Lauraly Hernandez of Weslaco Receives Passion for the Arts Award from Southwestern University

GEORGETOWN, TX (03/09/2012)(readMedia)-- Lauraly Hernandez of Weslaco has received the 2012 Fayez Sarofim Passion for the Arts Award from Southwestern University.

The award is presented annually to the graduating senior who, regardless of major, has demonstrated throughout his or her entire undergraduate career at Southwestern an unusual passion for the arts. It was established in 2008 in honor of Fayez Sarofim, a Houston investment advisor and philanthropist for whom the Sarofim School of Fine Arts at Southwestern is named. Recipients are selected by the dean of the Sarofim School of Fine Arts from nominations submitted by members of the fine arts faculty and receive a cash prize to be used in any manner they choose to further their artistic goals.

The award was presented Feb. 25 at Southwestern's annual Honors Convocation.

"Lauraly has a passion for all of the arts and she demonstrates this in her dedication to her own work and by working to promote the arts in all areas," said Mary Visser, an art professor who nominated her for the award.

Hernandez is double-majoring in studio art and communication studies at Southwestern. Her work "Ugly and the Beautiful" was selected to be shown at the 2010 Texas Sculpture Symposium held at Texas Tech University in Lubbock and she was selected to exhibit her work at Intersculpt 2011, the international digital sculpture exhibit in Paris.

Over the past three years, Hernandez has worked for both the art and theatre departments at Southwestern in various positions. As a member and former leader of the SU Native American Association (SU NATIVE), she also helped orchestrate the yearly Powwow, a large-scale artistic cultural event that brings visitors from across the state and the country.

Hernandez is the daughter of Juan R. and Marcella C. Hernandez.

Southwestern University is a selective, nationally recognized undergraduate liberal arts college with an enrollment of 1,350 students. It is the oldest institution of higher learning in Texas. For more information on Southwestern, visit www.southwestern.edu.