• IDRA Newsletter • November- December 1997
Dr. Robledo Montecel Honored by “Hispanic Business” Magazine and “La Prensa” Newspaper
María Cuca Robledo Montecel, Ph.D., executive director of IDRA, was selected in October as one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in 1997 by Hispanic Business magazine. This annual listing focused in 1997 on two areas Hispanic academics and educators, and individuals who are making a difference in improving the quality of life for Hispanics in urban and inner-city communities.
In addition to the listing and an accompanying photograph of Dr. Robledo Montecel, the national magazine printed her response to the question: “Will the elimination of race and gender considerations from university admissions policies hurt Hispanic applicants?” From the group of 100, 86 percent responded “Yes.” Dr. Robledo Montecel elaborated: “A study by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board found recently that no single factor (including economic status, parents’ education level, test scores, language, etc.) can ensure levels of minority access comparable to the levels that are being achieved by using racial background as a factor. The impact of the Hopwood decision and the attorney general’s opinion is already being felt by Texas public institutions of higher learning as they are experiencing a dramatic decrease in minority applicants.”
Dr. Robledo Montecel also received in October the La Prensa Hispanic Heritage Celebration Award for Education for excellence, commitment and dedication to the development of Hispanic heritage. La Prensa is a bilingual Spanish-English newspaper published semiweekly in San Antonio. Its objectives for the awards are to promote outstanding Hispanic men and women who have made important contributions to school districts, municipal, state and federal government. Other award recipients included Mr. Edward Riojas, Jr., San Antonio Air Logistics Center, Kelly Air Force Base; State Rep. Christine Hernández, District 124, San Antonio; Aurora Muñoz González, Health and Human Services, Bexar County.
[©1997, IDRA. This article originally appeared in the November- December 1997 IDRA Newsletter by the Intercultural Development Research Association. Permission to reproduce this article is granted provided the article is reprinted in its entirety and proper credit is given to IDRA and the author.]
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