Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute to Raise Leadership Development and Educational Awareness Among Minneapolis High School and College Students

General Mills to Announce Three-Year College Scholarship CHCI-Cheerios Healthy Hearts Initiative  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), the nation’s premier Hispanic youth leadership development and educational organization, today announced it will host a student Leadership Development and Educational Awareness Summit at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities on Tuesday, October 24.  Note to editors:  See below for more information on location, time and panelists.   

At the event General Mills, a global leader in the food industry, will announce the CHCI-Cheerios Healthy Hearts Initiative, a three-year scholarship initiative to help ensure Hispanic students have equal access in pursuing and completing a higher education.  

CHCI’s multi-city leadership development and education awareness summits, made possible through partnerships with Wal-Mart, State Farm Insurance and Taco Bell, help raise awareness on college scholarships, Public Policy Fellowships, Congressional Internships and critical educational services available to all Hispanic students, parents and educators.

Since last fall, CHCI has hosted over 20 visits within the states of California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Texas, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Who:	Hon. Grace Flores Napolitano (CA-38), CHCI Chair Esther Aguilera, CHCI President and CEO Rodolfo Rodriguez, Director, Multicultural Marketing, General Mills Noemi M. Barry-Perez, Chief, Equal Employment Opportunity U.S. Department of Labor, Civil Rights Center 1994 Congressional Intern and 2000 Scholarship Alumni, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Rogelio Muñoz, Executive Director Chicano Latino Affairs Council Ray Casas, CHCI Manager, Outreach and Educational Services Invited Guests: State and local elected officials, parents, educators and community leaders.
What:	Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Student Leadership Development and Educational Awareness Summit CHCI-Cheerios Healthy Hearts Initiative
When:	Tuesday, October 24 from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Where:	University of Minnesota, Twin Cities McNamara Alumni Center, Ski-U-Mah Room 200 Oak Street, SE Minneapolis, MN

CHCI’s Congressional Internship Program provides college students with Congressional placements on Capitol Hill, for a period of eight weeks from June to August, to learn first-hand about our nation’s legislative processes.

Interns are responsible for conducting extensive legislative research, monitoring day-to-day hearings, managing constituent communications and assisting with general office matters.  Additionally, interns participate in weekly CHCI leadership development sessions, featuring panels and workshops, and meet with corporate representatives, national elected officials and foreign dignitaries.  To complete the program, participants are required to work on a collaborative community service project. 

Interns are provided with housing, roundtrip transportation to and from Washington, D.C., and a $2,000 stipend.  The Congressional Internship Program application deadline is January 31, 2007.  

The Public Policy Fellowship Program, conducted from September to May, provides college graduates national, hands-on public policy experience in a congressional office, federal agency, nonprofit sector, or corporate setting.

Fellows participate in weekly expert policy sessions, are responsible for writing policy briefs, and organize expert roundtables on issues of immediate importance, such as “Recruiting and Retaining Quality Teachers for Hispanic Students” and “Language Minorities and the Right to Vote.”

Fellowship participants are provided with healthcare insurance, roundtrip transportation to and from Washington, D.C., and monthly stipends of $2,200 and $2,600 respectively for undergraduate and graduate degree recipients.  The Public Policy Fellowship Program application deadline is March 1, 2007.   

With more than $1 million in need-based scholarships awarded to Hispanic students since 2001, CHCI’s Scholarship Program is available to students enrolled in a two or four year accredited college or university.  Students pursing an associate, bachelor or graduate degree may apply for annual scholarships in the amounts of $1,000; $2,500 and $5,000 respectively.  The Scholarship Program application deadline is April 16, 2007. 

The HOGAR Fellowship, Spanish for Hispanic Ownership, a Growing American Reality, is a graduate fellowship program that aims at increasing the number of Hispanics in the housing and financial fields. HOGAR Fellows help create community housing events and design products that both increase financial literacy and improve consumer understanding of the mortgage process.   The HOGAR Fellowship application deadline is December 1, 2006. 

For CHCI program applications, please visit www.CHCI.org 

About Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), a nonprofit and nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization, provides leadership development programs and educational services to students and young emerging leaders. The CHCI Board of Directors is comprised of Hispanic Members of Congress, nonprofit leaders and corporate executives. For more information call CHCI at (202) 543-1771 or visit www.chci.org.

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