South Texas College’s Valley Scholars Program will honor Dr. Ramiro Casso, retired medical doctor, Kirk Clark, president and CEO of Charles Clark Chevrolet Company and Valley Alliance of Mentors for Opportunities & Scholarships (VAMOS) for their outstanding support and dedication to the program, as well as their overall contributions to the Rio Grande Valley. The special event to honor these three leaders in supporting higher education will be held at the Cimarron Country Club on Thursday, September 21, 2006 from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Dr. Ramiro Casso is a founding member of STC’s Valley Scholars Program and a long time supporter of higher education. In 1996, he, along with Dr. Michael Metke, established the Valley Scholars Program and single-handedly raised more than $100,000 to support the first class of 40 scholars. Since its creation, more than 400 students have benefited from this program, which admitted its tenth class of scholars this year.

Kirk Clark has been a great supporter of the Valley Scholars Program throughout the past ten years, serving on its advisory board and participating in several fundraising events, including the Amado Peña Art Show in 2002, Governor Richards Event in 2003 and April Thunder in 2005. In addition to the Valley Scholars Program, Clark serves on the local Land Fund Advisory Board, the McAllen Literacy Center, the Habitat for Humanity Board and the Good Samaritan Board.

VAMOS was founded in March of 1996 by a group of 62 local business and civic leaders who recognized the need to improve educational opportunities for Hispanic students in South Texas. VAMOS is a non-profit organization staffed primarily by volunteers with a mission of offering renewable scholarships to deserving Hispanic students of Hidalgo County to help them pursue post secondary education. VAMOS has awarded over $1million dollars in scholarship funds to more than 130 deserving students since its formation. Over the last ten years, VAMOS has made generous contributions to fund the Valley Scholars Program Scholarships. 

“Dr. Casso, Kirk Clark and VAMOS have been tremendous supporters of the program and have positively impacted the lives of many STC students through their generosity and ability to offer mentoring and other opportunities,” said Marie Olivarez, coordinator of the Valley Scholars Program for STC. “We are immeasurably grateful to have these stars as supporters of Valley Scholars and know that the Valley is a better place because of their selflessness and leadership. We look forward to this opportunity to pay proper tribute to all three.”

Tickets for the event are $75.00 and all proceeds will benefit STC’s Valley Scholars Program, which was founded in 1997 to provide the financial support, encouragement, mentoring and campus-based work to help academically talented and highly motivated students be successful in college. 

For additional information about the event and to purchase tickets please visit http://www.southtexascollege.edu/nightwithstars/index.html or call 956-872-6440.   

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