/news-archive/tag/hispanic-heritage-month/ 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Wed, 05 Oct 2022 13:18:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /news-archive/2022/10/05/oreana-roman/ Wed, 05 Oct 2022 13:18:36 +0000 /news/?p=82180 ... Hispanic Heritage Month Student Spotlight: Oreana Roman]]> Why have you decided to go into nursing? I decided to be in the healthcare field at a young age because I wanted to improve the聽health of others and especially take care of those who had no one to lean on for support. Nursing was a career that could let me help them. What made you choose 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock? I didn鈥檛 want my parents to pay for my higher education. It also had the best registered nurse (RN) to bachelor鈥檚 degree program. What organizations and clubs are you involved in on campus? I am involved in LULAC, Student Affairs Diversity Initiatives (SADI), and Student Retention Initiatives as a peer mentor for first-generation and transfer students. What do you hope to do after graduation? I plan to find a job at a hospital working as a pediatric nurse and possibly continue my studies to become a nurse practitioner. I would also like to share my practice with a nonprofit organization. Why do you think it’s important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? I think it is important to celebrate because we play a part in the 鈥渕elting pot.鈥� It is definitely a reminder of how much Hispanic ancestors had to sacrifice for there to be so many successful Hispanic-Americans now. How did you first hear about LULAC, and which scholarship were you awarded? I heard about LULAC from my sister. My initial impression was that it would be a good聽contribution to continue my studies. I was awarded a scholarship of $1,000. I think I was selected because LULAC聽wants to help reduce the dropout rate of Hispanic students due to a lack of financial support. I am very thankful for this award because I won’t have to worry about the cost of my higher education and continue my studies to become a nurse. How did your family react to the news that you were selected? My parents were really proud of me and told me to continue working hard and make it聽pay off.]]> /news-archive/2022/09/28/maria-roman/ Wed, 28 Sep 2022 12:45:44 +0000 /news/?p=82154 ... Hispanic Heritage Month Student Spotlight: Maria Roman]]> Why have you decided to go into accounting and finance? I decided to go into this field because of job security. I want to rest assured that after college I am guaranteed to find a job. What made you choose 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock? I chose 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock because of its dedication to supporting students financially. I am able to pursue my bachelor鈥檚 degree in accounting and finance because of the financial support I have received by the university and its generous donors. What organizations and clubs are you involved in on campus? I am a student worker for the Multicultural Center and Student Experience Center, a volunteer for the University Writing Center, a peer mentor for Student Retention Initiatives, an orientation leader, and a member of Beta Alpha Psi and LULAC. What do you hope to do after graduation? I hope to obtain my CPA license and either work for the state government as an accountant or become a commercial banker. After I have worked a substantial amount of time in one of those fields, I want to become a business professor. I hope to accomplish this because throughout my college career, I have noticed a lack of representation among my business professors. I want to show students that look like me that with hard work and dedication, anyone can become a person of great influence. Why do you think it is important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? In a country where the Hispanic community makes up a big chunk of the population, Hispanic Heritage Month is important because it empowers the community by recognizing our various accomplishments. Through the recognition of these accomplishments, we are able to influence others and strengthen our community. How did you first hear about LULAC, and which scholarship were you awarded? I first heard of LULAC through a friend last fall. I am grateful for organizations like LULAC who strive to support Hispanic students through providing ways to fund our dreams of higher education. I was awarded a LULAC national scholarship and an additional scholarship from the Richard family. Dr. Terry Richard and his brother fund this scholarship to cover a student鈥檚 textbook costs. I think I was selected for both scholarships because of my involvement on campus, my dedication to persevere through adversities, and my commitment to empower my community in the future. How did your family react to the news that you were selected? They were thrilled by the news. They were glad because it takes a burden off them and me to know that my education is being funded by generous donors. What鈥檚 next for you? This past summer I was an intern for the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA), where I worked in their Office of Accounting. While at the DFA, I worked on helping them implement a new software that made them reduce their paper consumption and increased their productivity. Because I was such an amazing worker, I was offered a part-time position to work on various projects with my supervisor that will help me gain experience in the field.]]> /news-archive/2022/09/21/brayan-arias/ Wed, 21 Sep 2022 13:01:39 +0000 /news/?p=82146 ... Hispanic Heritage Month Student Spotlight: Brayan Arias]]> Why have you decided to go into construction? I aspire to create a family business focused on residential housing. I鈥檇 like to eventually upscale it to provide jobs for minorities who are also wanting to go into construction. What made you choose 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock? 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is close to home, and they provide some of the best internship opportunities in the state. What organizations and clubs are you involved in on campus? I am part of LULAC and am hoping to join the robotics team soon as well. Why do you think it鈥檚 important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? It鈥檚 important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, because it pays homage to where many Spanish speakers come from. As the saying goes, 鈥淚t鈥檚 important not to forget where you came from.鈥� How did you first hear about LULAC, and which scholarship were you awarded? I heard about it from a family member who was also a part of LULAC. I am inspired by their goals of providing funding for many students wanting to get a higher education. I was awarded the International Scholarship Fund. I believe my dedication to school and determination to succeed played a part. I am wanting to provide for not only myself, but for my family and community as well. How did your family react to the news that you were selected? They were very happy and proud that I have managed to receive a scholarship, especially since I am a first-generation student.]]> /news-archive/2021/10/15/elkhattabi-lulac/ Fri, 15 Oct 2021 13:11:35 +0000 /news/?p=80015 ... Maria Elkhattabi Receives LULAC Scholarship]]> What is your major and classification? My majors are biology and anthropology. I am currently an undergrad, doing my third semester at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. What is your hometown? I am from Orange County, California. Tell us a little about yourself? I am of Mexican descent. I am very proud to be a first-generation college student. What motivated you to apply for this scholarship? As a Latina, I want to elevate myself and elevate my Latino community using my education. What makes this scholarship so special to you? This scholarship is very special to me because I was one of 40 recipients chosen for this award, and it came at a time when I really needed the extra aid. What do you plan to do after graduation? After graduation, I plan to further my education by applying for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at UCA. Why is Hispanic Heritage Month important? What do you do to celebrate? Hispanic Heritage Month is important because it reminds us of our identity and history. My family and I go out to eat and celebrate Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16 as it coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month. We also like to have Loteria nights with family and friends and paint paper plates to imitate Mexican pottery. It’s really fun. Is there anything else you’d like to add? I want to thank LULAC 771 council again for the LULAC scholarship award. My college experience has been amazing, and LULAC has helped me get one step closer to my future success.]]> /news-archive/2021/10/14/andrea-vargas-lulac/ Thu, 14 Oct 2021 12:59:08 +0000 /news/?p=80056 ... Andrea Vargas Receives LULAC Scholarship]]> What is your major and classification? My major is civil engineering, and I鈥檓 a senior. What is your hometown? I am from Little Rock, Arkansas. Tell us a little about yourself? I was born and raised in Little Rock by my parents who are from Mexico. They immigrated here around the 1990s and settled here before I was born. I was raised in southwest Little Rock, which is predominantly a neighborhood of color. Ever since then, I鈥檝e been determined to take my education seriously. I want to take in consideration my parents鈥� sacrifice for leaving their hometowns and families. I was inspired to major in civil engineering from my father who has been working construction for 15 years. What motivated you to apply for this scholarship? What encouraged me to apply for this scholarship is knowing that this organization exists to help students, especially first-generation students, to continue their education. I also want to give back to the community and choose a project to work on in the community. I plan on bringing another Latino organization on campus called Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. The organization will be open to other Latin students who are studying any STEM degree. What is your plan for the scholarship? I used it to pay the rest of my tuition and buy my books. Usually I rent textbooks, because I can’t afford to buy them. I am taking the FE exam so I need to buy them to study and prepare for the material. What makes this scholarship so special to you? It means a lot considering the organization it came from. It’s nice knowing that there is an organization that supports students like me. I鈥檓 really blessed to be a part of this organization and be able to meet other people through it while being involved on campus and in the community. What do you plan to do after graduation? I plan to work for a construction company as a project manager. Right now I am interning at CDI Contractors as an assistant estimator. Why is Hispanic Heritage Month important? What do you do to celebrate? Hispanic Heritage Month is great because I get to celebrate Mexican Independence Day. It鈥檚 important for people outside of our community to appreciate and learn about our culture. Latino is more than just Mexican, it鈥檚 all the Latin-American cultures that differ. Having these types of celebrations recognizes that there are other cultures with history that are just as important. My family and I celebrate by going to festivals that are being hosted nearby who are sponsored by many small businesses around the city. I also take time to learn more about my family鈥檚 history.]]> /news-archive/2021/10/13/luis-velazquez-receives-lulac-scholarship/ Wed, 13 Oct 2021 13:43:58 +0000 /news/?p=80065 ... Luis Velazquez Receives LULAC Scholarship]]> What is your major and classification? My major is civil engineering, and I am a sophomore. What is your hometown? I am from Mexico City, Mexico. Tell us a little about yourself? I am working two jobs to pay off college and focused on finishing my bachelor’s degree so I can begin working as a civil engineer. I want to better myself personally and economically. I live in a household of five including two younger siblings that I hope to set a good example for. What motivated you to apply for this scholarship? My girlfriend, Kassandra Torres, referred it to me before we went to the Trio program where others helped me apply. How much did you receive? I received about $800. What is your plan for the scholarship? I will use it to pay off some tuition fees and personal expenses such as books. What makes this scholarship so special to you? It鈥檚 special because it helps not only Latino people like me but people who are also in the same situation who can鈥檛 receive government funding. This also helps to connect with people who I relate to, volunteering, and it makes me feel included in the community. What do you plan to do after graduation? I am not sure, but I certainly want to work for an engineering firm and build my way up. I want to be a project manager one day. Why is Hispanic Heritage Month important? What do you do to celebrate? It is important because it represents a little bit of the history of where I come from and other influential Latinos. We can learn a lot from people in the past who have affected the world today, and it’s inspiring because we are all Hispanic. My girlfriend and I have accomplished a lot, along with our friends so we take time to reflect. We gather with friends and spend time together celebrating how we make our families proud. It makes us proud being Latino. Is there anything else you’d like to add? Thank you to LULAC for giving me this funding. It has helped me so much. It takes away some financial stress with paying for school and helps me achieve my goal of getting my bachelor’s degree.]]> /news-archive/2021/10/07/ua-little-rock-lulac-scholarships/ Thu, 07 Oct 2021 14:30:45 +0000 /news/?p=79934 ... 17 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Students Receive LULAC Scholarships]]> 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 students are among the from colleges and universities across the state selected for this year鈥檚 awards. The 17 students are receiving a total of $14,812, with some matching funds from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. This year, LULAC awarded more than $316,000 in scholarships to 46 students from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Arkansas Tech University, University of Central Arkansas, Arkansas State University, Shorter College 糖心Vlog传媒-Pulaski Tech, Arkansas State University, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Hendrix College. They will be honored during a virtual gala at 6 p.m. Dec. 3. LULAC will also recognize 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock once again as a premier Latino Destination Campus for the university鈥檚 continued support to the Latino community. In addition to the gala, LULAC will hold a month-long celebration that coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept.15 to Oct. 15) and will include highlights of the recipients and sponsors on . 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 scholarship recipients include Andrea Vargas, a civil engineering major; Jenifer Carmona Garcia, a Spanish and elementary education double major; Miracle Willis, a nursing, political science, and Spanish major; Alexey Chacon-Perez, a nursing major; Gerardo Ramirez, a civil engineering major, Ahtziri Saldana, a civil engineering major; Janette Munoz, a nursing and Spanish double major; Maria 脕valos, a nursing major; Christine Jones, a professional and technical writing graduate student; Jimena Balada, an international business and human resources major; Blanca Arias, a social work major; Griselda Delgado Torres, a social work major; Maria Elkhattabi, a biology and anthropology double major; Javier Gonzalez Luna, a construction management major; Luis Velasquez, a civil engineering major; Luis Martinez, a business major, and Luis Torres, a construction management major. Four of the students will receive special scholarships. Jimena Balada will receive the Patricia Guardado Scholarship, awarded in remembrance of Patricia Guardado, a 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock sophomore who was studying international business at the time of her death. Her murder has never been solved, and LULAC has awarded a scholarship in her name every year to remember her and other students like her who want an education. Alexey Chacon-Perez will receive the Richard Family Fund Scholarship, an endowed