When the Latino Alumni Chapter hosts an event, it's sure to bring people together. "The events we put on are to promote Latino cultural awareness," said Sonia Ponce de Leon ('98), former president and one of the founders of the chapter. "We offer support to Latino students and reach out to them on campus." To accomplish this, the chapter targets three events a year: Hispanic Heritage Month, Homecoming, and an end-of-the-year event to award the chapter's endowed scholarship.
During Hispanic Heritage Month, the chapter has had meriendas (a light lunch) and dances as well as a golf tournament. "Hispanic Heritage Month acknowledges the richness of our culture and history," said chapter member and founder Irma Casanova ('85). "It's a very special month for Latinos."
Casanova and fellow alumni started the chapter in February 1999 to reach out to Latino students. "We felt the Hispanic students on campus could use some support, both emotionally and financially," said Casanova. "We try to provide that and mentor students as much as we can." The chapter has about 30 active members.
People of Latino ancestry and friends are welcome to join and are encouraged to tell others about the chapter. "We have gained members by word of mouth, the Office for Alumni Relations and even through recent graduates that we have, in different ways, mentored or helped as a chapter," said Guadalupe Salazar ('95), chapter president.
In 2000 and 2004, the chapter won the prestigious title of "Chapter of the Year," which is announced at the "GO GREEN" Alumni Tailgate prior to the Homecoming game. The honored chapter is presented with a banner and monetary award.
Two of the chapter's points of pride are the Carlos Falcon "El Jefe" Endowed Scholarship and The Roy Casanova Endowed Scholarship. The Falcon scholarship was established by Carlos Falcon, a longtime chapter member and EMU employee, to financially assist Latino students in their pursuit of academic excellence. Irma created the Casanova scholarship in 1995 in her husband's honor, with a commitment to raise funds for the scholarship program. "It's something I wanted to do to support Latino students," said Casanova. "I wanted to be able to provide financial support to students in need."
The chapter is very involved with supporting academic excellence through a third scholarship, the Latino Alumni Endowed Scholarship. The chapter hosted an alumni/student reception at University House April 24 to present the scholarship as well as a merit award. The chapter created the endowment June 17, 2002, as another way to raise funds for deserving Latino students.
"The Latino Alumni Endowed Scholarship was the result of very hard work; we raised the money in different ways," said Salazar. "We received donations from alumni that live all over the United States, we held fundraisers, we had very successful golf outings, and we had a splendid combined donation from current and former professors at EMU."
This year, Marlen Mormile received the scholarship. She is expected to graduate in May with a Spanish teaching major and a language literature writing minor. Jeremy Taylor won the merit award. Taylor graduated in April with a major in linguistics and a minor in English. "We make ourselves available to others as much as we can," Salazar said. "It's a great thing having an alumni chapter and being able to visit and give back to Eastern."