Washington, DC (June 17, 2008) – U. S. Representative Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX), along with Exxon Mobil Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rex Tillerson, have been chosen as the 2008 recipients of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) Inspira Award. The annual award honors leadership in education for Latinos and for inspiring a new generation of Hispanic leaders in the United States. Last year’s Inspira awardee was Actor Wilmer Valderrama. 

Rep. Hinojosa and Tillerson were honored on Capitol Hill during the 11th Annual Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards in Washington, D.C., which recognizes more than 20 outstanding students from the region.  Washington, DC was the last of the 12 Regional Youth Awards ceremonies which have honored more than 200 Hispanic high school seniors and provided more than $600,000 in educational grants. 

Rep. Hinojosa has played an instrumental role in helping to improve educational and workforce-improvement programs for minorities and low-income families. In addition to the many education initiatives he has supported, Rep. Hinojosa founded the year-round program Hispanic Engineering, Science, and Technology, or HESTEC, in 2002.  Held at The University of Texas-Pan American, HESTEC serves as a catalyst to increase the number of Hispanic students pursuing careers in science, technology, and engineering. The week’s events include workshops, motivational speakers, celebrities, and interactive activities that attract over 30,000 participants.

Rep. Hinojosa is widely recognized as a powerful voice for communities traditionally left behind in America's education system. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness, Hinojosa helped pass the College Cost Reduction Act which will allow students to pursue higher educational goals by making college more affordable. Rep. Hinojosa also serves as chairman of the Education Task Force for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and has had tremendous success in vaulting Hispanic-Serving Institutions to a position of prominence.

“I am extremely honored to be selected for this prestigious award,” said Rep. Hinojosa. “Education is the cornerstone of opportunity. It paves the way to improve technology, spreads new knowledge, advances innovation and ultimately shapes our future. It is vital that Hispanic-serving organizations, educational institutions and corporations help America stay competitive by advancing our educational system and capitalize upon the abundance of young and talented Hispanic students.”
 

Hinojosa noted that he was honored to share the award with Rex Tillerson, a native Texan and Chairman and CEO of the world's largest publicly traded oil company. Tillerson has also been a strong advocate of improving opportunities for minorities and women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Exxon Mobil, under the helm of Tillerson, has been a key supporter of programs such as HESTEC that encourage more Hispanic students to attain higher educational achievements.

Last year, Rex Tillerson joined Rep. Hinojosa to address more than 1,000 middle and high school students, business leaders and parents as part of Robotics Expo Day at the sixth-annual HESTEC Week. Tillerson discussed opportunities available in math and science education, emphasizing the critical shortage of students and the even smaller representation of Hispanics in these fields. 

Tillerson and Exxon Mobil, along with leaders in America’s education community, have also launched the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) is a major new non-profit designed to help America maintain its global leadership position in technological innovation. NMSI aims to scale-up two proven programs: training and incentive programs for AP and pre-AP courses and UTeach. UTeach is a program that encourages math and science majors to enter the teaching profession by offering an integrated degree plan, financial assistance, and early teaching experiences for undergraduates. Exxon Mobil Corporation announced its support for the initiative with a commitment of $125 million.

“To be recognized by the Hispanic Heritage Foundation is a great honor,” said Tillerson. “In today’s challenging fields such as technology and energy, our nation needs more brilliant minds than ever before, that is why we support programs like the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, which emphasizes the importance of role models, including those who have succeeded in the math and science fields, while celebrating the unique Latino culture that brings added strength and dimension to our nation’s workforce.”

According to Jose Antonio Tijerino, HHF president and CEO, the Inspira Award was created to honor Latino leaders who inspire youth and diversity in the public and private sector, and in the media. 

“The Inspira Award recognizes those who have taken a leadership role in breaking barriers and creating opportunities for Hispanic youth,” said Tijerino. “We commend Rex Tillerson for his vision in encouraging and facilitating young Latinos to focus on science, technology, math and science through our Youth Awards and countless other efforts including the National Math and Science Initiative.  We also loudly applaud the lifetime of commitment of Rep. Hinojosa who is our champion from barrios to Capitol Hill on the issue of increasing educational opportunities for Latinos.  They are truly an inspiration.”

About the Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards
The Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards were created to identify, promote and prepare Latino leaders by celebrating their accomplishments in the classroom and community and putting them in a position from which to lead.  These young leaders are promoted as role models for their peers and the Youth Awards feed a youth Speakers Bureau, the Mi Mentors program and LOFT (Latinos on Fast Track) workforce program (visit www.HHFvideo.com for a brief introduction).

The Hispanic Heritage Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, identifies, prepares, and positions Latino leaders in the community, classroom and workforce through national cultural, educational, and career development programs. For more information about the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, please visit www.HispanicHeritage.org.

###