Karissa Zárate, a Spanish major with a minor in Chicano/Latino Studies, is a 2025 recipient of the Aguila Award (MSU Student of the Year), which is presented each year by MSU’s César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Commemorative Planning Committee to individuals who have shown courage, dedication, and a commitment to make Michigan State University a better place.
“I will be the second college graduate in my family, following my older sister who also graduated from MSU. This recognition brings all of those experiences together: family, education, and the hope for a better future. It reminds me why I continue to pursue this path, to honor where I come from and to help open doors for others,” Zárate said. “Being recognized with this award affirms that our stories matter and that our presence in these spaces has purpose.”
Zárate, who is currently a senior at Michigan State University with plans to graduate in December 2025, works to uplift the Latinx community by creating spaces for connection, advocacy, and empowerment. She serves as an undergraduate teaching assistant at the Spanish Writing Center, supporting students with Spanish language acquisition and academic proficiency. She also served as chair of the 29th Annual Día de la Mujer Conference, leading one of MSU’s largest events honoring and empowering Latinas.
Zárate is a founding board member of the La Casa Living-Learning Community, a new residential program on campus that is dedicated to advancing Spanish language learning and fostering interdisciplinary engagement. This living-learning community, which will open its doors in Fall 2025, will be located on an entire floor in Shaw Hall and will feature an immersive Spanish-speaking living space with student-led and focused cultural activities.
“This recognition brings all of those experiences together: family, education, and the hope for a better future. It reminds me why I continue to pursue this path, to honor where I come from and to help open doors for others.”
The La Casa Living-Learning Community has been completely developed and led by a team of MSU students from the Department of Romance and Classical Studies, including Zárate. This student-led framework has allowed each board member to contribute their unique perspective. From drafting a mission statement to planning events and organizing the marketing, the student board is responsible for every aspect of La Casa’s growth and development.
Zárate also is an MSU College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) Scholar and proudly represents her migrant farm-working family from Pharr, Texas. The CAMP Scholar program, which was initiated in 2000 and funded by the U.S. Department of Education, offers individuals with migrant or seasonal farm work backgrounds the opportunity to begin an undergraduate program at MSU. This educational program also assists students with academic, social, and financial support to enable them to complete their first year of college.
With a deep passion for language and education, Zárate aspires to join Teach For America’s Teacher Corps after graduating from MSU, with plans to pursue graduate studies thereafter. Her ultimate goal is to become a Spanish professor so she can empower future generations through language, culture, and education.
Also receiving a 2025 Aguila Award was Sofia Mireles-Gonzalez, a first-generation student and graduating senior majoring in Journalism with a minor in Chicano/Latino Studies.
The Aguila Award is one of the César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Community Leadership Awards that honor the lives and legacies of these prominent civil rights and social justice leaders. Aguila Award winners exude a spirit of inclusiveness, equality, and cultural commitment to diversity as demonstrated through leadership roles and the impact made through formal or informal roles within the university and/or community. Award winners also have achieved academic excellence as demonstrated through research, honors, continuing education, certifications, presentations, publications, and/or participation in professional organizations.
“I think of my four grandparents, who spent their lives working in the fields so that one day someone in our family could have the opportunity to go to college. I think of my nieces, who are growing up watching me, and who I hope will see that their dreams are possible too.”
“Receiving the César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Community Leadership Award is incredibly meaningful to me because it reflects the story, strength, and resilience of my family. Everything I have done, from late nights studying to taking on leadership roles, has been with them in mind,” Zárate said. “I think of my four grandparents, who spent their lives working in the fields so that one day someone in our family could have the opportunity to go to college. I think of my nieces, who are growing up watching me, and who I hope will see that their dreams are possible too.”
The César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Community Leadership Awards recognize people from Michigan State University who demonstrate a cultural commitment to diversity, teamwork, collaboration, and leadership on MSU’s campus. One of this year’s award winners was Alejandra Márquez Guajardo, Assistant Professor of Spanish in the Department of Romance and Classical Studies, who received the 2025 Plantando Semillas Award (MSU Faculty of the Year).
Winners of the César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Community Leadership Awards were recognized during the César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Commemorative Celebration, coordinated by MSU’s César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Commemorative Planning Committee, on March 29 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.
This year marked the 15th anniversary of the César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Commemorative Celebration at Michigan State University, which is annually held around César Chávez Day, a U.S. federal commemorative holiday that celebrates the birth and legacy of the civil rights and labor movement activist on March 31 each year. The MSU event also annually coincides with National Farmworker Awareness Week, which took place March 25-31 this year.
This year’s theme for the César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Commemorative Celebration was “De Aqui Y de Allá: Celebrating 15 Years of Empowerment, Community and Culture.” Translated, the theme means “from here and from there,” honoring the historic and current diasporic Latino/e communities.
While the event honors the leadership and advocacy of civil rights leaders César Chávez and Dolores Huerta, this year’s theme also brought into focus the diverse strength of the Latino/e and farmworker communities and the allies who stand in solidarity to raise awareness of the contributions and opportunities these communities bring, as well as the new and ongoing challenges they face.
For more information on this year’s César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Commemorative Celebration, including a list of all the 2025 César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Community Leadership Award winners, see the MSU Today article “De Aqui Y de Allá: MSU celebrates 15 years of honoring civil rights leaders César Chávez and Dolores Huerta.”
By Kim Popiolek and Mark Johnson
