[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING RAUL S. VARGAS

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. ED PASTOR

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 2, 1996

  Mr. PASTOR. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today 
to pay special tribute to a lifelong friend and colleague, Mr. Raul S. 
Vargas, director of the University of Southern California Mexican 
American Alumni Association as we celebrate 25 years of his valuable 
service to Hispanic students pursuing a higher level of education.
  Born on May 21, 1939 in Lordsburg, NM, to a family of coppermine 
workers, Mr. Vargas lost his father at the age of 2 in a tragic 
underground mining accident. His mother remarried and in 1944, his 
family resettled in a low-income complex in Miami, AZ--the place where 
he and his five siblings were raised. After his early years of 
schooling in Miami, his family relocated to San Manuel, AZ, in 1957. 
While in high school, he played the trombone, served as student body 
vice president, and was also a star basketball player for the Miami 
Vandals. After graduating high school, he moved on to Arizona State 
University where he received a degree in business administration in 
1961.
  Shortly after graduating from ASU, he served a 3-year tour of duty 
with the U.S. Army in Berlin. He returned to Arizona State University 
during 1964 to complete his teaching credentials. He obtained his 
teaching credentials in 1966 and began a distinguished career teaching 
in math and Spanish at the junior high school level in Ontario, CA.
  In 1970, Mr. Vargas witnessed the Vietnam antiwar demonstrations and 
the East Los Angeles riots which inspired him to pursue social causes 
at the community level. His passion for fostering better relations 
between civic leaders and community members led him to work at the Rio 
Hondo Area Action Council [RHAAC] where he handled community action 
programs. However, his yearning to teach and work one-on-one with 
students led him back to the education sector where in 1971, he joined 
the faculty and staff of the University of Southern California.
  It was at USC where he began working at the department of student 
affairs and services as director of the USC Mexican American Alumni 
Association. Mr. Vargas began primarily as an academic adviser 
providing guidance and counsel to students, who were primarily first-
time college graduates of their respective families. He found these 
college students to be talented and hardworking who were often hampered 
by the financial constraints of a college education. Recognizing the 
impact of such constraints, he concluded that this was the source of 
high college dropout rates for Hispanic students.
  Realizing the issue was not being addressed, Mr. Vargas decided to do 
something about the situation. In 1974, he set up a series of meetings 
with USC alumni, faculty, business and civic leaders, and students 
which established the foundation of the USC Mexican American Alumni 
Association Scholarship Fund. Today, the USC-MAAA Scholarship Fund 
exceeds $5.0 million dollars and has assisted over 3,500 students at 
both undergraduate and graduate levels. Because of his determination 
and hard work, Mr. Vargas did much more than fulfill his desire to help 
young students pursuing higher education--he committed his life to it 
and has changed peoples lives forever.
  It was at Arizona State University where I met and shared a room with 
Mr. Vargas. Gradually, we developed a friendship that has grown and 
strengthened throughout the years on both a professional and personal 
level. As a former teacher myself, I commend Mr. Raul Vargas for having 
the vision to change individual lives, the courage to make his dreams a 
reality, and the commitment to follow through with this plan for the 
past 25 years. I commend Raul Vargas for his hard work, determination, 
and invaluable contribution to our Nation's youth.

                          ____________________