Hispanic Chambers Honors
University
Cal State Fullerton awarded the Chair's
Award in recognition of the university's superior record of
awarding degrees to Hispanic students.
September 15, 2005
By Paula Selleck
Members of the California Hispanic
Chambers of Commerce rose to their feet to applaud Cal State
Fullerton at the group’s 26th annual statewide convention
held last month in Oakland.
The standing ovation from the 500 gathered
for the event’s closing banquet came when CSUF was named
the recipient of the Chair’s Award, in recognition of
the university’s superior record of awarding degrees
to Hispanic students.
Cal State Fullerton leads the state and is
fifth in the nation in
the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to Hispanics,
according to Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education,
which reported in May on statistics collected by the U.S.
Department of Education.
CSUF President Milton A. Gordon accepted the
award from Melinda Guzman Moore, the organization’s
outgoing chair. She is also a CSU Trustee and partner in the
law firm of Goldsberry Freeman Guzman & Ditora LLP.
“Education plays such a significant role
in the state’s economic and social development,”
said Moore. “The award to CSUF is for all of its successes
in graduating Latino students with undergraduate degrees.
“I’ve been very impressed with
the campus. It is full of diversity in all areas; it has what
I would refer to as principles of community that start with
the leadership and permeate the campus,” she added.
“It was no surprise to me that through Dr. Gordon’s
leadership, CSUF is No. 1 in the state of California. . .
. This is a significant milestone both for the community and
the state.”
Gordon said he was gratified by the award for
its significance in supporting the mission of the chamber
and by the reaction of those gathered for the occasion. “It’s
about preparing those who are going to be able to take their
place,” said Gordon, noting that the newly elected chair
of the CHCC Board of Directors is a CSUF graduate.
At the convention, the mantle was passed from
Guzman Moore to Henry Mendoza (B.A. business administration-accounting
’81), managing partner of the accounting firm of Mendoza
Berger & Co. LLP of Irvine.
“Clearly, we are making a mark on the
economic development of the state of California with the success
of our alumni,” said Don Castro, special assistant to
the president, who attended the event and noted that graduates
in the audience approached “to say they are proud be
Titan alumni.”
Silas Abrego, associate vice president for
student affairs, observed that the standing ovation for CSUF
among Hispanic business leaders was indicative of an organization
whose members “so much value education.”
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