Latinx
September 19, 2024
Hispanic first-generation student-athletes share stories
Arleth Martinez, a senior sociology major, runs cross country along with track and field. She didn’t even run in high school. Before moving to Goshen in 2017, Martinez was running in California. “But then when I moved to Goshen High School, I was like ‘new people, scary, I’m not doing this,’” she recounted. With her time away from running, Martinez wasn’t sure how joining the team in college would go. “I did think it was gonna be, like, pretty stressful trying to manage my time and figure it out,” she said. “But I’ve actually found that to me, it’s sort...
September 19, 2024
LSU looks toward upcoming year
It’s Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, and the Latino Student Union wants to share about the upcoming month and how to get involved in the club’s activities and goals. LSU, advised by Christobal Garza Gonzalez and Raquel Montanez Gonzalez, is an affinity group that centers around Hispanic experiences. It is available to any student who desires an opportunity to socialize, engage with the community and, most importantly, become comfortable with getting involved on campus. “We create events and celebrate the diversity of Latin American culture and countries,” said Angelica Garcia-Ponce, sophomore social work major a LSU...
September 19, 2024
United Leaders foster confidence
Leadership skills can apply to many facets of life. Providing and improving those skills is the goal of the new United Leaders of Goshen College program, led by Gilberto Pérez Jr., vice president for student life and Hispanic serving initiatives. The group had several meetings during this past semester, in March, April and May, and is now looking to get started once again. Pérez spoke with enthusiasm about the mission of the group: “One primary goal is that our students who are in the leadership program have a better sense of direction for what they want to do at Goshen...
September 19, 2024
Goshen hosts Hispanic Heritage Festival
On Saturday, over 12,000 people from the Goshen community and beyond gathered at Powerhouse Park for the 4th annual Hispanic Heritage Festival. The festival celebrated each Hispanic culture through food, singing, dancing, traditional performances and activities for all ages. From the hot pupusas sold at the El Salvadorian food stand, the overflowing cups of tropical fruit smothered in Tajin, to the Mexican Consulate’s “Cry for Freedom” (El Grito) ceremony, all traditions were represented in one way or another. Lily Herrera, a junior broadcasting major from Santa Clarita, California said, “It’s always so cool to see people of all ethnicities and...
September 19, 2024
Year three for GC as an HSI
Goshen College is entering the third year of its Hispanic Serving Institution designation and with that experience comes a more developed sense of what it means to be an HSI. As far as change goes, much of what the college has been able to achieve is thanks to a Title V federal grant for Developing Hispanic Serving Institution (DSHI) programs. Gilberto Pérez Jr., vice president for student life and Hispanic serving initiatives, as well as dean of students, explained that GC received $3 million to serve Hispanic students, as well as others who have been historically underserved. Jan Kauffman, assistant...
September 12, 2024
New section of academic voice aims to help ELL students
Goshen College has implemented a new section of academic voice, one that is open to a small selection of Hispanic English Language Learners (ELL). The class retains the same curriculum, but is taught by Spanish-speaking instructors; Robert Brenneman is the professor of record, with Areli Bautista serving as a teaching assistant. The class is composed of 14 first-year students. Homework and assignments are submitted in English, and most instruction is in English; however, the use of Spanish is interspersed when it’s helpful. “From time to time when we’re working one on one with students, we’ll switch to Spanish,” Brenneman said....
February 17, 2022
Teach Elkhart County works to diversify the teaching force
Think about one of your favorite teachers. Chances are, that teacher looks like you. Especially for students of color, having teachers that are as diverse as the students is a key part of feeling welcome in the classroom. Teachers of color have often been underrepresented, especially in Elkhart County, and Goshen College is working to change that — the Teach Elkhart County (Teach E.C.) program at GC supports a few of those inspired students as they become educators. Elisa Zwier, an assistant professor of education and the director of Teach E.C., explained that while the program may expand and adjust...
September 17, 2020
GC anticipates future as Hispanic-Serving Institution
With a 32% Hispanic population in undergraduate enrollment, Goshen College will begin the process of applying for status as a Hispanic-Serving Institution this year, becoming one of four colleges in Indiana to move towards this goal. “This is the first year that we meet the criterion of at least 25% enrollment of Hispanic U.S. citizens,” President Rebecca Stoltzfus said. “It is not an immediate qualification, and will probably be a two-year process. But this is a strategic priority for Goshen College, and so we will begin this work.” In 2007, only 6% of the student body was Hispanic, compared to...
