Awards

Bicentennial Medal - 2020

Distinguished Latino Alumni Award - 2013

About Lillian Casillas-Origel

As Director of La Casa/the Indiana University Latino Cultural Center, Casillas-Origel serves as a resource and support for Latino students, faculty and staff at IU and is responsible for programming that contributes to the educational, cultural and social enrichment of both Latino and non-Latino students, faculty and staff. She works closely with Latino students in the areas of academic progress, integration into the university activities and all other aspects of campus life, so Latino students find a welcoming environment and positive experience while at IU.

Off campus, Casillas-Origel helps provide support and access for Latinos to educational, health, social and other community services while acting as a resource to both Latinos and the agencies that provide these services.

In addition to directing La Casa, Casillas-Origel has served on the advisory board of the IU Latino Studies Program and Indiana Latino Higher Education Council. Within the community, she is a board member of El Centro Comunal Latino, a grass-roots not-for profit organization that focuses on the provision of services to and integration of Latinos to the Bloomington community.

Lillian Casillas-Origel emigrated from Mexico to the Gary/Hammond region at a young age. She came to Bloomington to attend Indiana University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish in 1989 and a Master of Science in education in 1998.

In 2020, Lillian Casillas-Origel was presented the Bicentennial Medal for her distinguished service to Indiana University.