Betsy Perez at the Mexican American Bar Foundation dinner, June 9, 2007

The Mexican American Bar Foundation presented College Match Founder and Executive Director, Harley Frankel, with their 2007 Community Service Award on June 9, 2007 at a wonderful dinner at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Betsy Perez, a College Match graduate attending Trinity College, was the hit of the evening with a beautiful introduction of Mr. Frankel. Ms. Perez had been featured in a front-page Los Angeles Times article in August 2006. Approximately 20 College Match graduates currently in colleges throughout the United States attended the event.

Betsy Perez’s Introduction

Good evening. I am very pleased to have been given the honor tonight to introduce such an amazing being. After all, if it were not for College Match I would've never achieved as much as I have; I never would've been able to call myself a Bantam of Trinity College. I had never even heard of such marvelous institutions until Mr. Harley Frankel came along.

I remember very well the day of my interview for College Match. I had entered the college office of my high school about five minutes before my interview was to begin. I sat at a table, arms crossed, and waiting ever so impatiently. When Mr. Frankel had finished interviewing my peer, he stood, turned, and looked directly at me; it was as if he knew who I was at that very moment. I remember being completely daunted by his stature. He then said, "Young lady, don't cross your arms, it makes you look angry." The laugh he let out then is the same I hear today; comforting and willing to be completely supportive.

College Match has definitely been a blessing to whoever has participated. The College Match class of 2006 still talks about how much this program has changed all of our lives. Most of us became such great friends because of the countless hours spent at SAT prep classes and the many, many meetings that prepared us every step of the way for our collegiate lives. We became close because of the bonds we shared. When we get together, we speak about our gratitude and wonder what our lives would be like if this program had not been introduced to us. A lot of us love to remember the great times we had on both the visit to the East Coast and Northern California to visit colleges. These visits reinforced the legitimate feelings we always had: Mr. Frankel was not only the director of a program for us, he was --- and always will be --- our confidant, the father of a family, and to most of us, a very curious and inquisitive friend.

From being the Director of this wonderful creation, College Match, to being the Director of the Head Start Program, The Deputy Director for the White House Personnel Office, and winning several honors such as State Doubles Champion in Virginia, representing Columbia University, and recipient of the First National Head Start Association Award for services to children and families, this man has definitely been a god-sent to those set in his path. As my mother has put it so many times, "He's like a fairy god-father." I guess it’s because of all the wishes he's made come true; all the fairy tales turned to reality.

So, to this day I do not cross my arms. I have heard Mr. Frankel tell me that I have grown very much from the day he met me. Sitting there at that table, a shy young girl; I guess he could see how nervous I was; how badly I wanted the opportunity. He has told me that I have become a very strong-willed young lady; and I owe a lot of this characteristic for being in College Match for three years. I thank him now as I will always. And it is with a profound privilege that I stand here introducing Mr. Marvelous himself, congratulations Mr. Frankel.