The students were honored at an awards ceremony, which celebrated the achievements of students at the end of Hispanic Heritage Month, held Oct. 13 at Brave New Restaurant in Little Rock. The event featured 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Chancellor Christina S. Drale as the keynote speaker and Ambassador Carlos I. Giralt Cabrales of the Mexican Consulate as a special guest speaker.

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock was recognized as a premier Latino Destination Campus for the university鈥檚 continued support of the Latino community, an award the university has received since 2010. This incredible recognition is awarded to higher education institutions who have a long-standing partnership with LULAC to provide support and scholarships to Latino students.

“We are especially excited to welcome Chancellor Drale as our keynote speaker for this year’s celebration since LULAC 750 has worked so closely with 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, and specifically Chancellor Drale, to assist in providing funds for Latino students who attend the school,鈥� said Christine Jones, scholarship chair of LULAC 750.

The scholarship recipients include Ursula Anchondo, Brayan Arias, Maria Avalos, Jessica Avalos Juarez, Mariel Diaz, Maria Elkhattabi, Emily Gonzalez Baltazar, Carol Gomez-Rios, Joel Hermosillo, Luis Martinez, Kiara Ramos Moreno, Dajany Ramos-Cano, Emily Richard, Joshua Rivera, Yvonne Rodriguez, Maria Roman, and Ivan Vasquez.

“Every single one of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock LULAC Scholarship recipients has worked hard this year and is seriously committed to finishing their education so they can go out into the world and become contributing members and leaders in their communities,鈥� Jones said.

In addition to the scholarships, Yvonne Rodriguez, a double major in political science and sociology, and Dajany Ramos-Cano, a nursing major, were honored as the 2023-24 LULAC Students of the Year.

鈥淚 would like to thank LULAC for being a part of my college journey,鈥� said Jessica Avalos Juarez, a social work major. 鈥淩eceiving this scholarship has meant that I will be able to continue my studies to become a behavior therapist. Knowing that I have the support of LULAC motivates me to continue to do more.”

Kiara Ramos Moreno, a biology major, said she was incredibly grateful for the support she鈥檚 received from LULAC.
鈥淚 promise to make the most out of this opportunity,鈥� she said. 鈥淵our generosity and belief in my abilities have provided me with an incredible opportunity to pursue my dreams and further my education.鈥�

LULAC is the largest Latino civil rights organization in the United States and seeks to empower the Latino community at the local, state, and national levels through its seven councils chartered in Arkansas. The organization focuses heavily on education, civil rights, health, and employment opportunities.

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.

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What is your name, grade, and hometown?

My name is Brayan Arias, I am a college sophomore. My hometown is Jacksonville.

What field of study are you pursuing, what motivated you to choose it?

I am pursuing a degree in construction management with the goal of enhancing employment prospects for underrepresented communities in the construction industry.

What made you choose 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock?

I chose the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for its exceptional support system, offering abundant internship opportunities and a wealth of resources to assist students.

What organizations and clubs are you involved in on campus?

I am a member of LULAC and the Robotics Club.

When will you graduate, and what do you hope to do after graduation?

I plan to graduate in Spring 2026. After graduation, I aspire to establish an environmentally conscious construction company and provide internship opportunities to upcoming 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock graduates.

Why do you think it鈥檚 important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is essential as it honors the contributions of Hispanics, not only to myself but to the world as well. Hispanic Heritage Month allows individuals of Hispanic descent, like myself, to reconnect with our heritage and origins.

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Ramos-Cano, who serves as vice president of LULAC, will receive the award during an Oct. 13 gala celebrating the achievements of students in LULAC.

鈥淩eceiving the Student of the Year Award is so unexpected, but it makes me happy to be recognized for all my hard work,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 enjoy helping my fellow students through LULAC.鈥�

Ramos-Cano joined LULAC last year. As vice president, she assists President Yvonne Rodriguez in leading LULAC, recruiting officers and members, and coordinating events to celebrate holidays like Hispanic Heritage Month and D铆a de los Muertos. She loves being involved in LULAC since it makes her feel at home.

鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 really involved in a lot of things when I was in high school,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I found out about LULAC, it felt like home. As a first-generation student, it was hard for me to adjust to college life for the first couple of months. LULAC is full of other first-generation students. I felt happy to be a part of this community of students.鈥�

Outside of LULAC, Ramos-Cano is a member of the Chancellor鈥檚 Leadership Corps at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, a fourth-degree black belt who teaches karate to kids on the weekend, and an accordion player. She will graduate in 2026 and plans to specialize in pediatric nursing.

鈥淲hen I was younger, I wanted to be so many different things at first,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hen I got asthma and had severe seafood allergies. I would go to the hospital frequently, and I always saw what nurses would do. My mom was also a nurse, and now I can鈥檛 wait to be a nurse.鈥�

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What is your name, grade, and hometown?

My name is Vasti Hernandez, and I am a student. I’m from Glenwood, Arkansas.

What field of study are you pursuing, what motivated you to choose it?

I鈥檓 a nursing major. I knew from a young age that I wanted a career in healthcare, but I wasn鈥檛 sure what exactly that would be. I chose nursing because I saw the care my nurses gave meduring a series of health issues I faced. Those nurses made a lasting impact on my life, and I aspire to give others that same level of love and care. At the same time, nursing is also very fast-paced and allows me to continuously learn something new every day.

What made you choose 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock?

I chose 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock because I wanted to live in the city, but also not be too far from home. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is also known for its excellent nursing program, which was a bonus for me. The transition from a smaller high school to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock was also smooth as the campus was the perfect size for me.

What organizations and clubs are you involved in on campus?

I am a co-editor and writer for the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock newspaper, the Forum, a member of the League of United Latin American Citizens, and a third-year Donaghey Scholar. I also volunteer at Harmony Health Clinic in Little Rock as an interpreter.

When will you graduate, and what do you hope to do after graduation?

I will graduate in May 2024. As for what field of nursing I would like to pursue, I am still undecided. However, I would like to someday be an oncology nurse or work in a gastroenterology clinic, and later on, pursue a master鈥檚 degree.

Why do you think it鈥檚 important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?

It is important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month because it鈥檚 a time to reflect on how far the Hispanic community has come and to recognize the hard work and dedication our families have put forth. It also teaches us more about Hispanic culture and how we can continue to integrate it in our lives.

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