Hispanic Scholarship Fund Seeks Nominations For 2003 HSF Alumni Hall of Fame.

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) announced a call for nominations for the 2003 Hispanic Scholarship Fund Alumni Hall of Fame, the highest honor HSF can bestow on a past HSF scholarship recipient.

The HSF Alumni Hall of Fame event, now in its second year, aims to inspire future generations of Latino college graduates by celebrating the incredible stories of five Latinos who, through their accomplishments, contributions and lifetime challenges, demonstrate the power of higher education and mentorship to change a life and positively impact the world.

The HSF Alumni Hall of Fame inducts five individuals — the Optimista, Altruista, Triunfador, Inspirador and Brillante. Four outstanding Hispanic Scholarship Fund alumni, who have received an HSF scholarship in the past, will be inducted. In addition, HSF will honor one individual who, while not a former HSF Scholar, has earned a college degree, excels in their career and community, and is a positive role model for Latino students. Inductees will be honored at a gala event in Washington, D.C. in October 2003.

“The majority of our Scholars are the first in their families to attend college and struggle against overwhelming obstacles to reach their educational goals,” said Sara Martinez Tucker, president and CEO of HSF. “With this struggle and perseverance, comes success. To celebrate the incredible journey made by these Latino scholars and to inspire others to follow in their footsteps, we established the HSF Alumni Hall of Fame.”

The first class of honorees inducted last year into the HSF Alumni Hall of Fame at a special White House reception and gala dinner in Washington, D.C., included: Dr. Richard Carmona, U.S. Surgeon General; Rodolpho Carrasco of the Harambee Christian Family Center in Pasadena, Calif.; Lisa Quiroz, founder and publisher of People en Espanol; Elias Fernandez, winemaker for Shafer Vineyards in Napa Valley, Calif.; and Fortunato Tapia, community outreach organizer, Los Angeles Unified School District.

Nomination forms, including full selection criteria, are available at http://www.hsf.net. Please note that the deadline to submit nominations is June 1, 2003.

About the Hispanic Scholarship Fund

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is the nation’s leading organization supporting Hispanic higher education. Founded in 1975, HSF’s vision is to strengthen the country by advancing college education among Hispanic Americans, the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population. In support of its mission to double the rate of Hispanics earning college degrees, HSF, a 501(c)3 not-for profit organization, provides the Latino community more college scholarships and educational outreach support than any other organization in the country. During its 28-year history, HSF has awarded nearly 54,000 scholarships in excess of $89 million to Latinos from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands who have attended more than 1,300 colleges and universities.