Alumni >  

Lauro Cavazos

Lauro Cavazos
Lauro Cavazos

From the couch to Washington D.C.

Lauro Cavazos served as U.S. Secretary of Education.

Lauro Cavazos' first day at Iowa State University was memorable.

And his most recent visit to campus was just as memorable, although probably a little more comfortable.

"I came here from Texas on a train," Cavazos, a 1954 Ph.D. graduate in physiology said. "I spent my first night in Ames on a couch."

His days at Iowa State were typical for many. But more than anything else, Cavazos says his time at Iowa State gave him confidence to succeed after graduation.

"Iowa State prepared me for a life of research and a life of teaching in the field of education," he said.

Since leaving Iowa State, Cavazos' academic career has been focused largely on medical education and research. He is a recognized expert in several medical disciplines and has been published widely in the physiology of reproduction, fine structure of cells and tissues and medical education.

As significant as those contributions are, Cavazos' most important and lasting national impact has been in educational leadership. Following several years as a faculty member and administrator at the Medical College of Virginia and the Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, where he was dean from 1975 to 1980, Cavazos was appointed the 10th president of Texas Tech University, becoming both the ?rst alumnus and the ?rst Hispanic to hold the of?ce.

Then in 1988, President Ronald Reagan nominated him for U.S. Secretary of Education and the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed him, becoming the first Hispanic and the first Iowa State graduate to hold the nation's top education post.

As secretary in the Reagan and the first Bush administrations, Cavazos concentrated on reforming U.S. education by raising expectations of students, teachers and parents. He was a strong advocate of parental involvement in education, launched new programs to combat drug and alcohol use, and targeted federal resources to improve conditions and opportunities for the neediest school districts.

He has received numerous recognitions including 22 honorary degrees and the "Most Influential Hispanic in the United States."

And during his most recent trip back to Iowa State in April, Cavazos was honored yet again. This time his alma mater recognized him with the ISU Alumni Association's Distinguished Achievement Award, given in recognition of his outstanding leadership in education and service to the youth of America.

"I'm deeply touched and honored to be recognized in this way," Cavazos told those in attendance at the Distinguished Awards Celebration when he received his award. "This is one of the great institutions in the nation."

During his visit to campus, Cavazos heard from faculty in the Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology about their research efforts. He also toured the Roy J. Carver Laboratory for Ultrahigh Resolution Biological Microscopy in the Molecular Biology Building.

Cavazos is currently a professor of family medicine and community health at Tufts University in Boston, where he continues to work to expand opportunities for minority students in medical education.