HACUNEWS HACU announces virtual Annual Conference on Hispanic higher education, Oct. 26-28 Pre- and post-conference events to be held on alternate dates
Meet Richard Montez, HACU finalist seeking your vote for Coors Light Líder of the Year
HACU has announced its 34th Annual Conference Championing Hispanic Higher Education: "Fostering Excellence and Social Justice," will be held virtually on Oct. 26-28, 2020. HACU VIRTUAL
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Attendees can expect a regular lineup of events, workshops, including a virtual exhibitor experience to be part of the agenda.
Pre- and Post-conference events will be offered on alternate dates so as not to overlap on the new conference dates. HACU’s Annual Conference provides a unique forum for the sharing of information and ideas for the best and most promising practices in the education of Hispanics. Advertising, Exhibitor, and Sponsorship opportunities are available. For registration and agenda of HACU's premier conference on Hispanic higher education and events, visit hacu.net
HACU receives grant from The Sallie Mae Fund HACU was among the grant recipients announced by The Sallie Mae Fund on June 25, 2020. The grant of $125,000 will support initiatives that advance social justice, diversity, inclusion and equality.
HACU director of member services, Richard Montez, has always believed that true leadership only happens when love and empathy are paired with real world experiences. He was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He grew up on the west side, in one of the poorest areas of the city. While his family struggled economically and gained a keen understanding of the hardships facing many in his community. Today, he spends his time and energy focusing on solutions to the many challenges plaguing underserved and underrepresented groups. Since 2017, he has served as director of member services at HACU. His work beyond HACU extends to community service in the local area. For the past seven years he has served as board chair at Inner City Development, a San Antonio nonprofit that serves the most economically marginalized neighborhood in the same area where he grew up. Once a year, he and other volunteers participate in Thanksgiving 365 by fasting until the organization raises its $40,000 goal which is used to keep the food pantry stocked all year long.
In a press release, the organization stated that too often minority and underserved students face significant obstacles that not only impede attendance, but also stifle completion of their postsecondary education program.
His dedication to the mission of HACU and Inner City Development have been greatly influenced by his childhood. As a first-generation high school and college graduate, he has focused heavily on education and its impacts on breaking cycles that can lead to poverty and challenges in educational attainment for underserved communities. He earned his degree from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas.
"HACU is grateful to The Sallie Mae Fund for their support of our programs and initiatives that help students achieve academic success and prepare them for the future,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores.
Through strategic planning, change management, teamwork, sustainability and civic engagement, he has enriched his leadership skills and professional development so that he could be a greater asset to his community and the issues he champions.
The Sallie Mae Fund, the charitable arm of Sallie Mae, achieves its mission to expand pathways for the successful development of America’s youth by supporting programs and initiatives that help open doors to higher education, as well as, supporting initiatives on the communities it serves.
Your votes for Richard Montez to be named the Coors Light Líder of the Year can help HACU receive a $25,000 grant to support its community work. To vote visit https://www.coorslightlideres.com. Votes can be cast up to 10 times daily through August 31, 2020.
Thousands of students have benefited from HACU with internships, scholarships, college retention and advancement programs, precollegiate support, and career development opportunities and programs. SUMMER 2020
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