Onyx Fall-Winter 2017

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD 2017

Carmen Hanson Riveria ' 70 It is no surprise that Distinguished Alumni Award winner Carmen Hansen Rivera ’70 was recognized by her alma mater for her commitment to community, as she is known for her passion to help diverse populations achieve success – both personally and professionally.

With a degree in Spanish, Rivera founded Carmen, Inc., a marketing group that helps businesses reach the Hispanic community. For more than 35 years, she has worked with organizations as a leader in the multi-cultural community including St. Vincent Hospital. She was asked to research and implement a model for a multi-cultural department within the hospital system – a model that successfully launched in 2000. She also created bilingual public relations campaigns for the Indiana Humanities Council. For seven years, she served as the producer and host of HOLA USA, a nationally syndicated, bilingual television program that focused on cultural issues. The show featured guests such as Governor George W. Bush and Oscar De La Renta. At the beginning of her career, Rivera worked at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, taking on various roles throughout her six years of service. As the regional chairperson of the National Assessment Team, she assessed the effects of social services to the Hispanic population within the U.S.

Rivera has a heart for serving in her community and throughout the state, which was recognized when she received the Archdioceses of Indianapolis Community Service Achievement Award in 2000. Not only that, but Senator Richard Lugar nominated her to serve on the U.S. Senate Task Force on Hispanic Affairs.

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