El Centro Awards
We are excited to announce our nominations for our El Centro Awards for the 2023-2024 school year. These awards are an opportunity for the Latinx/é community to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of Latinx/é students, faculty, staff, and mentors at CSU that have impacted our community in different ways with their work, community engagement, day to day interactions, leadership and scholarship.
This year these awards will be presented at El Centro’s SOMOS Latinx/é Graduation Ceremony, which will be held in person on May 1st in the LSC Ballrooms. More information about the celebration will be shared soon.
Please take a moment to look at the nomination’s descriptions and fill out the following form to nominate a student, staff, and or faculty.
If you have any questions, please email nallely.dominguez@colostate.edu
Deadline to submit your nominations is Monday, April 1 at 11:59pm.
La Conexión Participant Award
La Conexión is a peer mentorship program in El Centro, which aims to retain and build a community for first-year/transfer Latinx/é students. This award is given to a first-year/ transfer student who actively participates in La Conexión, demonstrates a commitment to the program, actively encourages and supports their peers and upholds La Conexión’s core values (community, academics, celebration of identities, and student engagement).
Latinx/é Graduate Student Award
This award recognizes a masters or doctoral Latinx/é student who excels in their academic field through research, practice and or community engagement. The recipient of this award is a student who is actively engaged in giving back to their community through their field work.
Mary Ontiveros Latinx/é Faculty/Staff Award
The Mary Ontiveros Latinx/é Faculty/Staff award is given to a CSU Latinx/é faculty or staff member who has impacted Colorado State University or Northern Colorado Latinx/e communities through their work, practice, research, scholarship, mentorship or contributions. This award, founded in 2021, is given in honor of the legacy of Mary Ontiveros, Emeritus Vice President for Diversity. Mary was a CSU alum and began her career at CSU in Admissions and El Centro, serving as interim Director of El Centro for some time. She worked in a variety of areas on campus throughout the course of her 45 years, ending her career as the first Vice President for Diversity. Mary contributed significantly to the Latinx/é community at CSU and throughout the state of Colorado in ways that will have long-lasting impacts on our comunidad.
Dr. Guadalupe Salazar Outstanding Student Legacy Award
The Dr. Guadalupe Salazar Outstanding Student Legacy Award is awarded to one undergraduate student who demonstrates excellent academic achievement with at least 60 completed academic credits (Junior or Senior Standing) and is in good academic standing. This student initiates programming and community involvement, demonstrates strong leadership, and exemplifies integrity in their daily lives.
Dr. Guadalupe Salazar is a Colorado State University alum, and a previous director of El Centro. She dedicated 30 plus years of her career supporting Latinx students and communities at Colorado State University, within the Poudre School District and in the Northern Colorado community.
