On March 19 at 8 a.m. Concordia will be hosting its eighth annual Hispanic Leadership Conference. This free event is open to all high school students and their families who dream of creating a better life through a college education. 

With lectures and discussions available in both English and Spanish, this event strives to engage the whole family and help families realize that college can go beyond a dream and become a reality.

“Events like this Hispanic Leadership Conference are important because we prepare the next generation of college students,” said Gio Brito, Assistant Director of the Unity Center. “There is a big Hispanic population in Orange County and we play an important role in showing these students that going to a four-year university is achievable.”

The day starts with the opening remarks from Gaddi H. Vasquez, who served as a U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and currently operates on many boards and commissions in California. The son of migrant workers, Vasquez was the first of his family to receive a college degree, and he has risen to incredible heights in terms of civil and community service. 

Following Vasquez, Professor Jonathan Calvillo, who has published significant research on faith in Latino communities, will be giving the keynote speech. After the keynote, Cavillo and Vasquez will be joined by Dr. Samuel Perla (EdD '22), Principal of Santa Ana Unified, and CJ Calderon, Chief of Staff of Goodwill Orange County. Together, they will discuss where they started and how their roots have brought them to where they are now.

Two breakout sessions will follow these featured conversations. Within each section, there are six different talks to attend. For example, attendees can view Concordia’s Marine Lab and receive a tour from the students who work, volunteer and research in the lab. They can also attend a Collegiate Sports and Recruitment talk that discusses different opportunities available through sports, hosted by Concordia’s staff members Megan Feuerstein and Glory Fung. They will walk students through how to research programs, get in touch with coaches, and show off their skills to help them get recruited.

For those interested in the sciences, there is the virtual anatomy lab led by Dr. Scott Gaines, where participants can experience a detailed 3D model of the human body and learn about how technology is transforming anatomy education. A nursing breakout session is also offered to learn more about nursing school at Concordia’s Spectrum Campus.

Students can also attend a “Keys to College Success” session with Tutoring Coordinator Jacob Lange, where students can learn the different ways that college can support them academically. A “Future Focus: Real World Career Exploration” will also be hosted by Katherine Olea, Assistant Director of Career Development at the Center for Career and Vocation. After a hosted lunch, there will be a student panel, a parent session and campus tours.

“This Hispanic Leadership Conference has been hosted at Concordia since 2016,” said Brito. “It is a wonderful opportunity for high school students to get a roadmap of what the path to college looks like. There are workshops, guest speakers, and of course, free swag!” 

Being a first-generation college student is an experience that is often discussed only in passing. However, those who are first-generation college students jump through mental, economic, and social hurdles that impact them during the entire college application, decision and attendance process. 

“I didn’t feel prepared at all,” said Desiera Melcher, junior. “It was completely new territory with little to no guidance. It wasn’t just figuring out how to navigate my class load, or find time for friends, family and outside activities, but learning how to navigate college as a whole. From the application process, to FAFSA, to any and all documentation required.” The events at the  Hispanic Leadership Conference are tailored to helping students understand what they need to succeed and feel prepared for college.

“Coming into college I was absolutely terrified,” said Melcher. “A huge part of it was also a feeling of not belonging, being the first to break out of the cycle. My grandparents were immigrants from Mexico and weren’t given that chance from the beginning. My mom also fell into the cycle, becoming a single mom of two by the age of 18. I would constantly hear I would be the same. College felt unrealistic, and I felt almost wrong to be here. [But] after getting here I knew there were resources.”

This conference is tailored to helping students understand college and get the support they need. “It isn’t easy breaking out of stereotypes and stigmas set in place for the kids that grow up in poor minority communities. I’m working at my fullest potential for them, to hopefully pull them out of the cycle too,” said Melcher.

For more information about the resources offered at Concordia, or about the Hispanic Leadership Conference itself, visit www.cui.edu/hispanic or contact hispanic@cui.edu.

Tags: Culture , event, development

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