Presidential Scholar Angelica Fuentes recently set another precedent for Northeast Texas Community College. She is the first student in the college?s history to appear on the program of a professional historical association. †Presenting at†the fall meeting of the ETHA at Nacogdoches October 8, Fuentes gave a paper on Selena Quintanilla in a session that also featured two doctoral candidates, and a professor from the University of Texas - San Antonio.
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Fuentes argued that Selena?s legendary status as a singer was a product of the alignment she achieved with a larger Tejano community. †Her musical apprenticeship with her family, her decision to learn Spanish, and the timing of her†death--before any crossover into pop music--solidified her connection to the Mexican-American community of Texas. †Key Tejanos, in turn, labored to make her a legend.
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Fuentes? spirited presentation drew the first and most sustained questions from the audience. †One †Dr. R. G. Dean, a long term officer of the†Texas Folklore Society,†suggested that Fuentes present at the TFS meeting, and also submit to†the society?s journal.
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The NTCC sophomore has already gained valuable experience as a presenter, giving articulate overviews of her work at the Great Plains Honors Council meeting on South Padre Island last March, at the McGraw Hill Poster Contest last†April, in several classroom sessions, and presenting as an REU †chemistry scholar this past summer at Texas A&M at Commerce.
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Though some suggest that Fuentes might ride the crest of the continued popular interest in Selena, the NTCC Chemistry major appreciates the ?hands-on? †work of scientific research. †NTCC Honors Director, Dr. Andrew Yox, notes that†Fuentes is ?testing a new frontier for student research here, and proving that youthful Èlan, and interdisciplinary awareness can be an arresting combination. ?
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Fuentes is a recent winner of the Texas Star Award of Phi Theta Kappa. †She is one of five NTCC Presidential Scholars to gain an invitation to present this November at the National Collegiate Honors Council?s 50th†Anniversary meeting in†Chicago. †She is the daughter of Jose and Angelica Fuentes of Mount Pleasant.
