NHI accepting nominations for Person of the Year and other year-end awards

The National Hispanic Institute is requesting nominations for a series of awards to be presented at the end of the year. As it has done since 2017, NHI will bestow a Person of the Year award, unveiled on NHIMagazine.com five minutes before midnight on New Year’s Eve. NHI is also reviving a series of awards it presented annually to coincide with its Celebración event. 

The NHI Person of the Year is given to an NHI alumnus or alumna who NHI annually exemplifies the organization’s core values and fundamentals, providing leadership rooted in an asset-based perspective and community equity building. NHI Founder and President Ernesto Nieto conceived the award as a way to honor select NHI family members providing engaged and inspirational leadership advancing the global Latino community. 

Past recipients of the award include: 

• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, awarded as she was in the midst of her historical campaign for U.S. Congress; 
• Nick Lopez, President & CEO at Latin American Educational Foundation and a longtime leader in education; and 
• Anita Fernandez, Co-Founder and Partner at OCI Group, a San Antonio consulting firm created by NHI alumni to support “social purpose businesses.” 

NHI also seeks to honor contributions impacting its summer leadership program series through bringing back the following awards, to be announced at the start of the new year: 

• College of the Year
• High School of the Year
• School District of the Year
• College Student of the Year – Community Equity Builder
• High School Counselor of the Year

“These awards showcase the contributions of all those who make NHI summer programs transformational and immersive educational experiences for our students,” said Nicole Nieto, Executive Vice President. “Our host colleges and universities provide memorable and inspirational settings for our students to learn and grow. The school districts, high schools, and counselors at those schools help us identify high-performing students with leadership capabilities. And college students provide a crucial perspective as part of our program staffs, as well as inspirational leadership for our college-bound high schoolers.” 

To nominate a Person of the Year candidate and award winners, submit this Google Form by Monday, Dec. 2. Candidates will be reviewed by an NHI committee helping to determine award winners, and nominations will help NHI leadership learn more about those in the NHI family making meaningful contributions to its mission.