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Since
1974, the USC MAAA has awarded nearly $14 million in scholarships to
approximately 6,700 students, raising more than $3.5 million for the
USC MAAA Endowment Fund.
However,
due to this turbulent economic climate and the forced cutbacks of corporate
sponsorship and philanthropy, we are down 44% from last year’s scholarship
allocation. If we do nothing, fewer deserving students will benefit from
the support of the USC MAAA.
So in a
moment of visualization, I sat down and imagined what it would be like if
every single one of USC MAAA's 6,700 former scholarship recipients gave back
with a $35 annual pledge. We would have $234,500 more in scholarship funds.
This year,
we are asking you - our USC MAAA Family - to invest in the future of USC, our
future alumni and our greater Latino community. Please consider making a
minimum $35 annual contribution to USC MAAA as a symbol for every year we have
been in existence.
Each $35
donation will be matched two-for-one by USC. Imagine the number of Latino students
we can support as they achieve their dream of a university education.
If a financial
investment is not feasible at this time, please consider volunteering as a mentor to
one of our scholars, or sharing your professional and creative talents on one of
our committees.
One thing is
certain in these uncertain times: if we work together, we will only be stronger
and more effective in making good on the promise our founders made 35 years ago.
To make an online donation to the USC MAAA, please go to the USC Annual Giving
web site. Make sure to select (Mexican American Alumni Association)
when making your donation. Please click here
to go to the web site.
Fight
On!
Domenika Lynch, BS 1998
Executive Director
Mexican American Alumni Association
University of Southern California
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Manny Anguiano
5 Questions with Manny Anguiano
by Mary Castillo
Back when he was playing baseball for USC, Manny Anguiano learned the true value of USC MAAA’s scholarship
dollars when he had to give back the money. A year after graduating, he began his 20-year service to USC
MAAA in various capacities. But as chair of the scholarship committee, he is doing the work that is closest
to his heart by helping tomorrow’s Latino leaders embark on a college education.
Talk about the work you do with USC MAAA.
I became a scholarship
committee member right after graduating from USC. After my first year, I was asked to be the committee chair
and that’s what I’ve been doing since 1989. With Geri and Dave Holman, I worked on this year’s golf tournament
committee and we had a very successful event with the help of the office staff and Mr. Vargas and Joe Ramos, who
brought in quite a few golfers. We had a great time and Geri kept us very organized.
Why do you give your time
and expertise to USC MAAA?
I was very fortunate attending USC on a baseball scholarship. When I talked to a few friends who were enrolled
in the business school, they told me about USC MAAA’s scholarship money. So I went to the office and met Mr. Vargas
and Dolores. I picked up an application and turned it in and they gave me an award of $2000. Well at practice, the
coach overheard that I received this scholarship and he told me to give it back or I’d lose my baseball scholarship.
I handed it back to Mr. Vargas with a lot of admiration for what he was doing. When I graduated, I told
Mr. Vargas, “You were going to give me this money without any expectations. How can I help?”
I believe in USC MAAA. The money it raises goes to students who realize how important it is to continue their college education.
How did your USC education prepare you
for your career as partner of Sunset Telecom?
My USC experience playing baseball and attending business school gave me the self discipline to establish goals and work hard to
achieve them. When you’re tight and tired, you have to keep going and not give up. I’m a life-long learner.
I believe that you should never settle on what you know. You have to continue to expand on your knowledge
base to become an effective leader.
What do you say to the middle or
high school student who thinks that a USC education is beyond their means?
I think what we need to convey, and what I try
to convey when I talk to juniors and seniors in high school, is that self discipline and hard work starts now. Nothing
in life is free; you have to go out and get it. Researching universities and scholarships is a collaborative effort
for both students and parents. Costs are not stagnating; in fact, they’re increasing.
Students have to work harder, research
programs and scholarships, fill out applications and then take the time to follow up. There’s an administrator at
USC who took it upon herself to sit down and have college application night once a week with her high school son.
If you don’t preplan or research and wait to the last minute, you could miss out on a lot of money that’s available to you.
To the young alumni who are starting their
careers, what would you say to them about supporting USC?
Obviously these times make it challenging to
donate money. But the young alumni who are still working to establish themselves should realize that time is just
as valuable as dollars. If you carve out a little bit of time to give back in terms of volunteering for different
committees, that will benefit you the in long run. By getting involved in something you really enjoy, it’s a great
way to expand your personal network. I firmly believe in the Trojan family in which everyone is taking care of
one another.
Mary Castillo (BA, LAS 1996) is the author of Switchcraft and Hot Tamara. Her articles have appeared in Latino Future, Rise Up and Tu Ciudad magazines. She and her husband are raising a future Trojan in Orange County, CA. Her website is: marycastillo.com
Mexican American Alumni Programs
University
Park Campus
Student Union Building, Room 203
Los Angeles, CA 90089-4890
Phone: (213) 740-4735
Fax: (213) 740-7250
Email: maaa@usc.edu
Web: http://sait.usc.edu/maaa
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Halloween Bash!
Friday, October 30, 2009
9:00p.m. to 2:00a.m.
The USC MAAA Young Leaders Council invites you to the Second Annual "Monsters and Mistresses" costume bash at Mama Juana's Latin Lounge.
