Annual Gala
13th Annual LSF Gala: PERU
On the evening of March 13, 2013, the Latino Student Fund (LSF) held its 13th Annual Gala, “PERU,” at the Organization of American States in Washington, DC. The event was hosted by His Excellency, Ambassador of Peru and Mrs. Harold Forsyth. As the biggest fundraising event of the year, the Gala was a great success, raising over $200,000 to support the LSF’s mission to provide opportunities for a strong academic foundation for PreK-12th grade students of Hispanic descent to promote higher education and professional leadership.
The Gala was attended by friends and supporters of the Latino Student Fund, as well as prominent members of the Latino community of Washington, DC. Among the guests were Secretary General to the Organization of American States, Jose Miguel Insulza, H.E. Ambassador and Mrs. Harold Forsyth, Embassy of Peru; H.E. Ambassador Muni Figueres, Embassy of Costa Rica; Alcides Montiel, Minister Counselor of the Embassy of Nicaragua; Ana O’Brien, Chief of the Office of Protocol of the Organization of American States; Chris Simmons, Managing Partner for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) for the Washington Metro Region; Angela Franco, President and CEO for the GWHCC.
The evening featured a cocktail hour and silent auction followed by dinner and a live auction. Speeches were delivered by His Excellency, Harold Forsyth, Ambassador of Peru and Honorary Patron of the Gala, as well as LSF Board Chair and Co-Founder, Rosalia Miller, LSF Executive Director, Maria Fernanda Borja, and Gala Chairs, Lisa Fuentes and Dianela Urdaneta de Ratha. Auction Co-Chairs, Alice and Maria Pereira were also recognized for their efforts and dedication. The Student Keynote Speaker was LSF Scholar Natalie Reynolds, a senior at Georgetown Visitation. During the program, the Ambassador of Costa Rica, Muni Figueres, was presented the 2013 Ambassadorial Award by LSF Board President, Idalia Fernandez. The award was presented on behalf of the Latino Student Fund with appreciation and respect for Her Excellency’s steadfast support of the LSF and the Latino community. For more information about the Latino Student Fund, visitwww.latinostudentfund.org or call (202)244-3438.
2012 Gala: 'Costa Rica, Color Caribe'
The 12th annual LSF Gala took place on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at the Organization of the American States. We would like to thank Her Excellency H.E. Muni Figueres, the Ambassador of Costa Rica, for hosting the event.
The Gala is an evening of celebration, music, cocktails, and food from around the Latin World and is well-attended by guests of the community including corporate, political, diplomatic, and local community leaders.
2011 LSF Gala: "ESPANA"
The 11th annual LSF Gala was held on Wednesday, March 9, 2011. It was hosted by His Excellency the Ambassador of Spain and Mrs. Jorge Dezcallar. The Gala, held at the Organization of American States, was an evening of celebration, music, cocktails and food from Spain and around the Latin World. Thanks to all who contributed to the event's success.
2010 LSF Gala Announced: "Chile, A Refreshing Breeze from the Extreme South"
The LSF is proud to announce that the date for the 10th Annual Gala will be Thursday, March 4th, 2010. The 2010 Gala will be hosted by His Excellency José Leyton and Mrs. Loreto Leyton from the Embassy of Chile. The LSF’s annual Gala celebrates the accomplishments of both the organization and its many supporters in securing educational opportunities for Hispanic youth.
The Gala is an evening of celebration, music, cocktails, and food from around the Latin World and is well-attended by guests of the community including corporate, political, diplomatic, and local community leaders.
2009 LSF Gala: "A Taste of Mexico"
The 9th annual gala, “A Taste of Mexico” was held on Thursday, March 5, 2009 at the Organization of American States. The evening was a well-attended event hosted by His Excellency Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan and Mrs. Veronica Valencia-Sarukhan of Mexico. In attendance were various community leaders, diplomats, and members of the Latino Student Fund’s family of supporters.
The Gala honored Mr. Joseph E. Robert, Jr., who was presented with an award for being a visionary, community builder, and champion of education. The featured student speaker of the evening, LSF alumnus Adrian Rivas, discussed his history with the LSF and his own goals for the future after he graduates from Boston College. “A Taste of Mexico” was an enchanting evening that raised $150K for the LSF’s educational programs. We extend our deepest gratitude to all of those who participated and to those volunteers who made this event such a success.
2008 LSF Gala: "Encanto Guaraní"
The LSF 8th Annual Gala, ‘Encanto Guaraní’ under the patronage of His Excellency Ambassador and Mrs. Spalding of Paraguay, was held on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at the Organization of American States in the Hall of the Americas. The Gala, which draws the Diplomatic Corps, corporate and business leaders, educators and supporters of the Latino Student Fund, was a vibrant evening of music, cocktails and cuisine featuring the best of Paraguay and Latin culture. In addition to the festivities, the LSF Gala includes dynamic live and silent auctions. All funds received through sponsorship, auction items, or individual donations are directed toward the operations and management of LSF educational programs.
2007 Gala "Son Caribeño"
This year’s gala was held on the evening of March 9, 2007 and was hosted by the Ambassador to the United States from the Dominican Republic H.E. Flavio Dario Espinal and his wife Minerva de Espinal. The gala theme was “Son Caribeño” to reflect the Caribbean flavor and sound of our host country.
The event was held for the first time at the Katzen Center for the Arts at American University and honored the US Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank, Mr. Luis Alberto Moreno. LSF alumnae, Vanessa del Aguila, flew into town from Cornell to speak about the importance of a quality education in pursuing ones goals and dreams. The evening culminated in dancing and was a tremendous success. We would like to thank all those individuals who gave tirelessly of their time to ensure that “Son Caribeño” was such a success including our event chair, Mrs. Arlene Shapiro, and the gala co-chairs Mrs. Cindy Sanchez, Mrs. Patricia Saca, and Mrs. Dianela Urdaneta de Ratha. The LSF would also like to extend a thank you to our corporate sponsors whose generosity and support made “Son Caribeño” possible.
