The Dashew International Center for Students and Scholars
honored a leader in the Spanish-speaking community at their largest
fundraising event of the year Thursday night.
Jose Molina, chairman of Continental Broadcasting, received the
2003 Neil H. Jacoby Award for fostering international business and
multi-cultural awareness.
The Mexican-born Molina, who earned a mathematics degree from
UCLA, said he likes supporting the Dashew Center and what it stands
for.
“(Hosting international students) fosters and develops a
better relationship with every nation in the world,” Molina
said.
“The role and programs of the Dashew Center have never
been more important,” he said.
Molina himself was in a similar position as the international
students the Dashew Center supports, as he immigrated to the United
States at the age of 16.
In accepting his award, he encouraged other immigrants to pursue
their dreams, like he did.
Molina is a pioneer in initiating Spanish-language radio
broadcasts of U.S. sporting events, both on the collegiate and
professional levels. By starting networks and negotiating rights
for various sporting events across the Southwest, Molina enabled
Spanish-language broadcasts for everyone from Los Angeles Lakers
fans to Fiesta Bowl enthusiasts.
He has also secured broadcasting rights for his company in
several major Latin American countries.
In the world of academia, Molina currently serves as the vice
chairman of the board of directors of PROFMEX, an international
consortium for research on Mexico. In addition, Molina is the
chairman of UCLA’s Council on Mexico.
As a prominent member of Southern California’s
Spanish-speaking community, Molina was asked in 2002 to help the
Mexican government with the creation of Los Angeles’ own
“Instituto de Mexico.”
Molina is also the founder of one of the first national Hispanic
consumer trade shows in the country and on the board of directors
for the Los Angeles Police Department’s DARE program and the
Boy Scouts.
Executive Vice Chancellor Daniel Neuman had nothing but praise
for Molina when he presented Molina with the Jacoby award.
“His life is a success story,” Neuman said.
The Dashew Center provides support for international students at
UCLA through a number of programs, including orientation sessions,
English language instruction and tutoring.
Jan Doak, president of the Dashew Center board of directors,
said they hoped to raise about $200,000 from the fundraising
dinner.
“It’s our main source of funding,” Doak
said.
Annabelle Stevens, a member of the board of directors, said many
of the tables at the dinner are purchased by large corporations,
some of which are friends of the recipient and some of which donate
to the Dashew Center every year.
Thursday’s dinner was MC’d by actress Ada Maris, who
is currently starring on the Nickelodeon series “The Brothers
Garcia.” Other prominent guests included last year’s
Jacoby award recipient Winston Doby and the consul generals from
Spain and Austria.
Other guests at Thursday’s dinner included Dashew Center
volunteers and international students who attend UCLA.