FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, July 29, 2003

Peace Corps Director Vasquez to Speak at

{'html': "WASHINGTON, D.C., July 29, 2003 – Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez will be a featured speaker at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities’ (HACU) 5th International Conference, “Hispanics: Re-Encounter and Vision: United by the Past, Working in the Present, and Looking Towards the Future,” held July 26th through the 29th, in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Director Vasquez will focus on the Peace Corps’ educational efforts across the globe. The International Conference offers a bilingual platform for discussing the latest trends, model programs, research, and cutting edge issues regarding Hispanic higher education. The conference will create articulation agreements, enhance partners, and form collaborations through the use of technology that will serve as models for emerging global communities in higher education.

“I welcome the chance to share our Peace Corps success stories and learn from other educational organizations. By coming together to exchange the latest information and successful strategies, we can better equip our Peace Corps volunteers with the most up-to-date techniques and ideas to share in their host communities,” Director Vasquez stated.

HACU represents 340 colleges and universities serving more than two-thirds of Hispanic higher education students in the United States, as well as an international membership of leading higher education institutions in Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Spain.

Gaddi Vasquez is the Agency's first Hispanic-American Director. Mr. Vasquez' 22-year public service career includes service at the city, county, state and federal levels of government. He began his service as a police officer in the City of Orange, California. The former Southern California Edison Company executive and Hispanic Liaison to the California Governor’s Office was named six times by Hispanic Business magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States.

Since 1961, more than 170,000 volunteers have served in the Peace Corps, working in such diverse fields as education, health and HIV/AIDS education, information technology, business development, the environment, and agriculture. Peace Corps Volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a two-year commitment.



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