2013 Alumna of Distinction for service in Mission Veronica Vela Whitacre ’81 BA
The 2013 Alumna of Distinction for service in Mission was presented to Veronica Vela Whitacre ’81 BA during the commencement ceremony. In May 2013, Whitacre was elected to serve as city commissioner for District 6 in McAllen, Texas. She is also a member of the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of McAllen and is involved in fundraising efforts. She was recently reappointed as a board member of the McAllen Education Foundation. Whitacre has served on numerous charitable boards including Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School, the International Museum of Art and Science, Easter Seals, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (now known as STARS), the McAllen Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Board and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. She is past sponsorship chairman of the McAllen Junior League and currently serves as the college and sponsorship chair of the International Museum of Art and Science. Whitacre is a founding member of the UIW Alumni Association Board, has assisted with organizing UIW recruitment events in the Rio Grande Valley, has nominated students for the McCracken Alumni Referral Scholarship and has organized numerous visits for McAllen High School students to the UIW campus.
