Promoting the education and prosperity of Hispanics in America has had many champions over the years. We at Hispanic Outlook thought it fitting to take a few moments to honor two of these Hispanic heroes whom we have recently lost. We extend our thoughts and prayers to their families and loved ones.
Gary Dennis Francisco Keller
Dr. Gary Dennis Francisco Keller, regents’ professor and director of the Hispanic Research Center at Arizona State University, died peacefully July 15th, 2020 at the age of 77 after a 40-year well-fought battle with diabetes.
Dr. Keller, teacher, scholar, author, publisher, and champion of minority students, was nationally and internationally acclaimed for his achievements in the fields of Spanish language, literature, history, and culture, including the work of Hispanic and Chicana(o) writers and artists. In addition, he was known for his unflagging commitment to help Latina(o) and other minority students reach their full intellectual and academic potential. He authored or co-authored more than 30 books and wrote and produced more than two dozen education documentaries.
Keller was the recipient of the Dana Foundation Award for Pioneering Achievements in Education, a Distinguished Scholar Award from the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies, and a Distinguished Leadership in Arizona Higher Education Award from the Victoria Foundation. In 2018, Dr. Keller was chosen to become the first recipient of the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE) President’s Award. He was, perhaps, most gratified by the success of the programs he created to help Latina(o) and other minority students achieve advanced academic degrees in the sciences, as well as the arts. He leaves a legacy of the many students he mentored during his 50 years of service in higher education, through his dedicated staff and colleagues at the Hispanic Research Center, and through his beloved children and grandchildren.
“Gary and I were Cuates (friend) - in the Mexican legacy of Náhuatl. We joined in causes and schools of education for our heritage, history, legions and students with valuable talent and gifts,” recounted Refugio I. Rochin, professor emeritus in agricultural and resource economics and Chicana/o studies at the University of California. “We shared stories, challenges and interests. When he visited the San Diego Mission of Alcala, I was by his side with his film crew. When I was at the Smithsonian Institution, he supported me in many ways. He advanced more history of art and artists than anyone else I knew. I could go on and on about Gary. A gentle, considerate friend and scholar.”
Alfredo G. de los Santos Jr.
Alfredo G. de los Santos Jr., passed away on March 8. He was 84. A pioneer and innovator in community college, de los Santos was the first president of El Paso Community College (EPCC) in Texas and served in that role from 1971 to 1976. He went on to become vice chancellor for student and educational development at Maricopa Community Colleges in Arizona from 1978 through 1999, and a research professor at Arizona State University from 2000 to 2011. His impact over the influence and rise of the importance of community colleges was evident while serving as a member of the board of directors of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in the 1970s. He was later honored with the National Leadership Award from AACC in 2004.
De los Santos was a founding board member of the American Association of Hispanics in Education. His leadership strengths led to the creation of an annual award called Alfredo G. de los Santos Jr. Distinguished Leadership in Higher Education Award.
In addition to AACC, he served on the boards of the American Council on Education, American Association for Higher Education, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the College Board. He was a founder of the Arizona Minority Education Policy Analysis Center at the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education.
“To call him a pioneer is an understatement,” AACC President and CEO Walter Bumphus told Community College Daily. “Alfredo led the way in transfer pathways, technology, international education and so much more. He was always working to advance community colleges – at the local and national levels, and he did so with stunning intelligence, great wisdom and sincere kindness. He leaves us with a legacy of excellence – both as a leader and as a human being, and he will be greatly missed.” •
