De La Paz honored as humanitarian

Posted by Ebrahim Randeree on

SLIS senior Aldo De La Paz was honored as the College of Communication & Information winner of the 2010 FSU President’s Undergraduate Humanitarian of the Year Award on March 19. The award “recognizes students who exhibit tremendous commitment to service.”

Aldo’s interests include web development and architecture, graphic design, and Hispanic marketing. He is interested in pursuing a master’s in Integrated Marketing Communication with a special concentration in Digital Marketing at CCI. His interests developed while interning at Salter>Mitchell, a public relations and marketing firm, and at FSU’s Department of Biological Science.

Aldo has a very active service life at FSU:

  • Serving as the director of the Hispanic/Latino Student Union, the second largest student agency at FSU; he has also served as an officer;
  • As a founding brother of the FSU Colony of Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the oldest Latino fraternity in existence;
  • Participation in programs such as LeaderShape—a national institute that holds a one-week retreat and teaches students how to be successful leaders by “leading with integrity”;
  • Contributing his talents to groups that focus on skill- and mind-building:
    • the Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement,
    • the Multicultural Leadership Summit,
    • the Florida Hispanic/Latino Collegiate Forum.

Beyond FSU, Aldo helped redesign the website for the Capital City Area of the American Red Cross. He was responsible for team leadership, graphic design, and presentation of ideas.

In 2008, his leadership and contributions led to recognition among the 50 FSU students named in Who’s Who Among Colleges and Universities. The university recognized him as a Student Star and he was awarded a profile on the BlackBoard website. Aldo was also recognized for having the “Best Marketing Interactive Resume” and the “Dean’s Award for Best Overall Interactive Resume” within the College of Communication and Information.

When asked about his service, Aldo said, “the most powerful lesson I took from service is how much your natural passion and skills can benefit entire communities. When it comes to service, one does not need to go out of one’s way—opportunities exist all around us. Simply putting time into doing what you’re already good at for a good cause can have great effects on those in need. My motto continually remains “positive sustainable change.”

Aldo and other College winners of the humanitarian award were recognized at an awards luncheon hosted by FSU President Barron on March 19. Each received a plaque and a $200 donation was made in the name of each recipient to a nonprofit agency of their choice. Congratulations to Aldo for his generosity and good work.