Colorado State's El Centro Honors The Past, Present And Future At Annual Awards Ceremony April 3
Friday, March 27, 1998
FORT COLLINS--In the 1960s, Manuel Ramos was a Colorado
State University student known for his activist views and passion
for equality. Thirty years later, Ramos has continued his crusade
in a different venue.
Ramos, deputy director and director of litigation for the
Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Denver, will share his memories
of the past and how it has affected his life at Colorado State's
El Centro 15th Annual Achievement Awards at 7 p.m. April 3 in the
Lory Student Center Main Ballroom.
The event, with a theme of "Remembering When: Past, Present
and Future," will honor the contributions of Ramos as well as
celebrate the academic, personal and cultural achievements of
past and present students. While Ramos will provide comments
reflecting on the past, he will be joined by Colorado State
senior Lisa Carrillo and a local Poudre School District student
to share their views about the present and the future.
"When we planned this year's event, we wanted to focus on
the profound impact our past has on who we are today and the
opportunities we have for the future," said Guadalupe Salazar,
director of El Centro Student Services. "If we do not reflect on
and honor our Chicano and Latino leaders like Manuel Ramos, we
cannot truly move forward and identify our future leaders."
In addition to his position with the Legal Aid Society,
Ramos writes mystery novels and teaches Chicano literature at
Metropolitan State College of Denver. His Luis Montez mystery
novels have been called a "powerful, distinctive series" by
Publishers Weekly. The Washington Post said, "Montez's voice is
solid and intriguing. . . This is good storytelling."
The student speaker, Lisa Carrillo, is a native of San
Antonio, Texas and a psychology major at Colorado State. During
her time at Colorado State, she has worked as student coordinator
for El Centro's Triumpho program, which provides role modeling
and mentoring for local youth. Carrillo, a member of the Psichi
National Honor Society in Psychology, hopes to continue her
studies in psychology, recognizing that education provides the
key to her and her family's future.
The Annual Achievement Awards on April 3 will begin with a
reception, music and a silent auction at 6 p.m. The band,
Mariachi Vasquez, will perform during dinner, followed by the
awards program. A dance also is scheduled at 9 p.m. in the Lory
Student Center West Ballroom.
Music for the dance will be provided by Mood Express, the
only Colorado band invited to the Annual Tejano Band Festival in
San Antonio. This Denver-based group has spent the past 18 years
performing for select gatherings across the United States,
including concert openings for Gloria Estefan, Tito Puente,
Little Joe, Jose Jose, Tierra, Ritmo Siete, Freddy Fender, Ruben
Ramos and other regional artists.
El Centro Achievement Awards are given to celebrate the
accomplishments of Hispanic community members, graduating seniors
and recipients of the Elizabeth Woodworth Memorial Scholarship.
Twelve college scholarships, worth $1,200 each, are given to
students in honor of the late Elizabeth "Betty" Woodworth, a
longtime editor of the Fort Collins Coloradoan newspaper and
civic leader. Several other awards will be announced throughout
the program, including recognition for community members,
Colorado State faculty members and students.
"It is imperative that we have these scholarships to help
students cope with financial struggles that may occur during
their college years," Salazar said. "We recognize that a
financial need exists and we will continue to raise monies to
help our students succeed and graduate from Colorado State."
El Centro Student Services has been in existence at Colorado
State for more than 20 years to help the needs of students and to
promote education about the history and culture of Chicanos,
Hispanics and Latinos throughout the university and the Fort
Collins community.
Tickets for the ceremony, dinner and dance are valued at
$25; however, El Centro is inviting individuals to purchase
tickets for $50 to raise funds for scholarships. The $25 donation
can qualify as a tax-deductible contribution. Corporate tables of
10 cost $500. Tickets can be purchased separately for the dance
at $3 for students and senior citizens, $6 for adults and $10 per
couple. Tickets may be purchased at the door.
For more information on the El Centro Achievement Awards
Ceremony or to reserve seating, call Dorothy Ramirez in El Centro
at (970) 491-5722.
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