scholarship awarded to deserving Latino students attending 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, where Terry Richard is a professor emeritus. The scholarship recognizes academic excellence and requires 15 hours of community service with 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock LULAC Council 771 or with another community agency that works with the Latino community. Christine Jones and Andrea Vargas will receive the Just Communities of Arkansas Scholarship/Internship. The two students will intern at Just Communities of Arkansas during this school year as well as receive a scholarship. LULAC seeks to empower the Latino community at the local, state, and national level through its seven councils chartered in Arkansas. The organization involves and serves Latinos of all national origins and focuses heavily on education, civil rights, and employment. Over the past 28 years, LULAC has awarded 596 scholarships totaling more than $1.3 million. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock was the first higher education institution in Arkansas to sign a Memorandum of Agreement with LULAC to create a partnership to recruit and retain Latino students on campus. Since 2006, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has provided a dollar-for-dollar match for students who receive scholarships from LULAC of Arkansas. In the upper right photo, Alexey Chacon-Perez, a nursing major, and Gerardo Ramirez, a civil engineering major, are two of the 17 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students who received scholarships from LULAC this fall.]]> /news-archive/2021/02/17/lauren-wilson-multicultural-center/ Wed, 17 Feb 2021 17:09:00 +0000 /news/?p=78362 ... Love of Helping Students Leads to Inspiration for New Assistant Director of Multicultural Center]]> As an undergraduate student, Lauren Wilson, a native of Crossett, Arkansas, said the time she spent at her university鈥檚 multicultural center made a huge impact on her life. 鈥淲hen I was an undergrad, our multicultural center played a huge role in my experience,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淚 loved being able to go there and hang out with my friends and with faculty and staff members and form those bonds that have lasted over 10 years now.鈥� As the new assistant director of the Multicultural Center, Wilson is using her inspiration as an undergrad and her love of helping students to recreate her experience for the students at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. 鈥淚 want to provide them with a safe place and pair them with people who can provide resources and serve as mentors, not just while they are in college, but beyond that,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淢y mentors were really helpful in facing all the ups and downs that brought me from an undergrad to this point.鈥� In her role, Wilson is responsible for implementing cultural programming for Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month. She also coordinates several programs designed to help students succeed. The Student Affairs Diversity Initiatives include the African American Male Initiative, African American Female Initiative, and the Hispanic/Latinx Initiative. The programs are designed to empower, support, and assist students in their college careers. The Summer Bridge Academy is a three-week residential program that prepares incoming freshmen for college by eliminating the need to take remedial math and English courses.聽 The Trojan L.E.A.D. program is designed to prepare first and second year students of color for leadership in the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock community. Wilson has implemented a new monthly event, First Fridays at MC, where students meet the first Friday of every month to talk about what鈥檚 going on in their lives, plan new events for the Multicultural Center, and learn new skills. During February鈥檚 First Friday at the MC, students learned how to become a residential assistant. 鈥淭hey are virtual for now,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淚n the future, students can come to the Multicultural Center to decompress and see if there is anything that we can do to help them.鈥� After her graduation from the University of Arkansas, Wilson became a substitute teacher and had a daughter, Gabriela. She later went on to teach English at Warren High School for three years before joining 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock as a student support and training specialist at Ottenheimer Library, where she taught students about the technology and resources available in the library. While pursuing her master鈥檚 degree in higher education, Wilson worked as a graduate assistant in the Multicultural Center. After her graduation during the fall 2020 semester, Wilson was promoted to the assistant director of the Multicultural Center. 鈥淚t took a lot to get here, but I鈥檓 pretty happy where I ended up,鈥� Wilson said. As Wilson is currently implementing events to celebrate Black History Month, she thinks it鈥檚 important that diverse history is celebrated all year round. 鈥淏lack history is American history,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淲hen I was in high school, there was Black History Month and Women鈥檚 History Month. Anything that wasn鈥檛 white male history wasn鈥檛 integrated into larger history classes. Why don鈥檛 we celebrate it more and make sure it is celebrated every day as a part of our normal goings on? I wish everyone could see it that way.鈥�]]>