“Raul Yzaguirre is a true champion of Hispanic Americans in his tireless dedication to the college and career hopes of the nation’s youngest and largest ethnic population. We are inspired by his achievements, and look forward to continuing our longstanding alliance in support of our shared mission to create a better future for the communities we serve,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio Flores.

Flores presented Yzaguirre the HACU P. Gus Cardenas Award for Exemplary Leadership today at a special ceremony at HACU’s 16th Annual Conference under way through Tuesday in Denver, Colorado. Yzaguirre was applauded by hundreds of Hispanic higher education leaders, students and advocates from throughout the country attending this year’s conference, entitled “Hispanic Empowerment: America’s Key to Prosperity.”

The P. Gus Cardenas Award, named for a prominent founder of HACU, is presented each year to an individual of national renown for exemplary leadership in advancing HACU’s mission. HACU, the nation’s leading voice for Hispanic higher education, represents more than 335 colleges and universities serving the largest concentrations of Hispanic higher education students in the United States.

Yzaguirre, who often joins the leadership of HACU in advocating for increased support for the higher education needs of Hispanic Americans, is president of an organization that has been called “the leading Hispanic think tank in the country.” He began his civil rights career at the age of 15 when he organized a junior chapter of the American G.I. Forum, the national Hispanic military veterans organization. Yzaguirre joined the National Council of La Raza in 1974, spearheading its growth into a nationally influential voice for Hispanic civil rights.

Yzaguirre, a graduate of George Washington University, has received numerous national awards and five honorary degrees. He is president of the Mexican and American Solidarity Foundation, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He was first listed in Who’s Who in America in 1980.

For more information, contact HACU national headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, at (210) 692-3805. Ext. 3214. Or visit www.hacu.net.