Free conference to focus on Latino students

Posted by Press Release on April 14, 2016

Delaware County Community College (DCCC) will hold its second annual conference focused on Latinos and education titled, “Beyond Multiculturalism: Empowering Latino Students and the Community” from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., on Friday, April 15.

The free conference, which is open to the public, will be held in the Large Auditorium (Room 2225) on the college’s Marple Campus, 901 South Media Line Rd. in Media, according to a DCCC press release.

The conference will focus on Latino issues in education, including issues of immigration, representation, inclusion, equity and mentoring. The conference is coordinated by the college's faculty-led Latino Initiatives and Outreach Network (LION) in collaboration with the college's student-led Latin Flavor Club.

The luncheon keynote presentation, from 12:40 to 1:35 p.m., will be "A Conversation with Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera." It will concentrate on the Latino immigrant population in college, educational policies, and their impact on students' success.

In addition, a panel of experts, including Elizabeth Conde-Frazier, dean of Esperanza College, and Steven Larin, an immigration attorney and director of Legal Services & Immigration Policy at the Nationalities Services Center, will discuss the effects of an increasing Latino population in college; factors influencing the Latino achievement gap; the importance of mentoring; leadership; and institutional support at college campuses.

Another expert panel, including Hernan Guaracao, founder & CEO of AL DIA news media, and Iliana Pagan-Teitelbaum, professor of Spanish and Latin American film at West Chester University, will discuss issues regarding Latino representation in media and film, as well as the lack of Latino representation in higher education.

Finally, a panel of Delaware County Community College Latino student leaders will discuss their experiences at the College and the role of student involvement and leadership in their academic success.

Registration is not necessary, but is strongly encouraged. For more information and to register online, visit https://www.dccc.edu/latino-conference.