D. D. Hachar Charitable Trust Expands Support of TAMIU's Honors Program

Fifty-one local and area high school students will see their higher education dreams realized through an expanded honors scholarship program by the D. D. Hachar Charitable Trust Fund or through the University's President's Scholars program.

Dr. Ray Keck, University president, said the D. D. Hachar Charitable Trust has expanded its support of the honors program, which will allow the University to continue to provide special incentives and learning opportunities for students participating in the D. D. Hachar Honors Program.

To date, the Trust has provided over $300,000 of scholarship support for the program.

"This expansion will allow us to continue to provide Honors Program students with remarkable learning opportunities. Thanks to the leadership and generosity of the D. D. Hachar Charitable Trust, we will be able to increase program participation by an additional 37 students. To date, 99 students have enrolled in the program, now in its third year. By the end of its fourth year, we expect to enroll approximately 140 students in the city's only four-year Honors Program," he explained.

Vidal Trevino, executive director of the D. D. Hachar Charitable Trust, said the group is delighted with the progress of the D. D. Hachar Honors Program at the University and honored to be able to continue to enhance the program.

"The Honors Program is doing much better than we anticipated. We are now entering our third year and program participation is at a level that we projected for the fourth year. The quality of the students is impressive and they are performing beyond our wildest expectations," Trevino explained.

"The faculty here is remarkable and they are sharing their gift of knowledge, providing these students with an exciting program. I'm very proud to have had a role in helping this program to develop and I'm certain that the Trust will continue to do all that we can to ensure the further growth of a Texas A&M International University program that I feel is making the most significant contribution to the future of our city and area," he continued.

Trevino said that he believes the legacy of Trust founder D. D. Hachar is well served by the success of the D. D. Hachar Honors Program.

"When all is said and done, there can be no more satisfying legacy for one's life than to help another to be the best that they can be through the power of education. This is the best and most fitting tribute to the life and love of the late D. D. Hachar," he concluded.

He noted that since its inception, the Trust, administered by The Laredo National Bank Trust Department, has assisted over 10,000 Laredo area students with more than $7 million in scholarships for higher education while also providing over $7.5 million in grants to various non-profit organizations in the Laredo area.

President's Scholars are selected by the University's Honors Committee and must meet established academic criteria including a high school GPA of 95

and a SAT score of 1200 or an ACT score of 27.

Incoming D. D. Hachar or President's Scholars for the Fall 2002 at Texas A&M International University include the following:

J. B. Alexander High School

D. D. Hachar Scholars

Amanda Cadena, Jaqueline Ferdin, Rosalie Jiménez, Carlos Nuñez, Jr., Devry M. Saenz, San Juanita Sánchez, Valerie A. Vásquez, Jose Molina, Victor Salinas, and Erika Sepulveda.

President's Scholars

Maribel Flores, Samuel Flores, Michael C. Foster, Todd Gianelloni.

Martin High School

D. D. Hachar Scholars

Norma A. Cadena, Norma Y. Flores, Lee A. García, Victor Linares, Homero Palacios, Dahlia Serna.

J. W. Nixon High School

D. D. Hachar Scholars

Natalie Ibarra, Linda Martínez, Veronica Garcia and Wesley B. Leal.

President's Scholars

Kimberly Cantu

Cigarroa High School

D. D. Hachar Scholars

Roberto J. Flores, Elena Reyna, Leizza L. Salazar.

Eagle Pass High School

President's Scholars

Sana Ali.

Freer High School

President's scholars

Danielle Lerma.

Home School

D. D. Hachar Scholars

Rachel Haugen.

St. Augustine High School

D. D. Hachar Scholars

Liz A. Sandoval.

United High School

D. D. Hachar Scholars

Abigail Armendariz, Anna Y. Garza, and Monica Guzman.

President's Scholars

Ingrid Benavides, Roberto Flores, Carlos Maldonado III

United South High School

D. D. Hachar Scholars

Elia C. García, Dania G�mez, Javier Rodriguez, Rosa E. Villarreal, José L. Zamora and Noreva Medina.

President's Scholars

Michael Carillo.

Vidal M. Treviño Magnet School

D. D. Hachar Scholars

Natalie Ibarra, Wesley B. Leal, Homero Palacios.

President's Scholars

Kimberly Cantu.

Zapata High School

President's Scholars

Ignacio A. Flores, Julian García, Eliza A. López.

Uvalde High School

President's Scholars

Alexander Soler.

For additional information on the D. D. Hachar Honors Program or the President's Scholars, please contact Honors Program Director Dr. Carlos Cuellar, assistant professor of history, at 326.2626 or by email at ccuellar@tamiu.edu. Information the program is also available from area high school counselors.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu