USC Latino Alumni Association Brings Eva Longoria to USC Campus

February 11, 7 p.m.: Event to inspire USC students and alumni.

LOS ANGELES — February 6, 2012 — The USC Latino Alumni Association and Verizon Wireless will host an evening with Eva Longoria from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., Saturday, February 11 at USC Bovard Auditorium. Professor Josh Kun of the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism will moderate the evening.
 
Longoria stars as “Gabrielle Solis” on the ABC-megahit and award-winning Desperate Housewives. Additionally she just finished filming four feature films: Long Time Gone, Who Gets the Dog, Four Kings and Baytown Disco, all slated for 2012 releases. Longoria is also currently completing her Master’s degree in Chicano Studies/Political Science.

“If I’ll share anything with the students at USC it is that the best way to empower yourself is through education, and I applaud all of you for making that step towards your future,” Longoria said.

A Golden Globe-nominated, Screen Actors Guild Award-winning and ALMA Award-winning actor, Longoria was named “Philanthropist of the Year” by the Hollywood Reporter, and was recently selected as an honoree for Variety’s “Power of Women Awards,” among many other honors.

“It was only eight years ago that Eva Longoria became one of the most popular stars in Hollywood and made Latinos so proud of her achievements,” said Domenika Lynch, executive director of the USC Latino Alumni Association. “We’re honored she will come to USC and share her experiences and insights.”

“Verizon Wireless is thrilled to partner with the USC Latino Alumni Association to bring such an inspirational Latina actor, philanthropist, and leader to the students of USC,” said Jose Gutierrez, multicultural marketing director for Verizon Wireless.

Longoria also has her own charities and organizations that are very close to her heart and she pours her free time, energy and love into philanthropic missions that make a difference in the Latino community. Longoria serves as the national spokesperson for PADRES Contra El C·ncer (Parents Against Cancer) (www.iamhope.com), a nonprofit organization committed to improving the quality of life for Latino children with cancer and their families. She works also with the Special Olympics and founded the non-profit organization “Eva’s Heroes” (www.EvasHeroes.org), which helps developmentally challenged children and young adults between the ages of 14 and 21, integrate and flourish in society.

In 2010, Longoria partnered with the California Community Foundation (CCF) to create The Eva Longoria Fund, a platform to raise money for all of the charitable organizations she actively supports. Established in 1915, CCF is the premiere giving partner in Los Angeles, and invested more than $191 million dollars in philanthropic causes in LA and throughout the world in 2009 alone.

Longoria currently works closely with the United Farm Workers, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Dolores Huerta Foundation and the National Council of La Raza. In addition, she was recently selected by President Obama as an appointee to the National Museum of the American Latino Commission. The National Museum will create a home for the historical artifacts, images, and personal stories documenting more than 500 years of American Latino contributions to the United States.

Through events and contributions from friends, the USC Latino Alumni Association awarded $447,000 in scholarships to 142 undergraduate students and $76,500 to 34 graduate students attending USC in 2011. The Association’s La Curacao Academic Achievement Program works with 200 high school students each year, 23 of whom have been accepted to USC in the past four years. All participants have received their high school diplomas and 98% have attended college.

About the USC Latino Alumni Association
The USC Latino Alumni Association is a legacy of the USC Mexican American Alumni Association that was founded in 1973 to develop programs that provide tuition assistance grants to students attending USC who show a commitment to the Latino community. Since then, the USC Latino Alumni Association has awarded over $14 million in scholarships to more than 7,000 deserving students. For more information please visit www.usc.edu/maaa.

About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with nearly 109 million total connections nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500. A Dow 30 company with $111 billion in 2011 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of nearly 194,000.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.