Distinguished Latino Alumni Award honors current ASU professor

Carlos Ovando will receive the Distinguished Latino Alumni Award from the Latino Alumni Association — a group connected with the IU Alumni Association on Saturday.

This award is aimed at acknowledging Latino alumni who have greatly represented their alma mater, Gavin Mariano, president of the Latino Alumni Association, said.

“Dr. Ovando was selected as the winner overwhelmingly because of the longevity in his career and service, his vast success and commitment to the Latino community across the country and his significant impact on education,” Mariano said in an e-mail.

While at IU, Ovando — who emigrated from Nicaragua — received a master’s to teach Spanish in 1969, a master’s in Latin American studies and political science in 1973 and a Ph.D. in curriculum, instruction and international comparative education in 1975.
He served as the chairman of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at IU.

“Indiana University is a very special place for me,” Ovando said. “It’s the place where I sort of spread my wings.”

He has worked and taught at various universities but is currently at Arizona State University as the a professor of curriculum, instruction, educational leadership and policy studies.

During the award ceremony Saturday, the Latino Alumni Association will also present three students with $500 scholarships.

“They will be in attendance and will be honored at this award dinner,” said Nicki Bland of the IU Alumni Association.

Ovando’s research focuses on the academic achievement of language minority and ethnically-diverse students.

“It was a sweet moment in my life, and going back and being recognized is just so sweet,” he said.

— Katie Dawson