Supporting Dreams through Leadership at NEIU

Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) hosted the Second Annual Latino Student Leadership Conference, Apoyando Los Sueños [Supporting Dreams] on Saturday March 10. The conference started off with an expo in Village Square of all the organizations involved in the conference with an accompanying complimentary breakfast. After the expo, everyone was welcomed into Alumni Hall for a welcoming speech from Dr. Francisco Gaytan from the Social Work Department and Dr. Victoria A. Roman- Lagunas. Both Dr. Gaytan and Dr. Roman-Lagunas seemed to touch on the mission statement of the conference: "to promote leadership among students across campuses, provide a forum for social networking and the exchange of ideas and to increase social awareness and empowerment around academic issues." They also proceeded to ac- knowledge and "celebrate the contributions of Latino leaders [in order to] capitalize on their strengths and those of the Latino community, to inspire students to achieve academic excellence." "I'm like a unicorn," Dr. Gaytan jokingly said before ending his speech, regarding the suggested rarity of Latinos that do not have Ph.Ds. "I am [a part of] the 1% that does."

After the welcoming speeches, Dr. Richard Rutschman of the Chicago Teachers Center and ENLACE Leadership Institute, facilitated the "speed mentoring session." Its purpose was to introduce student leaders to other student leaders and leadership mentors. Everyone would start out at the tables they were seated at, read and share their responses to the leadership questions projected on a projection screen, and once time was called, student leaders would move to an- other table at random for the next leadership question. After several rounds of "speed mentoring," students and mentors were invited to attend a workshop of their choice pertaining to building leadership and professional skills, navigating a college life at NEIU or Latina beauty identity. A complimentary lunch and Latino documentaries divided the morning and afternoon session workshops.

Afternoon sessions were followed by closing remarks from the Latino Resource Center Director Miguel Cambray and by El Centro's Interim Director Maria E. Luna- Duarte. Both Cambray and Luna- Duarte gave special thanks and recognition to El Centro's Coordinator of Academic Support Services, Esmeralda Guerrero for being the head organizer for this conference. It was clear that Apoyando Los Sueños was a successful event with a great turnout of Latino leaders still in high school, on NEIU campuses and NEIU alumni.