Two outstanding students were recently recognized for their volunteerism and leadership and selected to receive the inaugural Dr. William V. Flores and Dr. Noel Bezette-Flores Student Award for Community Service Excellence.

To be eligible for the award, which includes a $500 scholarship, students must have a 2.5 GPA, 100 hours of community service and submit a two-page essay detailing how service plays a role their lives.

The two students selected include Wendy Ramirez and Heide Laser.

Ramirez volunteers at the Casa Juan Diego, a homeless shelter for immigrant families, where she spent time as a child. Her future plans include attending medical school so that she can help others, as she and her mother already help to care for her paralyzed father. At UHD, Ramirez is a member of Scholars Academy, a tutor and peer mentor. She is also a member of the Student Government Association and Health Professions Organizations.

Laser is a volunteer case manager with the Harris County Jail's Mentoring Moms Program, where she designs service plans for expectant clients that connect them with community-based resources depending on their needs. She is also a member of Sigma Alpha Pi, the National Society for Leadership and Success, and will graduate Magna Cum Laude in May.

"The winners of this award have demonstrated a strong commitment to volunteerism and community engagement," said President Flores. "I am proud to recognize these students who have made a difference in their communities and in the lives of those they serve."

With community engagement a hallmark of UHD, this award will continue to recognize those outstanding students whose efforts to serve and support the Houston community reflect the mission of the University.