Two distinguished University of Notre Dame graduates have been selected for the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference UNITE Award, given to individuals who best exemplify the ACC’s CORE’s mission to promote and encourage racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement and advocacy.
Dorene Dominguez ’85 serves as a Hesburgh Trustee of the University of Notre Dame, a public corporate director of kb Home as well as CIT Group and CIT Bank NA, and is also an active member of the Coca-Cola Hispanic Advisory Council composed of distinguished national leaders in the Latino community. In addition, she became the first Latina to become an owner of an NBA franchise with the Sacramento Kings, and is on Governor Gavin Newsom’s Task Force on Business and Economic Recovery addressing COVID-19.
Dominguez founded The Dominguez Dream in memory of her father (H. Frank Dominguez), which empowers children in underserved communities to achieve in Literacy and S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) and has been listed by ALPFA has ranked Ms. Dominguez as one of their Top 50 Most Powerful Latinas for 2020.
Dominguez has won numerous awards, including the 2018 Female Entrepreneur of the Year award from the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the 2019 Latino Spirit Award for Achievement in Business and Philanthropy from the California Legislature’s Latino Caucus. Dominguez also is the former Chairwoman of the Advisory Council for the Institute for Latino Studies at University of Notre Dame.
Dominguez graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a B.S. in Finance and holds a Certificate in Corporate Governance from Harvard University.
Arthur (Art) Velasquez ‘60 has served as a Trustee, Emeritus Trustee and is a current Hesburgh Trustee on the University of Notre Dame Board of Trustees. Velasquez, the son of a migrant farmworker whose dream was to have his sons attend Notre Dame, began his educational journey at Notre Dame’s elementary school when it existed on campus.
After graduation from Notre Dame, he and several business partners founded Azteca (formerly Azteca Corn Products Corporation), where he rose to become chairman, president, and CEO. Under his leadership, Azteca grew to become the nation’s leading maker of refrigerated tortillas. In addition to his reputation as a successful entrepreneur, Velasquez became known as one of Chicago’s most active business and community leaders. He served on numerous corporate, educational, and philanthropic boards. Velasquez has been a director of Chicago Metro Board of Junior Achievement, Maryville City of Youth, Museum of Science and Industry, Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum, Catholic Charities of Chicago, and Big Shoulders Fund.
Velasquez served on the advisory council for Notre Dame’s Institute for Latino Studies (ILS) – which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year – established an endowment to support Latino artists to exhibit at ILS, was instrumental in the development of bilingual recruiters and staff in the Notre Dame admissions office, sponsors Notre Dame recruitment events at low income high schools and has financially supported ILS operations and the Latino Studies Merit Scholarship.
The selection of Dominguez and Velasquez for the ACC UNITE Award comes well-timed as throughout the 2024-25 academic year, the University is celebrating Somos ND (the Spanish translation of We Are ND) – a series of activities that promote individual engagement and bring the campus community together. From recognizing outstanding achievements, to raising the visibility of students, faculty, staff, and alumni, to creating awareness of important cultural issues, the Somos ND celebration is a renewal and strengthening of our inclusion and recognition of Latinos and Hispanics at the University.