Award for Global Engagement

Dr. Luis Ramos-Garcia is a world-renowned scholar of global issues in the Spanish-speaking world who has advanced understanding of the peoples and traditions of countries from Peru and Colombia to Cuba and Spain.

As a leading figure in the human rights field, Dr. Ramos-Garcia was one of the first University of Minnesota faculty members affiliated with the Human Rights Program. He combines his scholarship of human rights with his work on Latin American theater as the organizer and host of the State of Iberoamerican Studies Series conference since 1999. The event provides a unique opportunity for University of Minnesota students and faculty to host internationally renowned scholars and theater groups.

Dr. Ramos-Garcia has also been at the forefront of international exchange between Latin American scholars and art practitioners, allowing many of them to bring human rights issues to audiences in the United States, establishing working links toward global peace. One example is his invitation to Tramaluna Teatro to perform on campus, depicting the violence and displacement experienced by Colombian women whose sons were massacred by the Colombian army.

Foreign governments, cultural organizations, activists, and performers have recognized Dr. Ramos-Garcia for his work on Latin American theater and human rights. He was also asked to serve as a jury member for the theater award given out by the Casa de las Americas, one of the most highly reputed literary awards in the Spanish-Portuguese speaking world.

On campus, Dr. Ramos-Garcia is deeply involved with Latino and Hispanic student groups and their scholarly success. He frequently participates in activities organized by the Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence and the Office for Equity and Diversity. His engagement with global issues and communities serves as inspiration to underrepresented groups and minority perspectives in academia.