, TX

DR. JOSEPH VILLESCAS Director, Curriculum/InstructionEl Paso AcademyEl Paso, TX

DR. JANITZIO GUZMAN Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Resident Physician University of Oklahoma of Community Medicine at TulsaTulsa, OK

JOHN F. LOPEZ (NHI BOARD VICE CHAIR) Chief Prosecutor, Grand Jury Unit Travis County District Attorney’s OfficeAustin, TX

MICHELLE SAENZ-RODRIGUEZ (NHI BOARD CHAIR) Senior Partner Saenz-Rodriguez & Associates, PC Dallas, TX


T H A N K S T O A L L A T N H I F O R H E L P I N G U S F U L F I L L O U R F O U N D A T I O N ’ S M I S S I O N

We’re proud of our long partnership with the National

Hispanic Institute, sponsoring Lake County (Illinois)

students attending NHI programs since 2005.

It is an absolute honor and pleasure, and an incredibly

meaningful opportunity, to support NHI and to help

expand its impact on new communities and students.


CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE

GREAT DEBATE AND COLLEGIATE

WORLD SERIES STUDENTS!

NHI would like to thank DishLATINO for bringing Periko y Jessi León to Celebración

2017. Shown here after their Good Day Austin appearance on Austin’s KTBC-TV, they

brought music and joy to our Celebración students, and recently made a return to an

NHI program with their appearance at the 2018 Texas Great Debate.

Union Pacific is proud to invest in non-profit organizations

like the National Hispanic Institute, serving the communities

where our employees live and work.

Congratulations to all the future

Latino leaders who participated in

NHI summer programs in 2017, and

to those answering the call in 2018.

State Farm is proud to be a continuing sponsor of

NHI’s Great Debate and Collegiate World Series

programs for 2018.


UNIVERSITY PARTNERSGRACIAS

MANY THANKS GO TO OUR PROJECT ADMINISTRATORS

JAIME GONZALEZ AND MELISSA GARCIA, Aust in, TexasFREDERICK DOMINGUEZ, Baytown, TexasTINO VILLARREAL, Brownsvi l le, TexasEFRAIN ARRIAGA AND LANIE ALANIZ, Corpus Christ i , TexasGEORGE RODRIGUEZ, Greater Dal las, TexasKATRINA GARZA, TRACY NAVAR, AND ARTHUR SOTO-VASQUEZ, El Paso, TexasLOUIE TIJERINA, Ft . Worth, TexasSONIA LOPEZ AND ELVIS CAVAZOS, Houston, TexasLORAINE EDITH AND DAVID BARRERA, Laredo, TexasCHRIS MONSIVAIS, Rio Grande Val ley, TexasANITA FERNANDEZ AND VICTORIA SANCHEZ, San Antonio, Texas

MANY THANKS ALSO GO OUT TO OUR

EDUCATION DIRECTORSSECRETARIES OF STATEONSITE DIRECTORSOPERATIONS DIRECTORSTOURNAMENT DIRECTORSJUNIOR AND SENIOR COUNSELORSJOHN F. LOPEZ FELLOWSPHOTOGRAPHERSSTAGING AND SOUND TEAMSMEDIA TEAMPARENT VOLUNTEERSCHAPERONESHIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND ADMINISTRATORSCOMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS

FINALLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK

NATIONAL HISPANIC INSTITUTE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

GRACIASTHE NATIONAL HISPANIC INSTITUTE EXTENDS ITS SINCERE THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS.

OUR MISSION WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP.

OUR DEEPEST THANKS GO TO OURUNIVERSITY HOST INSTITUTIONS.


N A T I O N A L H I S P A N I C I N S T I T U T E . O R G | N H I M A G A Z I N E . C O M

P . O . B O X 2 2 0 M A X W E L L , T X , U S A 7 8 6 5 6 | P 5 1 2 - 3 5 7 - 6 1 3 7 F 5 1 2 - 3 5 7 - 2 2 0 6

GREAT DEBATE (4-DAY & 6-DAY)Texas Great Debate (4-Day)June 7-10, 2018Austin CollegeSherman, TX

Texas Star Great Debate (6-Day)June 26-July 1, 2018Schreiner UniversityKerrville, TX

Midwest Great Debate (6-Day)July 10-15, 2018Augustana CollegeRock Island, IL

Northeast Great Debate (6-Day)July 24-29, 2018Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA (Philadelphia)

Texas Ambassador Great Debate (4-Day)July 26-29, 2018University of Texas at Austin

LORENZO DE ZAVALA YOUTH LEGISLATIVE SESSION (LDZ)Colorado LDZJune 17-24, 2018Colorado State UniversityFt. Collins, CO

National LDZJune 24 – July 1, 2018University of St. FrancisJoliet, IL (Chicago)

LDZ Las AméricasJuly 1-8, 2018Ciudad del SaberPanamá City, Panamá

California LDZJuly 3-10, 2018University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA

New York LDZJuly 8-15, 2018University of RochesterRochester, NY

Texas LDZJuly 15-22, 2018St. Mary’s UniversitySan Antonio, TX COLLEGIATE WORLD SERIES (CWS)International CWSJune 13– June 17, 2018Saint Leo UniversitySt. Leo, FL (Tampa)

Northeast CWSJune 27-July 1, 2018Cabrini UniversityRadnor, PA (Philadelphia)

Texas CWSJuly 25-29, 2018University of North TexasDenton, TX (Dallas/Ft. Worth)

JOHN F. LOPEZ SUMMER FELLOW INTERNSHIPSNational Hispanic Institute – JFL InternshipMay 29 – August 7, 2018Maxwell, TX

CELEBRACIÓNNovember 1-4, 2018Embassy Suites by Hilton San Marcos Hotel Conference Center & SpaSan Marcos, TX

2 018 YOUTH L EADERSH IP PROGRAMS

Documents

NHI MAGAZINE 2018€¦ · 04/08/2015 · Texas State and New Mexico State Legislatures. NHIers serve on County Commissioner Courts, city councils, and school boards. But NHI also