Living to be a remarkable 91 years old, Ernest Z. Robles a Korean War Veteran, highly decorated Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Navy Commendation Medal of Valor recipient, and education leader passed away September 5th, 2022.
As a young child, Ernest naturally has a great interest in reading. He attended the University of Southern California (UCLA), were he obtained a degree in U.S. History and soon a master’s degree in Education from the University of Redlands. He fell in love with educating and found a sense of meaning and purpose.
Robles spent time in Hispanic segregated communities and soon went on to become a principal for a Mexican segregated school. the Department of Education recognized his impact, and hired him to desegregate schools in South California. This is when he discovered that most Latino college students were first generation, and none of them had scholarships. Robles made it his duty to solve this problem.
With the help of his wife Dora, Robles took out a $30,000 mortgage on his house to create the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. For almost 50 years, $700 Million dollars in funds through this scholarship has helped Latinos and Hispanics achieve higher education all over the country.
Robert was known for his genuine kindness, generosity, and love of his wife and five children. We honor and commemorate his accomplishments to better the world of education for Hispanics and Latinos that continues to impact the future of many generations to come.