February 7, 2020
Dance competition makes a comeback
Editor’s Note: In this reflective essay, Pamela Ortiz, LSU’s student president, talks about the experience of planning the Dancing with the Leafs event and all that transpired. For more information about the dance, dinner, or LSU club, contact Ortiz or any of the other student leaders. Dancing with the Leafs was one of the biggest events of the year for the Latino Student Union. Goshen College students here in 2018 would remember “Dancing with the Profs.” It was designed to be a dance competition for students and professors to show off their talent. This year, Latino Student Union was determined...
November 13, 2019
Dreamers and allies gather in solidarity
The legal status of approximately 700,000 Dreamers in the United States lies in limbo. On Nov. 12, the U.S. Supreme Court held a hearing to hear the case brought against Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) by the Trump administration. The challenge against DACA is based on the claim that President Obama did not have the authority to create such a program. Halfway across the country, students at Goshen College gathered to show solidarity for “Dreamers.” Latino Student Union (LSU) and the Elkhart County Hope Network sponsored the event in the Union Commons, where over 70 people, young and old,...
November 6, 2019
Perez Jr. becomes first Latino on City Council
Tuesday, Nov. 5 was a night of firsts for Gilberto Perez Jr. and the city of Goshen. Perez, the vice president for Student Life at Goshen College, was elected to a four-year term on the Goshen City Council, becoming the first Goshen College employee and the first Latino to hold that office in the city. “...this is going to end up being the most diverse City Council that Goshen has ever seen,” Mayor Jeremy Stutsman said. “And this is a board that I can’t diversify. It has to be the public, so I think it’s a good step to see...
October 9, 2019
Support systems in place for first-generation students
Rocio Diaz and Gilberto Perez Jr. want first-generation college students to succeed. And the Goshen College Student Life administrators are putting in the effort to help students do just that. On Saturday, Oct. 12, Goshen College will be hosting a dinner for parents of first-generation students at the Westlawn Dining Hall. Diaz, director of community engagement and adult outreach, has coordinated the dinner to invite parents of first-generation students to celebrate the accomplishments of their students and to learn what it takes for them to be successful while at college. According to Diaz, the dinner will function primarily as a...
September 25, 2019
LSU celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
Goshen College’s Latino Student Union invited campus to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month yesterday, a time of national celebration and remembrance for the American Latino community that began Sept. 15. More than two dozen flags of Latin American countries lined the front of College Mennonite Chapel, as members of the Goshen College Latino Student Union spoke. Five canvases painted by Yadira Figueroa, a 2018 graduate were displayed on stage the aspects of Latino character: Amor, Belleza, Fuerte, Pasion y Valiente - Love, Beauty, Strength, Passion and Bravery. “Our theme this year is ‘Proud of who I am,’” said Pamela Ortiz Ramirez,...
September 21, 2019
GC nears goal of becoming Hispanic Serving Institution
With an upward sloping trend over the last decade, Goshen College has officially exceeded 25% Hispanic population for undergraduate enrollment and is well on its way to be deemed as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Ten years ago, GC’s undergraduate Hispanic population reached just over 5% of the total undergraduate enrollment. Richard Aguirre, community impact coordinator for GC, credits this growth to many different goal-oriented initiatives put in place by the college. “We achieved 25% Latino enrollment by providing easier access to a GC education through enhanced financial assistance and support programs, transforming our campus into an intercultural teaching and learning community...
September 21, 2019
Goshen city government addresses concerns throughout Latinx community
In January of 2016, Goshen Mayor Jeremy Stutsman started his mission to improve relations between the local Latinx community and the city government by implementing a Latino Advisory Committee. The committee, accompanied by Stutsman, Goshen Police Chief Jose Miller and Assistant Chief Shawn Turner furthered their goal last Thursday evening as they held a community meeting in St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church to address a broad range of issues. Richard Aguirre, member of the Latino Advisory Committee and community impact coordinator at Goshen College, organized the meeting for the 200 people in attendance. According to Aguirre, the goal of...