Alumni are coming back to campus on March 25 to meet current Latino and Latina students for the first Latin@ Networking and Professional Panel Event, sponsored by Latin@ Student Services, directed by Dulce Monterrubio ’12, Alumni Relations, the Strommen Center.

This event is the result of the self-advocacy skills of current Latin@ students who one year ago voiced their strong interest to connect with Latin@ alumni. The profile of Latin@ students at Augsburg has changed drastically over the last fifteen years. Today, there are 177 self-identified undergraduate and graduate Latin@ students compared to only 29 students in 2000. Most of these students are the first in their family to go to college, identify as Latin@ and Americans, fund their own education, commute from inner-city as well as suburban communities, and are uncertain about what the future holds after graduation.

This first-ever event offers great potential for current students to learn from the personal experiences of other Latina and Latino alumni balancing college, family and other responsibilities as they discover their interests and navigate their path. Alumni and mentors can open doors for many of the students in attendance—from sharing internship and job opportunities, to professional advice, and mentoring. The event will reassure students that it is within their reach to achieve their goals, to give back to their community, to one day serve as role models themselves, and to know they are not alone in their journey. If you have any questions, please contact Volunteer and Alumni Engagement Manager Katie Radford ’12 at radford@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1329.