June 29, 2018
HACU President Antonio R. Flores gives commencement speech at SUAGM, South Florida Campus
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) President and CEO Antonio R. Flores was in Miami, Florida to serve as the commencement speaker for Sistema Universitario Ana G. Méndez (SUAGM) South Florida Campus’ 11th commencement ceremony on June 29, 2018.
Flores congratulated the graduates for their accomplishments. He also acknowledged the work that the university system has done to address the need for more bilingual and bicultural professionals while furthering their mission to promote the cultural, social and economic development of Puerto Rican society and the Hispanic community.
Flores spoke about the importance of work ethic, family values and perseverance. “Every great individual success is the product of family devotion and community support,” said Flores to the graduating class and an approximate audience of 1,000.
During the ceremony, José F. Méndez Méndez, SUAGM president, and Luis J. Zayas-Seijo, vice president of National Affairs, presented Flores with the 2018 Presidential Medal in recognition for his outstanding contributions and commitment to increasing economic and educational opportunities for the Latino community.
Flores has served HACU for over 20 years, and is the third and longest-serving president of the Association. During his tenure as president, the Association has nearly tripled membership, expanded programs three-fold and significantly improved legislation for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) with increased annual federal funding.