AAHHE Mildred García Founders' Award

The AAHHE Mildred García Founders’ Award is given in the spirit of the extraordinary leadership, stewardship, and courage evidenced by the founding members of the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education. This award honors an individual or organization demonstrating an exemplary commitment to advancing access and success of the Latinx population in higher education; evidencing a pioneering spirit in forging transformational avenues and inclusionary opportunities that support and promote Latinx issues; and achieving outstanding accomplishments aligned with AAHHE’s mission. The AAHHE Founders' Award is now named after Dr. Mildred García. You may see Dr. García's biography and photo here.

Founding Members (January 2003) include:

William Aguilar, California State University, San Bernardino; Norma V. Cantú, School of Law, University of Texas at Austin; Dr. Jaime Chahin, Texas State University; Dr. Mildred García, American Association of State Colleges & Universities; Mr. Dave Gonzales, State Farm Insurance Companies, Western Zone; Dr. Juan C. Gonzales, College of Education, University of Texas at Austin; Dr. Virginia Gonzalez, North Hampton Community College; Dr. Alfredo de los Santos Jr., Hispanic Research Center, Arizona State University; Dr. Estela López, Connecticut State University System; Dr. Loui Olivas, Professor Emeritus, WP Carey School of Business, Arizona State University; Dr. Eduardo Padrón, President, Retired, Miami Dade Community College; Mr. Jesus Rangel, Anheuser-Busch Company; Dr. Ricardo Romo, President, Retired, The University of Texas – San Antonio. 

2025 AAHHE Mildred Garcia Founders' Award Recipient

Ana Mari Cauce, PhD
President
University of Washington

Ana Mari Cauce, PhD is the 33rd president of the University of Washington, where she has been a member of the faculty since 1986. A graduate of the University of Miami and Yale University, she is a noted scholar on risk and resilience among adolescents and has received numerous awards for her research as well as the University’s Distinguished Teaching Award. Before becoming president in 2015, she served as chair of the Departments of American Ethnic Studies and Psychology, as dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and as provost, the University’s chief academic officer. In 2008, she played a key role in establishing the Husky Promise, a program that has helped more than 40,000 low-income students attend the UW.  Since becoming president, Cauce has put a spotlight on the UW’s work in population health across the University, launched the University’s Race & Equity Initiative and been a champion for ensuring the UW and public higher education across the country remain accessible and affordable for all students. In recognition of her leadership in population health and groundbreaking research, she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine. Throughout her career, she has worked to advance the University’s mission of serving the public good by focusing on the UW’s impact on the lives of the people in Washington and throughout the world.  

List of past recipients of the previously known Founder's Award:

  • 2024 David Fuentes, PhD
  • 2023 Michele Siqueiros
  • 2022 Adela de la Torre, PhD
  • 2021 Joe I. Castro
  • 2020 Monica C. Lozano
  • 2019 Mari-Luci Jaramillo
  • 2018 Gary Francisco Keller