President Obama appointed UNM alumnus Adrián A. Pedroza to the White House Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics last week.
Pedroza graduated from the Anderson School of Management in 1998 and helped found the UNM chapter of Lambda Theta Phi fraternity.
He also served on UNM’s Graduation Task Force sub-committee and ran a program called “Finishing What We Start: Improving Degree Completion at the University of New Mexico.”
He said his work with UNM’s high school equivalency and College Assistance Migrant Programs has been rewarding.
“It’s amazing to see students who at one time believed that going to college and getting a higher education was unattainable prepare to begin (for) their first semester,” Pedroza said.
Pedroza also serves as the executive director for the Albuquerque Partnership for Community Action, which assists in youth development against drugs and alcohol, and he is part of the NM Men’s Council for Boys and Young Men through the Albuquerque Partnership.
Pedroza will also work side-by-side with pop singer Shakira, who is also a member of Obama’s commission. Obama said he is looking forward to working with the commission.
“I am grateful that these impressive individuals have chosen to dedicate their talents to serving the American people at this important time for our country,” he said in a press release. “I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”
According to Glorimar Maldonado, chief of staff for the White House Initiative on Education Excellence for Hispanics, Hispanic populations have the lowest education attainment levels of any group in the country.
She said Obama has set a goal of having the most college graduates in the world by the year 2020. According to the Office of Public Engagement, the commission will provide advice to President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan in order to achieve that goal.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
