NAHF Director Lorena Gonzalez was honored as one of four alumni inductees into the Hispanic Scholarship Fund’s Hall of Fame Monday at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. She received the “Optimista” award for achieving success through persistence in the face of adversity.
“You can do it,” are the four words Dr. Gonzalez’ father has repeated to her throughout her life – as a disenchanted highschooler, after her first attempt at college, and as a young mother working to complete three degrees, a BA, MA, and PhD.
Dr. Gonzalez’ parents came to this country seeking opportunity. Her father worked in the spinach fields, on the railroad, and at domestic jobs to ensure he could afford a life in the United States. After experiencing a devastating earthquake that nearly demolished his home, he moved his family to Texas to start over.
At the awards event, Dr. Gonzalez thanked her parents, who then received a standing ovation from the audience. “I can do it,” Dr. Gonzalez said. “We can do it. We need to serve our children with our hearts, our experiences, and with wisdom. It is only by educating that we prosper. Think about what you can offer.”
The other three 2011 alumni Hall of Fame inductees are Gary Trujillo, chairman and founder of Be A Leader Foundation, Brigida Benetez, Chief of the Office of Institutional Integrity at the Inter-American Development Bank, and Vincent Cordero, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Fox Deportes. U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios also was inducted as an honorary member.
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund was founded in 1975, and is the nation’s leading organization working to address the barriers that keep many Latinos from earning a college degree. Its leaders have awarded over $360 million in scholarships to more than 52,000 students. The organization’s Alumni Hall of Fame is in its 10th year, and honors five Latinos annually whose stories, accomplishments, contributions, and lifetime challenges demonstrate the power of higher education.
To watch the HSF video of Lorena’s story, click here.
Pictured in Photo: Frank Alvarez (HSF President and CEO), Brigida Benitez, Vincent Cordero, Rosie Rios, Lorena Gonzalez, Gary Trujillo