​Hugo Morales

Executive Director, Radio Bilingüe

California State University, Sacramento

Hugo Morales is a trailblazer in the field of public broadcasting. Since founding Radio Bilingüe, Inc., the National Latino Public Radio Network in 1980, Mr. Morales has been at the forefront of creating intelligent, innovative and culturally competent public radio content for Latinos living in the United States and beyond. In his more than 30 years as Executive Director, he has led the organization to become the premier provider of bilingual public radio programming in the United States, serving diverse Latino communities with news and information relevant to their lives.

Mr. Morales truly embodies the "American Dream." He came to United States from Oaxaca, Mexico, when he was nine and grew up as a farmworker in Sonoma County until he graduated in 1968 from Healdsburg High School where he served as student body president. He then went on to graduate from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Upon returning to California, he moved to Fresno where he taught in the department of La Raza studies at California State University, Fresno.

Mr. Morales serves on the boards of the California Endowment, the Rosenberg Foundation, the San Francisco Foundation and University of California at Merced. He is a member of the California State University, Fresno Advisory Council to the President. He serves as a commissioner for the California Postsecondary Education Commission and for First 5 Fresno County. He founded the Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and was a recipient of a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship in 1994 and the Lannan Foundation Award for Cultural Freedom in 2006. In May 1999, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting honored Mr. Morales with the Edward R. Murrow Award, public radio's highest distinction.

In his long career, Mr. Morales has been true to his vision of producing quality public radio content for Latinos living in the United States. His commitment to promoting education, health, civic participation and the arts to the Latino population, specifically farmworkers, via the public airwaves is to be commended.

In recognition of his professional and personal accomplishments, the Board of Trustees of the California State University and California State University, Sacramento are proud to confer on Hugo Morales the honorary degree of Doctor of Fine Arts.