BOWLING GREEN, O.—Raquel Colon, a student trustee on the Bowling Green State University Board of Trustees, received the Latino Youth Leadership Award at the Diamante Community Awards ceremony Sept. 9 at Lourdes College.

Colon, a junior majoring in political science at BGSU, was one of three finalists for the award, which was also won by Bowling Green senior Juan Martinez, an electronics and computer technology major from Weslaco, Texas, in 2004.

Now sponsored by BGSU, Owens Community College, the University of Toledo, Lourdes College and the Medical University of Ohio, the Diamante Awards recognize exemplary achievement and hard work; ongoing dedication and commitment to contributing to the quality of life for Latinos in northwest Ohio and/or proven excellence in fields of endeavor while having a positive impact on Latino youth and community, and ethical standards and honorable character attributed to quality leadership and mentorship in the Latino community.

The first Latina to serve as a student trustee at the University, Colon is past president of the BGSU Latino Student Union and served as the LSU secretary in 2003-04. She is also a member of the Diversity Leadership Team and participated in the University’s LeaderShape Institute. She is the daughter of Diana Segura of Curtice and Roberto Colon of Oregon, Ohio.

“I am extremely impressed by Raquel’s determination in all of her community service endeavors … and her dedication to the Latino community,” wrote Yolanda Flores, faculty adviser for the Latino Cultural Arts Organization, Sigma Lambda Gamma sorority and Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity, in a nomination letter for Colon. “Raquel is an excellent student academically and exemplifies an admirable sense of character and integrity.”

Colon was also among five BGSU students who received first-time scholarships at the Sept. 9 ceremony. She was awarded the $600 Diamante BGSU Owens-Corning Scholarship. Receiving $1,000 Diamante BGSU Daimler-Chrysler Scholarships were Diana Burbante, a senior interpersonal communication major from Brownsville, Texas, and Meghan Martinez, a junior health science major from Lorain.

Other recipients of $600 awards were Naomi Valdez, a junior international studies major from Findlay and winner of the Diamante BGSU Foundation Scholarship, and Latasha Walker, a sophomore from Lansing, Mich., who received the Diamante BGSU National City Bank Scholarship. Walker has not yet chosen a major field of study.

The Diamante Awards were founded in 1989 by IMAGE of Northwest Ohio, a Latino advocacy organization, to recognize Hispanic contributions in the Toledo area and to raise scholarship funds for Latino students wishing to attend college.

(Posted September 20, 2005)