[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6252]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                   TRIBUTE TO IVON PADILLA-RODRIGUEZ

 Mr. HELLER. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Ivon 
Padilla-Rodriguez, an honors program student at the University of 
Nevada, Reno.
  Ms. Padilla-Rodriguez was selected for a prestigious 2014 Harry S. 
Truman Scholarship from among the Nation's most competitive applicants. 
The award is given annually for those of demonstrated leadership and 
public service. She is the fourth student in UNR's history to receive 
the award. Her hard work is deservingly rewarded through the 
scholarship, as she plans to utilize the funds toward her goal of 
becoming a legal advocate.
  Focused, bright, and driven are just a few of the words used by Ms. 
Padilla-Rodriguez's mentors and colleagues to describe her attributes. 
Overcoming homelessness and becoming a Truman Scholar are far from her 
only accolades: this year she was also named one of the 10 Top College 
Women by Glamour Magazine, and in 2011, she secured $100,000 as a 
scholarship from Dr. Pepper in one of their annual Tuition Giveaway 
challenges.
  A dedication to the community is evident through her commitment to 
adolescent outreach. In 2012, Ms. Padilla-Rodriguez co-founded 
Spotlight, a free improvisational theater program in Reno for youth, 
and she even carried her improvisational talents to Costa Rica, where 
she shared the skills with orphans while studying abroad.
  Above all, Ms. Padilla-Rodriguez has maintained a dedication to her 
studies. A junior honors student, she is double majoring in English and 
history, and working toward a minor in philosophy of law, ethics, and 
politics. In all of her free time, she conducts research at UNR's 
Latino Research Center on immigration reform. She has been invited as 
one of 60 college students in the Nation to present her research on 
Capitol Hill later this month.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Ivon Padilla-
Rodriguez on all of her successes thus far.

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