February 19, 2016
Student delegates attend United States Hispanic Leadership Institute
A student delegation from the K-State chapter of the Hispanic American Leadership Organization is attending the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, or USHLI, 34th annual National Conference, Feb. 18-21. Office of Diversity representatives, Mirta Chavez and Caitlyn Wells, are leading the delegation.
K-State student delegates:
From Garden City: Klarissa Calvillo, sophomore in psychology; Paloma Roman, junior in athletic and pre-physical therapy; Pamela Hernandez, junior in psychology; Itzel Moreno-Rodriguez, junior in biology and pre-nursing; and Diana Ortiz, junior in business management.
Denise Torres, mass communications, Hutchinson; and Catalina Melgoza, freshman in mass communications, Kansas City.
From Liberal: Jessica Martinez, junior in social work; Tania Sarabia, junior in human resource management; Viviana Ortiz, sophomore in animal sciences and industry; Elida Escarcega, senior in history.
Coraima Yanez, sophomore in environmental design, Tribune; Vanessa Sastoque, freshman in open option, Topeka; Israel Mendoza, senior in electrical engineering, Ulysses.
The conference has become the premier Hispanic leadership conference in the nation, attracting a complete cross section of our leadership community and involving all ancestry groups. More than 6,500 present and future leaders representing 40 states will attend various events throughout the four days.
Students and young professionals at the conference have the opportunity to meet recruiters, national policy-makers and future employers so they can develop and/or strengthen their leadership skills and to grow as servant leaders. Participants will hear nationally prominent speakers and workshop presenters who are highly interactive and experts in their field.
A survey of participants in 2015 found that 72 percent were 18-34 years of age, 60 percent were women and 82 percent were attending or had already completed college. Most conference participants are or will become the most influential Hispanic leaders of their generation and will help govern our cities, schools, states and, indeed, a nation that will become 25 percent Hispanic during their lifetime.
In addition to hosting the national conference, institute has registered more than 2.3 million new voters, published 425 studies on Latino demographics — including the flagship biennial online publication of the Almanac of Latino Politics — and more than 800,000 present and future leaders have participated in local and national leadership programs.
Please join me in congratulating our delegation as we look forward to what they will share upon their return. Go Cats!
Zelia Wiley
Interim Associate Provost for Diversity