To purchase tickets online, please click here to visit the USC Events website and enter the following ESVP code: MAAAYLCParty or call the USC Mexican American Alumni Programs at (213) 740-4735 to get further information about this event.
Save the Date!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Join fellow USC MAAA Alumni and friends for this year's Homecoming Tailgate Celebration in front of Bovard Auditorium!
This event is scheduled to start 4 hours before kick-off (Game time TBD) and will feature a buffett, drinks, and plenty of Mariachi music. Tickets to this event can be purchased in advanced, but availability is limited.
Please click the following link to download the ordering form for this event or call (213) 740-4735 for more information: Click here to view ordering form.
Fight On!
Eugene and Susan (seated in the center from left to right)
Eugene Santos (MBA '07) and Susan Sifuentes-Trigueros (BS, Accounting '82) received the Widney Alumni House Award at the USC Alumni Association 2009 Volunteer Recognition Dinner on September 25th.
Eugene Santos
(Marshall School of Business, MBA 07) is founding member of the USC MAAA Young Leaders Council and its current Chair. In 2008,
as co-chair of the Professional Development Committee, he coordinated the YLC Career Roundtable that allowed Latino
students access to recruiters and companies. More than 80 students attended the roundtable and 21 companies and nonprofits
attended. Through the roundtable, some of the participating students were offered summer internships.
"Eugene is a model Trojan," said Domenika Lynch, Executive Director of USC MAAA. "He commits to a project and works diligently to deliver results. He's a wonderful representative of MAAA."
Susan Sifuentes-Trigueros has been a board
member of USC MAAA for seven years, served twice as co-chair of the annual gala dinner and is chair of the fundraising
committee. A highly-skilled public relations professional, Sifuentes-Trigueros has been with the Southern California Gas
Company since 1982. In her role as Regional Public Affairs Manager, she is responsible for the Public Affairs' strategic
direction in the Greater Los Angeles area.
"Susan has been an avid supporter of USC MAAA and extraordinary in her efforts to further our mission," Lynch said. "She has co-chaired one of the highest-grossing galas and is a masterful fundraising strategist."
For a complete list of all the Volunteer Recognition Award honorees, please visit http://alumni.usc.edu/leadership/vrd.php.
Oliver Lopez
Meet USC MAAA Scholar: Oliver Lopez
by Mary Castillo
He came from Mexico to the
U.S. at age five and despite the fact that he attended one of the toughest schools in Orange County, Oliver Lopez
is now a first-year Ph.D student in the Biostatistics Division of the USC Keck School of Medicine.
Even though his academic performance and community involvement earned him the USC Mexican American Alumni
Association scholarship, Lopez is not content to just put his nose to the grindstone. As a way of saying
thanks, he tutors his fellow USC MAAA scholars … free of charge!
Ever since high school, you
have been a straight-A student. But rather than just focus on yourself, you organized a peace march so
that your high school could employ accredited counselors to help more students prepare for college. During
your undergraduate and graduate years, you were actively involved in passing The DREAM Act as well as
running your own business to put yourself through school. What fuels your drive and generosity?
It wasn't until
recently that someone said something that encompasses what I've done. "Look to be a blessing, not be blessed."
I'm very fortunate to have the family that I have and the capability to do all that I do. I'm never envious
of people who have more talent or more capabilities or resources than I do. I will continuously give back, even
when I reach a higher level. It's my responsibility to help someone else. As a community we rise and of
course, as Latinos, it's important that young Latinos have a good example. Sometimes all they need is to
hear, "Hey you can do it."
What attracted you to USC?
I love the experience of a private school.
But what mainly attracted me to USC was the department of Biostatistics and its Director. I was impressed with the program
and what it had to offer me. It's nationally ranked and well respected. Also, it's close enough to home that I can commute!
Tutoring is how you put yourself
through school. Are you sure you want to do it for free?
Thanks to USC MAAA, my financial
load is a lot lighter! Tutoring is one of those things that I've learned to be good at. Math provides insight
into how the world works whether its mechanics, business … anything. It's my sense of responsibility to make
sure that people who interact with me develop that ability to see the world differently. I love the whole
one-on-one interaction and seeing the "oh I get it!" moment. That's priceless to me.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Success to me is making sure that
I'm taking care of my family - my parents and my little brother who's in the 7th grade. Once I graduate, I will have
the ability to be active in my community at a higher level. This will give me the opportunity to meet more people
and build a network of friends and colleagues. Hopefully the knowledge that I gain from this experience
will help others in the future.
Volunteer Opportunities
Want to get involved in the
USC MAAA? We have been busy redefining our strategic vision and goals,
which means we are also restructuring our events and committees.
We invite and strongly encourage you to participate! We need volunteers,
fundraisers, event planners, writers, graphic designers, publicity assistants
- you name it! If you are interested, please email us at maaa@usc.edu.
Membership
Now is the time to join. Please register online
and invite your alumni friends to do the same. Please forward this
newsletter to fellow alumni and students who may not have received it,
so that we can expand our reach to old friends and contacts. If you
have changed contact information, please be sure to click on the link
below to update your profile. .
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