Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Awards 22
Washington, D.C. Based Public Policy Fellowships
25th Anniversary Class Prepares for Future Leadership Roles
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), the nation’s premier
Hispanic youth leadership development and educational organization,
announced it has awarded 22 highly competitive Public Policy
Fellowships to Hispanic college graduates and young professionals
from across the nation.
CHCI’s nine-month Public Policy Fellowship Program, this year
celebrates its 25th anniversary. Through CHCI, fellows secure
positions in Congressional offices on Capitol Hill, federal
agencies, corporate and nonprofit organizations.
With their arrival, CHCI’s celebrates its Hispanic Heritage Month
theme “Our Youth, Our Future, Our Legacy,” commemorating two
additional anniversary milestones: the 20th
Congressional Internship and 5th Scholarship Awards
Program.
From August to May, Fellows have an opportunity to gain hands-on
experience in the public policy area of their choice. Sponsored by
Altria Group, Inc, The Coca-Cola Foundation, Sodexho, USA, and Tyson
Foods, Inc., Fellows learn about our nation’s legislative making
process, issues pending before the U.S. House of representatives,
and the inner-workings of corporations and federal agencies.
“CHCI’s Public Policy Fellowship, the nation’s first
Hispanic policy fellowship, affords Hispanic youth the opportunity
to develop critical hands-on policy experience in a government or
private sector setting,” said CHCI President and CEO Esther
Aguilera.
“Since 1978, we have led the way in empowering Hispanic youth to
assume leadership roles in local, state, federal governments and
private sectors – creating a national pool of talented
professionals.”
Fellows fulfill monthly community service hours with local
organizations, whose services range from free health care, workforce
development, to legal counseling. During their time in Washington
D.C., fellows also develop policy briefs and roundtable discussions
as well as participate in weekly CHCI professional workshops; and
panel sessions with national leaders on current policy issues.
CHCI’s Fellowship Program provides participants with health
insurance, roundtrip transportation to and from Washington, D.C. and
a gross monthly stipend of $2,200 to help cover housing and local
expenses; Fellows with a graduate degree receive a $2,600 monthly
stipend. To be eligible, applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal
permanent residents with strong academic achievement, demonstrated
leadership potential, and a vast history of community and public
service.
This year’s 22 Fellowship participants include: Betsaida
Alcantara of Kingston, NY, B.A. Political Science, Bard College;
Kory Vargas Caro of Silver Spring, MD, B.A. Cultural and
Social Anthropology, Stanford University; Marco Isaac De Leon
of Corpus Christi, TX, B.A. Political Science and Spanish, Stanford
University; Adrienne Dunbar of Harlingen, TX B.A. History,
Cornell; Esteban Galvan of Sylmar, CA, B.A. Chicano Studies,
Stanford University.
Maritza Griselle Gonzalez of Chicago, IL, B.A.
Neuroscience, University of Illinois – Chicago; Cynthia Gutierrez,
Sodexho Public Health Fellow of Lynwood, CA, B.A. Psychology
and Chicano/Latino Studies, University of California – Irvine;
Elizabeth Gutierrez, Edward Roybal Public Health
Fellow of Galesburg, IL, M.S. Community Health, Western Illinois
University; Luis Sergio Hernandez Jr., Graduate Fellow
of Miami, FL, PhD. Politics and Education, Columbia University;
Alfonso Lopez of Jamaica, NY, B.A. Aviation Business Studies,
St. Francis College.
Katherine Martinez of Cleveland, OH, B.A. Political
Science, College of Wooster; Jose A. Medina, Graduate
Fellow of El Paso, TX, M.A. Political Science, University of
Texas – El Paso; Katherine Ashley Perez of La Mirada, CA,
B.A. Psychology and Spanish, Chapman University; Evelyn Pruneda
of Parlier, CA, B.A. Politics and History, Occidental College;
Sifra Quintana of Eugene, OR, B.A. Government, Smith College.
Vanessa Marie Ramirez of Fontana, CA, B.A. Sociology,
University of California – Berkeley; Angelica M. Reza, Law
Fellow of Biscoe, NC, J.D., North Carolina Central University;
Raymond Rico of Kansas City, KS, B.A. Political Science and
American Studies, University of Kansas; Adriana Salazar of
San Antonio, TX, M.A., Political Science, University of Texas – San
Antonio; Jorge Solis of Oklahoma City, OK, B.A. Economics and
History, Yale.
Jessie Michael Ulibarria of Brighton, CO, B.A. Spanish and
Ethnic Studies, University of Colorado – Boulder; and Andrea
Velasco of Whittier, CA, B.A. Political Science, University of
California – San Diego.
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.
###
