The Latin Chamber of Commerce’s Career Day Scholarship Program reached another

important milestone in its long and storied twenty-two year existence. This year, the program broke the $1 million mark for the first time in the amount of scholarships

that have been awarded to local Hispanic youth since the start of the program in 1984.

This year, 2007, the Latin Chamber of Commerce awarded 115 scholarships to students who will attend, or already attending, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (44 students), the University of Nevada, Reno (14 students), the Nevada State College (10 students,) and the College of Southern Nevada (36 students). In addition, 4 students received the MGM Mirage Scholars Scholarship, and 6 advanced students received the MGM Mirage’s 4th Year Scholarship. All told, 1,152 students have now received scholarships from the Latin Chamber of Commerce of Nevada and the Chamber’s education and business partners.

This year’s students were feted at the 22nd Annual Scholarship Luncheon held on March 29, 2007, at the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino. On hand to congratulate the students were Dr. Walt Rulffes, Superintendent of Schools for the Clark County School District, Dr. David Ashley, President of UNLV, Dr. Fred Maryanski, President, Nevada State College, Dr. Richard Carpenter, President, College of Southern Nevada, and Jim Rogers, Chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education. The keynote speakers for the event were Sherman Frederick, Publisher of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and Dr. Carlos Campo, who at the time was the Dean of Arts and Letters for the College of Southern Nevada and currently is the Interim Vice-President for Academic Affairs at the college.

Of particular relevance was the speech given by Dr. Carlos Campo. Carlos is a native Las Vegan who received his BA, MA, and PhD in English from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. As the highlight of his speech, Carlos recounted the remarkable tale of his father, the legendary Cuban band leader, Pupi Campo, who was a major Latino recording artist and the band leader on the Jack Paar Tonight Show during the 1950’s. Paar was the predecessor to Johnny Carson.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Carlos Campo, Interim V.P. for Academics, College of Southern Nevada

Carlos told the audience how his father came alone to the United States at age 16 and how he got into the entertainment business, first as a dancer and then as a musician, and later how he became a band leader and sometime movie actor. Carlos also shared with the audience, how his father and mother met and fell in love on the Jack Paar Show. His mother, Betty Clooney, the sister of famed pop singer, Rosemary Clooney, and Pupi Campo were married on national television on the Jack Paar Show and later had three children.

After telling the audience the story of his famous father, Carlos surprised everyone by introducing his 81 year old father, who was sitting in the audience. When introduced by his son, Pupi Campo stood up and received long and loud ovation. It was a moving moment for Carlos and his father, and for everyone in attendance.

Following Dr. Campo’s eloquent and moving speech, Dr. Walt Rulffes, Larry Mason, Alma Garcia-Vining and myself, Tom Rodriguez, distributed the scholarship awards letter and congratulated the 114 students who received scholarships. Photographs

were then taken and everyone left the luncheon feeling good about themselves and

the good things that have been accomplished by the Career Day Breakfast and the Career Day Scholarship Program. Congratulations to all involved!

by Tom Rodriguez