[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 137 (Saturday, September 28, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1815-E1816]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    TRIBUTE TO RAUL VARGAS FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ESTEBAN EDWARD TORRES

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 27, 1996

  Mr. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in 
honoring a friend, Mr. Raul Vargas, executive director of the Office 
for Mexican American Programs at the University of Southern California. 
On October 24, 1996, I will join California State Senator Hilda Solis, 
Miller Brewing Co.'s Victor Franco, and Chicanos for Creative Medicine 
in paying tribute to Raul for his many years of selfless service to our 
community.
  Raul was born in Miami, AZ, a small mining town, which is also my 
birthplace. He attended Arizona State University, and served in the 
U.S. Army. He also attended California State University, Los Angeles, 
as well as the University of Southern California, pursuing graduate 
studies. In 1973-74, Raul, along with eight other USC Alumnus, formed 
the USC Mexican-American Alumni Association. The USC MAAA was 
established to provide financial assistance to undergraduate Mexican-
American students attending USC. To date, MAAA has provided over 3,700 
undergraduate scholarships totaling over $5 million. In addition to the 
undergraduate scholarship program, the MAAA funds four medical school 
students in a joint venture with the USC School of Medicine.

[[Page E1816]]

The MAAA has successfully concluded a campaign to develop $1 million to 
establish the USC MAAA Endowment Fund, and for the 1995-96 academic 
year, the USC MAAA included graduate students as scholarship recipients 
for the first time.
  Raul has received numerous awards and honors in recognition of his 
selfless service to our community. Among those have been the Arizona 
State University Hispanic Alumni Association Recognition Award, the 
Bishop Amat High School Msgr. Thomas A. Kiefer Humanitarian Award, the 
TRW Career Opportunities for Youth Award, the Fiesta Educativa Award, 
the Mexican-American Opportunity Foundation Aztec Award, the National 
Hispanic Scholarship Fund Hispanic of the Year Award, the National 
Network of Hispanic Women Leadership Award, and honorary membership to 
the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. His membership in 
professional organizations includes the USC Skull and Dagger Society, 
the USC Mortar Board, Fiesta Educativa, Inc., Navidad En El Barrio, 
Ramona Convent High School, The East Los Angeles Community Union 
Scholarship Committee, McDonald's Scholarship Committee, and staff 
advisor to the USC Latino Business Student Association.
  Raul and his wife, Marcia, currently reside in Upland, CA. Both his 
daughter, Tracie, and his son, Cesar, followed in their father's 
footsteps and attended USC.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I ask my colleagues to rise 
and join me in paying tribute to my friend, Raul Vargas, a man who has 
lived his life serving others and creating opportunities for our 
community's students.

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