Hi 71 / Lo 54
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Hi 71 / Lo 54 |
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Volume 71, Issue 79,
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
News Success in a new home Immigrants with exceptional determination honored by Law Center by SAMMER NAGRA
The UH Law Center Immigration Clinic will honor a courageous portion of the population at the 3rd annual Upcoming Arrivals Awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Hilton Americas. The Awards, held at 1600 Lamar St., are a private and state-organized effort to recognize immigrants who have overcome hardships in spite of their circumstances to stand out as prominent, positive examples of determination. "We recognize the success that immigrants bring to the country by focusing on the achievements and personalities of our honorees," Anne Chandler, staff attorney at the Immigration Clinic, said. The people being honored at the event are members of the greater Houston community but are not necessarily associated with the University. Nancy Chang, one of the honorees, works on drug-related research focusing on subjects ranging from common allergies to lethal diseases such as HIV. A native of Taiwan, Chang graduated from Harvard University. She is the president and CEO of her own company, Tanox Inc., which is dedicated to the development of biotherapeutic medication. The second honoree, Celina Fein, is a Holocaust survivor from Warsaw. Fein was housed in the Jewish ghettos during World War II and lost her entire family during the war. Fein is a volunteer at the M. D. Anderson Hospital in the Texas Medical Center. To educate others about her experience during WWII, Fein speaks to groups about the Holocaust. She received a bachelor degree in English from UH at age 71. Chris K. Wilmot will also be recognized at the ceremony. Wilmot was educated at Tuskegee University and is a former employee of Atlantis Richfield, an American oil company, where he worked with engineering technical solutions. He is now the CEO of his own company, WCW International, Inc. Wilmot, an immigrant from Ghana, works with African business owners to help manage oil and gas projects. WCW International also works in the telecommunication industry. Wilmot has also served as chair for organizations such as the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau. The ceremony will help raise funds for the Immigration Clinic, Chandler said. "With the proceeds of the evening, we are able to assist hundreds of refugees and immigrants who would not otherwise be able to find legal representation," Chandler said. The event will include an opening remark from Nancy Rapoport, dean of the Law Center. A video narrating the lives of the three honorees will also be shown. The Immigration Clinic, founded by Joseph A. Vail, handles more than 150 pro-bono cases per year. Asylum cases make up about 20 of the cases the Clinic works on. Law students participating in the clinic receive four hours of credit for their work with the immigrants they represent. Students sometimes spend between 100 and 200 hours working on cases that require a translator. The Spring 2006 Immigration Clinic class is comprised of 20 students who commit to work 240 hours during the semester. Students represent immigrants who were tortured in
their native countries or those who believe they will be executed if they
return.
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