Hispanic Heritage Board honors AU prof

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Dr. Eva Serrano, an associate professor at Aurora University, delivers the keynote address at the Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board's 10th annual community breakfast on Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. Serrano is the 2012 recipient of the Pete Perez Award, which honors the legacy of the former Aurora Police Officer and Kane County undersheriff and recognizes outstanding leadership and impact on the Hispanic community. | Jeff Cagle~For Sun-Times Media

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Updated: January 29, 2012 2:33AM

AURORA — Eva Serrano, an assistant professor at Aurora University, believes in stewardship. She believes in helping students achieve a high level of success while helping them receive their diplomas.

How she came to that spot in her life was the subject of her keynote speech at the Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board’s 10th annual community breakfast Friday at the Gaslight Manor.

Every day she is lucky enough to work with students who want to change the world, she said.

“My job is to help them achieve that.”

Family and gathering with other Hispanics at events such as the heritage breakfast have been sources of inspiration, she said. Her parents were the example that led her to a life of cultivating and nurturing gifts in others. They were immigrants from Mexico and Puerto Rico, who came together in Chicago to start a family. They both left their comfort zones to try something new.

“You can have a vision and work toward achieving it,” she said.

She ended with a reflective question for the audience.

“My question to you now is, what inspires you?” she said. “What creates a sense of urgency for you to give back?”

Serrano is the director of Aurora University’s Latino Initiatives. For her work with Aurora University and the Latino community in Aurora, she was presented with the Pete Perez Award Friday. Perez, father of Kane County Sheriff Pat Perez, was an Aurora police officer for 21 years, a Kane County undersheriff for 13 years, and a longtime advocate for the Hispanic community.

“I have passion, like you, for the power of education,” Serrano told the audience. “Thank you for honoring the work that we do with our students.”

Several East and West Aurora students received awards as well.

Kindergarten through second-grade coloring contest: David Colobong, first place, second grade, St. Peter Catholic School; Anissa Corral, second place, second grade, Hill Elementary School; Leslie Bazan-Gomez, third place, first grade, Beaupre Elementary School.

Third- through fifth-grade poster contest: Krushi Patel, first place, fourth grade, Hill Elementary School; Liliana Rubio, second place, third grade, Hill Elementary School; Yair N. Guerrero, third place, third grade, McCleery Elementary School.

Sixth- through eighth-grade essay contest: Casha Wright, first place, eighth grade, Cowherd Middle School; Ana Laura Favela, second place, seventh grade, Simmons Middle School; Emmanuel Monjarraz, third place, seventh grade, Simmons Middle School.

Ninth- through 11th-grade youth leadership award: Jennifer Garcia, East Aurora High School; Jessica Jimenez, East Aurora High School; and Cesar Ortega, East Aurora High School.

Scholarships were also awarded to David Aquino, Julio Flores, Marisela Soto, Rosa Nevarez, Miguel Hernandez, Galilea Sanchez, Jaely Pratt, Marissa Martinez, David Andre Aleman and Veronica Soto.