Best of CASE District IV Award
 

Institution: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Title of entry: UTRGV’s Guerra draws strength from peers, family – and mariachi!

About this entry: This article was to highlight one of our longest-serving employees, Dr. Dahlia Guerra, who has worked for UTRGV for 40 years and implemented the award-winning mariachi program at UTRGV. This article ran during Women’s History Month, and she was profiled as a powerhouse for the UTRGV College of Fine Arts. The work behind this story included interviewing Guerra personally, learning her story and utilizing how best to share the importance of her story, not only for the UTRGV community, but as a woman representing the institution and being recognized for Women’s History Month. Guerra was an ideal employee to spotlight as she’s worked in many different facets within the College of Fine Arts and has won countless awards for her efforts, including her most recent honor in 2021 – the Ohtli Award from the Mexican Consulate in McAllen, for her tireless work in furthering Mexican culture. Guerra’s passion for Mexican folk music has helped create several mariachi groups at UTRGV, including Mariachi Aztlan which has traveled internationally and even performed for President Barack Obama in 2010. Through Guerra’s tireless efforts which began in 1989, Guerra is now responsible for mariachi workshops during FESTIBA (Festival of International Books & Arts which Guerra also founded in 2006) that engage hundreds of UIL students from local schools in the art of mariachi. The impact of this article helped shine a spotlight on Guerra, her commitment to the university, and the power of cultural music and how it can impact lives.