CENTER FOR MEXICAN AMERICAN STUDIES AT
UH
A FINALIST FOR PRESTIGIOUS STAR AWARD
State’s Award Recognizes Efforts to Close the Gaps in Higher
Education
HOUSTON, September 29, 2005—The University of Houston Center
for Mexican American Studies (CMAS) has been named a finalist for
the prestigious Star Award by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board.
“This is a great honor that speaks volumes about the importance
and value of Mexican American studies in higher education,”
Tatcho Mindiola, director of CMAS said. “We are proud of our
program, our students and our university.”
The Star Award was established to recognize exemplary contributions
toward closing educational gaps, and supports the state’s
“Closing the Gaps by 2015” higher education plan.
“The Star Award is a special honor and tribute to the people
on our college campuses who have the foresight, knowledge and skill
to build and administer these successful efforts,” said Commissioner
of Higher Education Raymund A. Paredes.
The Center for Mexican American Studies was established in 1972
and encompasses the humanities, fine arts, communications, education
and social sciences. Located within the College of Liberal Arts
and Social Sciences, CMAS has evolved into an academic unit with
four components: teaching, research and publications, recruitment
and retention, and community service. CMAS also includes a program,
Academic Achievers, which mentors students beginning in high school
to ensure they integrate fully into university life and stay through
graduation. Latino students who participate in Academic Achievers
have a graduation rate twice as high as other Latino students at
UH.
“If students are the first in their family to attend college,
we know they’ll need extra help dealing with all the challenges
of university life,” Rebeca Trevino, program manager for Academic
Achievers said. “That means more than just academic help,
but help with scholarships, social issues and counseling.”
A nine-member committee consisting of Coordinating Board members,
state community leaders and out of state education experts selected
the Star Award finalists. The winner will be announced at an Oct.
10 ceremony at the Coordinating Board’s Governing Board Conference
in Austin.
For more information about the UH Center for Mexican American Studies,
please visit http://www.class.uh.edu/CMAS/
About the University of Houston
The University of Houston, Texas’ premier metropolitan research
and teaching institution, is home to more than 40 research centers
and institutes and sponsors more than 300 partnerships with corporate,
civic and governmental entities. UH, the most diverse research university
in the country, stands at the forefront of education, research and
service with more than 35,000 students.
For more information about UH visit the universitys Newsroom at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.
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