Riverland Community College’s Minority and Multicultural Student Advisor Miguel Garate received an award of recognition from Centro Campesino at the September Member's General Assembly. Garate, along with 25 other individuals and organizations, was honored for his support of and collaboration with Centro Campesino projects and campaigns.

Garate has been Riverland’s minority and multicultural advisor since 2000. He received a degree in accounting and studied law in Mexico. He completed the Blandin leadership program through the Austin community and is active in many organizations, including the Mower County United Way and mentor programs, Austin Human Rights Commission, Austin Welcome Center, Chicano-Latino Career Day, Unidos Servicios Trabajando (United Services Networking), Minnesota Network of Latinos in Higher Education and interpreter services in Austin.

Centro Campesino is an Owatonna, Minnesota-based non-profit, membership organization founded in 1998 to improve the lives of migrant workers and rural Latina/os and to create a strong southern Minnesota Latino/a voice. Guided by the values of faith, hope, unity and justice, Centro Campesino is a membership organization that was born and exists to create positive social change.