Annie Beurman
Reporting correspondent
abeurma1@jccc.edu
The college’s fourth annual Diversidad Hispanic Conference took place Friday morning and afternoon in the Regnier Center. The conference focused on providing an opportunity for local Hispanic high school students to learn about college life and to help them find the right path towards their future careers.
Several different high schools, institutions and organizations were represented at the conference. The event consisted of several sessions that taught high schoolers several things they will need to know when entering college. Several professionals from different universities, organizations and school districts came to speak to students about various subjects, including making career decisions and being effective leaders.
Dr. April Mayes, Professor of History at Pomona College, was the keynote speaker at the event.
“It’s an opportunity to bring together staff here at JCCC plus high school guidance counselors from the local area with high school students and current JCCC students to talk about life at college.”
Kansas State University Academic Services and Diversity Coordinator Madaí Rivera has attended more than one Diversidad Hispanic Conference. Rivera was a speaker on the student panel in an afternoon session called “Let’s Hear that from our Students.”
“We had a very diverse group in the audience, but also a lot of the advocates for these students and families,” said Rivera. “I did see some [familiar] faces, so it’s nice to see that people that have been here before are coming back … but I also saw new faces so that’s neat because maybe other people are … spreading the word.”
One of the students that chose to return was Carolina Barradas, who plans to attend the college to study nursing.
“[The speakers] hit the most important points in every speech that they give,” said Barradas.
High school student Evelyn Chavarria also plans to study nursing and attended Diversidad for the first time this year. She heard about the conference from a teacher.
“Most of us [at the conference] are first in coming to college from our family, so obviously we don’t know anything [about it], so it’s good information,” said Chavarria.
The college works hard to make sure the students who attend the conference know where their resources are and don’t begin their college experience blindly.
“The majority of Latinos who go to college begin their college careers at community colleges. This is the front [line] right here at Johnson County, so we want to make sure that [they’re] doing everything they can to get students through to their two year degrees … or four year degrees and beyond,” said Mayes.