News for Hoosiers Lugar Meets Hoosier Senate Hispanic Leadership Summit Attendees On March 20, Senator Lugar met with Hispanic leaders from across Indiana in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Room of the U.S. Capitol Building. The Hoosiers were among a total of 38 nominated by Senator Lugar to participate in the Senate Hispanic Leadership Summit on March 20-21 in Washington, D.C., and the delegation was second only to Texas in number at the summit. Throughout the Summit, delegates participated in policy-based discussions with Members of Congress, the Bush Administration and policy experts on issues such as on education, economic growth, entrepreneurship, job creation, immigration reform, financial security, and healthcare. Approximately 400 attendees from across the country participated. Each delegate served at their own cost. Senator Lugar is an original co-sponsor of the DREAM Act, which would allow young, undocumented individuals to work towards permanent status in the United States by obtaining an education and completing national or public service. Members of the Hoosier delegation included: Miriam Acevedo Davis, LaPlaza, Inc., Indianapolis; Anacelia Agosto-Severa, Purdue University Calumet, Hammond; Hector Arocha, Citizens Gas and Coke Utility, Indianapolis; Gloria Balerini, ALSE Clemente, East Chicago; Debra R. Bolanos, Galaxy Travel Inc, East Chicago; Salvador Bolanos, Galaxy Travel Inc, East Chicago; Corey Bordenkecher, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, Indianapolis; Veronica Colin, Guerro Creations, Indianapolis; Charlie Garcia, Garcia Construction Group, LLC, Indianapolis; Ralph A. Garcia, Ace Interpretations, LLC, Bluffton; Sandra Gettelfinger, Nadera Ministries, Corydon; Max Montesino, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne; John Nieto-Phillips, Indiana University, Bloomington; Steven A. Ramos, IBM / NSHMBA, McCordsville; Carolin Requiz, Indiana State Department of Health, Indianapolis; Martha E.Rivas-Ramos, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, Munster; Norma Rocklage, OSF, Marian College, Indianapolis; Lanni Ruiz-Connelly, GFW Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Fort Wayne; Dulce Maria Scott, Anderson University, Anderson; Adolfo Solis, CASA de Portland, Portland; Anna Urias Hail, Wishard Health Services, Indianapolis; J. Guadalupe Valtierra, Ivy Tech Community College, Gary; Esther Vargas-Davis, Translations for Success, Indiana University, Bloomington; Gilbert Velez, Northwest Indiana Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Hammond; Alfonso R.Vidal, HOLA (Hospitality and Outreach for Latin Americans), Newburgh; Monica Villa, USA Hispanos Newspaper, East Chicago; Soledad Woodburn, Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis; and Arcea Zapata de Aston, L.A.C.I.A., H.O.L.A, and New Horizons, Evansville.
Lugar, Bayh Kick Off First All-Ethanol Indy Racing League Season
They were joined at the event by Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Tony George and Team Ethanol driver Jeff Simmons. “A century ago, Carl Fisher envisioned the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as an automotive testing ground, and ever since, the Brickyard has fostered innovation, from the rear-view mirror and now to pure-ethanol fuel. While ethanol not only displaces oil and is better for the environment, the Indy Racing League has chosen ethanol for a more fundamental reason. Ethanol is a high-performance fuel,” said Senator Lugar. “It is time to increase the availability of E85 pumps and flex-fuel vehicles so that all American’s have access to this high-performance, renewable fuel.” Beginning March 24, all IndyCars will race on a 100 percent ethanol fuel. Such visibility has been an important tool in further educating the public about the merits of ethanol and the growing urgency to lessen America’s dependence on foreign oil. The Indy Racing League is known historically for being on the cutting edge of automobile technology and IRL’s decision to use ethanol to power race cars at premier venues such as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway shows that ethanol is suitable to the performance standards Americans desire and a key component of the energy independence the U.S. requires. Lugar Awards Scholarships to Outstanding Hoosier Students On Sunday March 18, Senator Lugar presented two high school seniors with a four-year $20,000 college scholarship and eight students with four-year $4,000 college scholarships at an Indianapolis banquet honoring outstanding African-American, Native American and Hispanic high school seniors from across the state. The Lugar Scholars are sponsored by the Fund for Hoosier Excellence, a privately funded, non-profit organization established by U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar in 1983 to encourage outstanding minority students to excel in school and remain in Indiana as leaders.
Desiree Cossyleon and Austin Piech, both of Munster high school, received the $20,000 scholarships. The following finalists received $4,000 scholarships: Paul Corsaro, Cathedral High School; Matthew DeLeon, Chesterton High School; Nicholas Estrada, Mississinewa High School; Meghan Garcia, Mishawaka High School; Meagan McCann, Ben Davis High School; Christopher Nelson, Lawrence Central High School; Kara Strass, Huntington North High School; and Esther Uduehi, Frances Joseph Reitz High School. The scholarship recipients rank in the top three percent of their classes, have an average SAT score of 1312 and average GPA of 4.23 on a 4.0 scale. The Fund for Hoosier Excellence has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships to minority Hoosiers. A nonpartisan selection committee evaluates the students based on academic and extracurricular achievement. Past winners of the award have gone on to distinguish themselves in medicine, engineering, business, and academic life. Lugar Names CityBus General Manager Energy Patriot
“Every month we recognize a hero and Marty Sennett is our hero for April. He’s a leader in Tippecanoe County and throughout the state. Marty has led efforts to get state-wide support for hybrid buses. He deserves recognition not only because he has advanced support for hybrids, but because he has gone ahead and bought the buses,” said Lugar. On Friday, March 2, Lugar presented Sennett with a certificate of recognition in front of the Lafayette-West Lafayette Chamber of Commerce during their three-day visit to Washington, D.C. Under Sennett’s direction, the delegation is looking for federal funding to offset the additional costs of hybrid buses. |
The meeting with Senator Lugar provided an opportunity to discuss issues of importance to the Hispanic community in Indiana, immigration, Matricula cards, and the DREAM Act. 
On March 21, Senator Lugar, along with Sen. Evan Bayh and the Renewable Fuels Association, hosted the Indy Racing League on Capitol Hill to recognize IRL’s commitment to renewable fuels and underscore the importance of ethanol to the nation’s future. 
“We began this program 24 years ago to identify outstanding minority students and recognize them as conspicuously as possible, and we have witnessed the success of a whole generation of Lugar Scholars,” Senator Lugar said. “As leaders in your high schools, we hope you will continue to be leaders in colleges throughout our state.”
Senator Lugar recently named Marty Sennett, General Manager of CityBus in Lafayette, Indiana, as the April 2007 Lugar Energy Patriot for his efforts to build a hybrid bus fleet. The award is part of an ongoing effort by Lugar to recognize members of the business community, professionals, scholars, or students who demonstrate leadership and initiative in taking concrete action to reduce America's dependence on foreign energy sources.
