Liberal Arts Faculty Member Earns McDonald’s Hispanos Triunfadores Award
This fall, a faculty member from UTEP’s College of Liberal Arts received one of the highest honors in the Paso Del Norte region: the prestigious Hispanos Triunfadores award. Presented by McDonald’s for over 20 years, the award recognizes exceptional individuals in El Paso for their service and dedication to inspiring youth.
Yolanda Chávez Leyva, Ph.D., professor of history and director of UTEP’s Institute of Oral History, received the accolade in recognition of her lifelong commitment to serving the Latin community.
Other recipients of this year’s award include Monica Moreno, president of The Job Connection staffing agency; Elizabeth U. Sinclair, president of the El Paso Museum of History Foundation and discovery guide at La Nube; CREED Executive Director Eduardo Rodriguez; Attorney Sylvia Borunda Firth; and Christian Servin, Ph.D., professor of computer science at El Paso Community College.
Leyva’s path to the Triunfadores award began with her early passion for storytelling. She began working on her first oral histories in 1978 while studying at The University of Texas at Austin, during the height of the Chicano movement, which she said sparked a new era for young Mexican American professionals.
“Although I studied business, it was Chicano Studies that kept me learning. After graduating, I spent ten years as a social worker by accident,” Leyva shared, reflecting humorously on her early career. “I moved back to El Paso to care for my parents. I was still young, so I decided to try something new and went back to school to become a historian.”
While pursuing graduate studies at UTEP, Leyva became well acquainted with the University’s extensive oral history collection and eventually joined UTEP as a public history professor in 2001. In 2015, she became Director of the Oral History Department.
“Even as a kid, I always listened to people’s stories. I guess I always had the energy to let people share their lives with me,” Leyva said, hinting at the joy she derives from her career.
Erika Villegas in the UTEP Provost’s Office nominated Leyva for the Hispanos Triunfadores award without her knowledge. The researcher had previously documented an interview with Villegas’ father, mother and grandfather.
“It was a big surprise; it was a beautiful ceremony,” Leyva said. “I love what I do and have since day one, and I hope to continue my work until my final day.”
Last Updated on November 12, 2024 at 12:00 AM | Originally published November 12, 2024
By MC Staff UTEP Marketing and Communications
