May 5, 2003 -- Adrian Molina of Rawlins, a sociology and criminal justice major, has received the Tobin Memorial Award as the outstanding graduating male at the University of Wyoming.

Molina received the honor based on contributions to the university, participation in community and campus activities, academic success and citizenship qualities. The award was presented during Torchlight Laurels ceremonies May 2.

A campus minority student leader, Molina is involved in many organizations. He is a coordinator of the Multicultural Pride Youth Conference, chairman of the La Junta committee, served as a senator in the Associated Students of UW, and was named to other committees such as the Minority Student Leadership Initiative, University Studies first-year program, "I'm Going to College," MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano De Aztlan), "Summer of Success" and the United Multicultural Council. He also is a member of the statewide Wyoming Latino Coalition.

Additionally, he is very active in the community, serving as a volunteer youth basketball coach in Laramie, is an assistant coordinator for the Carbon County Minority Youth Conference, and serves on a state advisory board that works with community members, educators and business professionals to develop ideas, directions and support for the UW Chicano Studies Program.

All the while, Molina, who is married and is expecting his first child, maintains an "A" grade average while holding several part-time jobs.

"Adrian has clearly shown that he can do college-level work while participating in extracurricular activities utilizing mature and sensible leadership strategies," wrote Cynthia Chavez Kelly, assistant coordinator for Hispanic Student Programs in the UW Office of Multicultural Affairs. "His maturity and self-motivation as well as his great personality have made him a student whom other students seek to emulate."

With all of his his accomplishments, Molina almost did not pursue higher education. After a difficult period in his life, Molina decided in order to achieve success, he had to attend college.

"I know how much a college education has improved the quality of my life, and I will always have a desire to extend that opportunity to others," Molina says. "People who face difficult situations are some of the brightest and most promising people, and I savor the moments in which I can look back and know that I made an impact on their lives."

Molina credits UW programs that help minority students as those that helped shape his academic career.

"These programs have been designed to introduce and extend opportunities in higher education to minority students," he says. "I have enjoyed all my activities at UW and I have been lucky enough to earn scholarship awards that have made it possible for me to attend college."

Molina will continue his education at UW next fall, having been accepted into the College of Law. He hopes to be a civil rights attorney.

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