Latin Engineering Students’ Association

Our Welcome Event was hosted at the beginning of the year to bring together both incoming and returning students and introduce them to the mission and community of the club. During the event, students learned about the club’s goals, met the executive team and coordinators, including the President, Directors, and other leadership members, and received an overview of the future initiatives and events planned for the year. The event also included food and interactive activities designed to help students meet one another, build connections, and feel more comfortable engaging with the club. This initiative helped create a strong sense of belonging early in the year and encouraged new students to become involved in the Latinx engineering community.

The Latin American Student Clubs Panel was a collaborative event organized with six different Latin American student clubs to strengthen community across campus and create a space for shared reflection and connection. The event featured three Latin American professors Adriana Perez Rodriguez, Ms. Paula Karger, and Dr. Maira Travez Mendez — along with the presidents of each participating student group. Panelists shared their academic journeys, research interests, leadership experiences, and personal perspectives on what it means to be Latin American in a foreign country. After the panel, we facilitated a group discussion that encouraged students to engage more directly with professors and peers. This initiative helped students build a stronger sense of belonging, learn from Latin American role models in academia, and connect with a wider network of Latin American students across the university.

Cafecito with Profs was a smaller, more personal panel style event designed to create meaningful one on one connections between students and professors. Unlike a traditional large panel, this initiative focused on giving students a more comfortable space to ask questions, hear about professors’ academic and professional journeys, and receive advice in a relaxed environment. The event encouraged open conversations about university life, career pathways, research, identity, and the experience of navigating academia as part of the Latin American community. By creating direct access to faculty in an approachable setting, Cafecito with Profs helped students feel more supported, represented, and connected within the academic community.