Hall of Fame
Gustavo C. Garcia, Class of 1932
Mexican-American civil rights attorney
Garcia worked with fellow attorney Carlos Cadena in the landmark case Hernández v. Texas (1954), arguing before the US Supreme Court for the end of a practice of systematic exclusion of Hispanics from jury service in Jackson County, Texas. Even though Mexican-Americans composed more than 10% of the county's population, no person of Mexican ancestry had served on a jury there and in 70 other Texas counties in over 25 years. The high court, led by Chief Justice Earl Warren, ruled that United States citizens could not be excluded from jury duty based on national origin, because such exclusion denied the accused a jury of his peers.
Henry B. Gonzalez, Class of 1935
U.S. Congressman
Henry Barbosa González (born Enrique Barbosa González; May 3, 1916 – November 28, 2000) was a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Texas, who represented Texas's 20th congressional district from 1961 to 1999.
Bernard Rapoport, Class of 1935
Businessman / Philanthropist
Bernard Rapoport (July 17, 1917 – April 5, 2012) was an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, author, and the founder of American Income Life Insurance Company. He worked for the advancement of human rights, education, and literacy.
Robert Cole, Class of 1933
Medal of Honor Winner, WWII
Lieutenant Colonel Robert George Cole (March 19, 1915 – September 18, 1944) was an American soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the days following the D-Day Normandy invasion of World War II.
Lillian Dunlap, Class of 1938
Brigadier General U.S. Army
In 1971, General Dunlap was selected as Chief of the Army Nurse Corps, Office of the Surgeon General. She was the second woman to serve as a Brigadier General in the Army Nurse Corps. She is recognized as a clinician, administrator and educator. Her military awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.
Blain Reeves, Class of 1942
Chief Justice - 4th Court of Appeals
Marcia Nasatir, Class of 1943
Hollywood Film Producer
Marcia Nasatir was born on May 8, 1926 in San Antonio, Texas, USA. She is a producer and actress, known for Vertical Limit (2000), The Big Chill (1983) and Hamburger Hill (1987). She was the first female vice-president of production at United Artists.
Kyle Rote, Class of 1947
Football Star/Broadcaster
William Kyle Rote, Sr. (October 27, 1928 – August 15, 2002) was an All-American running back at Southern Methodist University, Class of 1951, played for 11 years for the New York Giants, 1951-1961. Following his playing career, Rote served as the Giants backfield coach and was sports broadcaster for WNEW radio, NBC, and WNBC New York.
Aaron Cohen, Class of 1949
Director of Johnson Space Center
Aaron Cohen (January 5, 1931 – February 25, 2010) was the Acting Deputy Administrator of NASA between 19 February 1992 and 1 November 1992.
Robert Curl, Class of 1950
Nobel Prize Winner
Robert Floyd Curl, Jr. (born August 23, 1933) is a University Professor Emeritus, Pitzer-Schlumberger Professor of Natural Sciences Emeritus, and Professor of Chemistry Emeritus at Rice University. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996 for the discovery of the nanomaterial buckminsterfullerene, along with Richard Smalley also of Rice University, and Harold Kroto of the University of Sussex.
Jim Lehrer, Class of 1952
Emmy Winning TV Journalist
James Charles "Jim" Lehrer (born May 19, 1934) is a former American journalist and novelist, and is the former executive editor and a former news anchor for the PBS NewsHour on PBS. He is also known for his role as a debate moderator in U.S. presidential election campaigns, and is an author of numerous fiction and non-fiction books, which draw upon his experience as a newsman, and his interests in history and politics.
Tommy Nobis, Class of 1962
Football Star
Thomas Henry Nobis, Jr. (born September 20, 1943) is a former American football player, a linebacker in the National Football League for eleven seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at the University of Texas at Austin and was the first overall selection in the 1966 NFL draft,
Alfred Valenzuela, Class of 1966
Major General U.S. Army
Alfred A. Valenzuela is a retired United States Army major general who commanded United States Army South (USARSO) at Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico. He frequently discusses how he overcame his childhood as a gang member.
Holly Dunn, Class of 1975
Grammy Nominated Country Music
Holly Suzette Dunn (born August 22, 1957) is an American former country music singer and songwriter. The sister of songwriter Chris Waters, Dunn recorded for MTM Records between 1985-1988, Warner Bros. Records between 1988–93, and River North Records between 1995-97. She has released ten albums and has charted nineteen singles plus two duets on the Hot Country Songs charts. Of her single releases, two — "Are You Ever Gonna Love Me" and "You Really Had Me Going" — went to number 1. Dunn retired from music in 2003.
Laura Neugebauer Groff, Class of 1982
Volleyball Star, Head Coach - The University of Texas at San Antonio
Ed Garza, Class of 1986
Former San Antonio Mayor & City Councilman / Trustee, San Antonio ISD (2009 - present)
Edward D. Garza, known as Ed Garza (born 1969), is an American politician and a professional urban planner. From 2001-2005, he served as mayor of San Antonio, Texas. Elected at the age of thirty-two in 2001, he is the youngest person to become mayor and only the second person of Hispanic descent to hold the office since the election of Henry Cisneros in 1981.