Viva Texas: Scenes From the 2014 Hispanic Alumni Fiesta
The Texas Exes Hispanic Alumni Network held its 13th-annual Fiesta last Friday, hosting a sold-out crowd of 250 in the Alumni Center ballroom.
The evening’s entertainment included live musical performances, balloon animals, live and silent auctions, a game of loteria, and a surprise visit from Vince Young (who spontaneously decided to auction off a dinner with him and 10 guests at his eponymous steakhouse). All funds from the event will go to the network’s scholarship fund. While the final tally is still being calculated, it will likely top last year’s $15,000, according to Texas Exes Networks Coordinator Brian Peterson.
Below, check out some highlights from the evening.
Live entertainment at Fiesta included performances by both the Longhorn Band and Mariachi Paredes. The student mariachi ensemble was founded in 1977 and named after late UT professor Américo Paredes, one of the leading Mexican-American scholars of the 20th century.
Diego Padilla was the first of several raffle winners over the course of the evening. Items up for auction ranged from a UT cooler filled with tailgating supplies to dinner for 10 with Vince Young.
Susana Alemán, BS ’75, MEd ’78, JD ’84, Life Member, baked 90 dozen cookies (that’s more than 1,000) for Fiesta 2014. She’s been baking treats for Fiesta for about a decade.
Laura Longoria sells raffle tickets. About 15 student volunteers and more than 20 committee members from the Hispanic Alumni Network worked together to put on the event.
Ubaldo Rodriguez photographs a group of friends posing in front of a backdrop of the orange UT Tower.
A balloon animal maker was on hand, to the delight of the kids in attendance.
Photos by Matt Valentine
Additional reporting by Rose Cahalan
