Luz Burgos, an Eastern residence hall director; William Stover, director of supplemental services for Windham Public Schools; and Eastern student Omar Rodriguez '12 received the University's Latin American Distinguished Service Awards on April 25 in the Paul E. Johnson Sr. Community Conference Room of the J. Eugene Smith Library.
Werner Oyandel, acting executive director of the Connecticut Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission, delivered the keynote address.
Burgos received the award in the faculty/staff category. As a hall director, Burgos oversees approximately 90 residential students. Burgos has served as co-coordinator of the Connecticut Statewide Conference on Latinos in Higher Education. In addition, she is an active member of Sigma Lamda Upsilon, Senoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority (SLU) Inc., an organization that provides sisterhood and support, while prompting academic achievement, service to the community, leadership and cultural enrichment.
Rodriguez '12 is a business administration major from Wethersfield. He received the award in the student category. Rodriguez serves as president of Men Achieving Leadership Excellence and Success (MALES), assisting in leading 56 male students into academic excellence and community involvement.
Stover received the award in the community category. He created and operates an after-school program that runs four days a week to provide students with academic enrichment opportunities.
