FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 27, 2006

Hispanic Organization Celebrates 20 Years in San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio, TX – The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is holding a press conference to unveil a commissioned art piece to mark its 20^th anniversary and announce details of its Annual Conference, scheduled for October 28-31, 2006, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in beautiful downtown San Antonio. The press conference will take place at 9:30 a.m., Thursday, May 11 at Our Lady of the Lake University’s Sueltenfuss Library, Community Room.

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) was established in 1986 at Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) with a founding membership of eighteen institutions. Today HACU represents more than 450 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America, Spain and Portugal.  Although member institutions in the U.S. represent about 10 percent of all higher education institutions nationwide, together they are home to more than two-thirds of all Hispanic college students.  HACU is the only national educational association that represents Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).

Dr. Antonio Flores, HACU’s president and CEO, also celebrated an anniversary this year—a decade as leader of the organization. “My tenure as president of HACU has been rewarding and challenging.  I have always had a passion for higher education and HACU’s impact on policy and legislation to help so many minority students attain their dream of a college education is truly satisfying.  I have enjoyed the last 10 years at HACU and plan on enjoying 10 more,” said Flores.

“Twenty years ago, Sr. Elizabeth Ann Sueltenfuss, then president of OLLU, and Dr. Antonio Rigual, then vice president for Institutional Advancement, envisioned the impact that the higher education of Hispanic youth would have on the character of the nation.  Today, 78 percent of the undergraduate population at OLLU is Hispanic and the influence of HACU continues to grow worldwide under the leadership of Dr. Flores,” added Dr. Pollack.

Local artist Michael Gallegos will be at the press conference to unveil his work, which reflects HACU’s mission to champion Hispanic higher education and the culture of San Antonio, HACU’s birthplace. Gallegos will sign commemorative posters, which will be available at the press conference.  He is a freelance artist and full time art teacher at Stockdale High School in Stockdale, Texas, a position he has held for the past three years.  He graduated from Texas State University, San Marcos, a HACU Associate Member Institution, in 2001, and currently lives in San Antonio, Texas.  He was recently hired to work on illustrations for a children’s book and is in the process of writing and illustrating his own book.

HACU is a non-profit organization committed to assuring higher education access and success for Hispanic students. For more information, visit http://www.hacu.net/.

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