April 24, 2014

To whom it may concern,

My name is Francisco Ramirez and I work at Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) in the
Admissions and Enrollment Center. I have had the pleasure to know Rolando Bocanegra since 2012.
Rolando began his academic career at GRCC as a transfer student from Baker College. While at
GRCC, Rolando thrived academically, earning a spot on the Deans list and Presidents list in separate
semesters. His persistence and perseverance as a first-generation, Latino male student was displayed
by respectable cumulative 3.3 grade point average by his last semester.
However, Rolandos academic achievements do not fully grasp his ability to be a leader on campus.
While at GRCC, Rolando also got involved on campus. His desire to promote education as a mean of
progression within his community, lead him to join the Hispanic Student Organization (HSO) of
GRCC. Rapidly, Rolando grew quickly and in no time became the President of the HSO. During his
time as President, the HSO members attended the annual United States Hispanic Leadership Institute
(USHLI). USHLI is a national, nonprofit, nonpartisan and tax-exempt organization that organizes and
conducts leadership development programs in 40 states. Rolando believed that this institute would be
advantageous to the professional development of his members.
Furthermore, Rolando co-lead the planning of the 2012 annual Global Experience Festival (GXF) at
GRCC. The GXF is the largest multicultural event at our institution, it is all lead by the students
involved in many organizations on campus. His assertive and meticulous work was rewarded when
he was nominated and received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award for his passion to bring about
change by promoting the philosophy of Dr. King Jr. Rolando exemplifies what our nations minority
student population is capable of, if they are only granted an opportunity. I wholeheartedly believe that
Rolando will accomplish great things in the future and I would recommend him with the utmost
confidence. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
Regards,

Francisco Ramirez
Admissions and Enrollment Center
Hispanic Student Organization Advisor
Educational Support Professional Executive Board Representative
Grand Rapids Community College
143 Bostwick NE | Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Phone: (616) 234-3181 | Fax: (616) 234-3200
framirez@grcc.edu | www.grcc.edu