The “”Es El Momento”” campaign (which translates to “”The Moment is Now””) launched Feb. 23, in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education and other national community-based education and civil rights groups. Univision broadcast live from the UA campus for the first time to promote campus academics and extracurricular activities. In previous years, there were pre-recorded interviews with on-campus figures, but this year during the three-day broadcast, viewers could call in and speak to interviewees over the phone during the live broadcasts from 5 to 5:30 p.m. or from 10 to 10:30 p.m..

Viewers can call representatives from the Office of Equity, Access and Inclusion and the Office of Student Financial Aid  with questions about the university. The Univision network is the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the United States, reaching 95 percent of American Hispanic households.

In partnership with Arizona Student Media, Univision used the KUAT studios three days in late February for a statewide newscast, which was ranked first among broadcasts in the Phoenix metropolitan area, regardless of language.

“”(Univision) really wanted to be on campus … to tell their viewers that they are here (in Tucson),”” said Rebecca Ruiz-McGill, manager of media relations for UA University Communications.

Ruiz-McGill, who worked with another Univision station located in Chicago before taking a media relations job at the UA, helped the University form a relationship with Univision’s Phoenix affiliate.

Although the telethon has been going for three years, this year’s telecast marked Univision’s first of a new national Univision campaign.

Catalina Carlos, who works with the UA Admissions Office and acts as an adviser for the Office of Equity, Access and Inclusion, worked with students, answering phones and facilitating the Univision broadcasts.

“”We are still returning phone calls,”” said Carlos of her nine-student team.

Carlos has worked with the Office of Equity, Access and Inclusion to relay knowledge to first generation and low-income students. She noted most of the questions from the broadcast were about financial aid, a major topic in a community hit hard by the recession, with an unemployment rate exceeding 12 percent.

“”We want (families) to know that we do value them, and we do have different things to offer at this university,”” Carlos said. “”The most important part, I think, in why we are doing this is to get this information to the students in their own language.””

Ruiz-McGill also considers the expansion of the UA’s brand into diverse markets important.

“”In the end, the UA is a global campus; It is open to people all over the world,”” she said.

This year, the live broadcasts from the UA involved three Univision anchors in partnership with Univision’s “”33 A Su Lado”” (“”Channel 33 On Your Side””) initiative to promote higher learning opportunities to Spanish-speaking students.

Univision anchors provide a language bridge for university news to reach Spanish-speaking populations.

Mary Rabago, a Univision news anchor, was one of three Univision reporters who came down for the live broadcasts.

“”Overall, it was a wonderful experience. All the students working in the studio were wonderful. Rebecca (Ruiz-McGill) was a key element in making it happen. It was wonderful,”” said Rabago. “”It was great to get out of the environment here and do something different.””

Rabago said all the students “”made the Univision team feel like family,”” which made the experience one worth repeating.

Univision said it was planning further and more frequent involvement with the UA, which Rabago said was a great idea.

“”As a team, Univision is really excited to pursue more projects like this in the future,”” she said.

“”The telethon is every year, but there is some discussion that them broadcasting live from campus will happen quarterly, so we’re crossing our fingers,”” Rabago added.