Being among the 7% hispanic undergraduate population at a University of over 40,000 students, it is difficult to find a Latinx community. During my sophomore year I had yet to find the Latinx community I had been looking for and that is when I began to ask every faculty and staff member if they knew of a business latinx community. Andy Marzano, an advisor at Foster gathered multiple Latinx leaders he had found and helped rebuild ALPFA UW. Unlike other years, we wanted to formalize commitment as a student chapter.

Spring of 2016 I became the VP of Recruitment for UW ALPFA. Our contact list increased from four students to 150 students within less than a year. We have had an average of 30 students commit and attend a member meeting on a weekly basis.  We provide workshops, company visits, and community events. This community has become a mentorship program for many but most importantly a community where we have been able to depend on each other in difficult times (for example, after the election). As minorities and immigrants for many of us, we have had to overcome many difficulties and most of us are first generation students.

ALPFA has allowed me to build relationships that I wouldn’t have been able to have otherwise. These relationships are different because most of these professionals understand our culture and most can relate to what we have had to go through. In the case that they haven’t, they are willing to assist with whatever is necessary.

I have been lucky to attend other events such as the GALA, and it is incredibly motivational to be surrounded by people who are incredibly passionate about their work and helping others around them. I hope to not only be as successful but also to be able to give back as they do.

My journey was not easy, but I do believe that I would not have been able to accomplish such a rough couple of months without the unconditional support from the ALPFA professional team. The summit was essentially what got me the job and opened the door to the opportunities I was looking for. A simple thank you is not enough for everything you all do!