Castro Staffer, UTSA Alumnus Honored for Dedication to Supporting Hispanic Success in Higher Education

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) applauded his senior legislative assistant Eyole M. Mbongo - an alumnus of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) - for receiving the Outstanding Congressional Staffer Award from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) in recognition of his exceptional dedication to advancing equity in education.

“For the last eight years, Eyole Mbongo has been a vital partner in my work to bring more funding and support to Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and the communities they call home,” said Congressman Joaquin Castro. “Over the course of his time with my office, he’s fought to bring hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding back to San Antonio schools and HSIs – helping them chart a path forward through the darkest days of the pandemic and fighting to close gaps in college attendance and completion. There is no one more qualified or more deserving of this award – and I’m grateful to HACU for recognizing the profound impact of his work.”

Mbongo joined Congressman Castro’s staff as an intern in his district office while completing his master’s degree in public administration at UTSA – one of twelve HSIs serving the city. After graduation, he joined the office as a full-time staffer, working on constituent services and helping federal agencies serve the people of San Antonio. He currently serves as Congressman Castro’s Senior Legislative Assistant in Washington, D.C., where he has been a critical advisor in the introduction of several bills and resolutions, including:

• The Hispanic Educational Resources and Empowerment Act (HERE Act) would authorize a grant program to support partnerships between HSIs and school districts with high enrollment of Latino students to improve college readiness and degree attainment. 
• The Advanced Coursework Equity Act would authorize a grant program to address equity gaps in enrollment and performance in advanced programs and courses. 
• A resolution to designate the week beginning on September 11, 2023 as National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week. 

Mbongo graduated with a Master of Public Administration from UTSA in 2015. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo in 2007 and earned a second Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from UTSA in 2012.

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