SLI program director and board vice chair Carlos Alemán was honored as “Outstanding Faculty Partner” during the James Madison University Community Engagement and Volunteer Center (CEVC) Community-Campus Celebration breakfast in April.
A professor of communication studies, Alemán will complete his terms on the SLI board this year after being involved with SLI in Harrisonburg since its earliest years. Incorporated in 2012, SLI’s mission is to support Latino/a/x high school students with college access through rigorous academic challenge, leadership development, scholarships, and supportive mentorships.
CEVC co-creates just and sustainable communities through collaborative, mutually beneficial partnerships, and cultivates opportunities that enhance student learning and advance community priorities.
In her nomination of Alemán for the award, SLI board chair Fawn-Amber Montoya, professor of history at JMU, described his contributions to the community through his SLI board service, support of students including SLI scholars as a JMU professor in residence for Harrisonburg City Public Schools, and collaborative spirit across organizations.
Along with his fellow program director and board member Hannah Bowman Hrasky, a teacher at Rocktown High School, Alemán is known by students for his supportive spirit. The two were honored during the Harrisonburg Meet & Greet earlier this year, when students shared about their life-changing impact through SLI.
“Dr. Alemán always has words to encourage me, wise words that I often tend to take home and think about all the time,” said Leonardo, a junior and SLI scholar at RHS. “Without both of them, I wouldn’t be as far as I am in school and life as I am now.”
A collaboration with high school and university faculty, staff, and students, SLI has served 223 scholars (67 current and 156 alumni) and awarded students more than $917,000. This year is “SLI’s Million Dollar Año,” when the organization anticipates passing the $1 million mark in total awards to students. SLI alumni have attended 29 colleges and universities.
