Annenberg Latino Student Association (ALSA)
“Uniting the Latino Community of the School for Communication through social, professional and political activities”
Contact: Isaac Cuchilla, Manny Miranda Executive Directors
Email: isaac.cuchilla@gmail.com or manuelmi@usc.edu
Organization Email: usc.alsa@gmail.com
The Annenberg Latino Student Association is committed to promoting career and academic opportunities for Latino students in the fields of communication, journalism and public relations. The organization is also designed to provide a social network outside of the classroom. It also provides students the opportunity to volunteer in the community through its various outreach fieldtrips. This association hosts bi-weekly meetings with guest speakers, workshops, networking mixers focused on supporting and advancing the career of Latino media students.
Ballet Folklorico de USC
“Preserving our culture through dance and performance”
Contact: Stephanie Hernandez
Email: hernansa@usc.edu
The Folklorico is not currently active, but is looking for students interested in helping revive the group.
Campus and Community United (CCU)
Contact: Campus and Community staff
Email: campusandcommunity@gmail.com
Web:http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=18371789284&ref=ts
(1) We are students, faculty, religious leaders, and staff committed to spreading awareness about USC's Master Plan while partnering with the community to develop a responsible future for the Figueroa Corridor neighborhood.
(2) We seek a responsible future for both campus and community members through:
-Advocating for Affordable Housing, both in its preservation and creation
-Advocating for Safety while engaging enduring stereotypes about the community
-Advocating for Responsible and Equitable Economic Development -Advocating for Environmental Sustainability in future neighborhood developments
Event Spotlight:
This past semester, CCU sponsored Our SChool, Our Neighborhood: A Forum on Affordable Housing and Responsible Development. We brought together USC administrators, professors, and local community activists to discuss the Master Plan and possible ways to address it. CCU has also sent delegations to local planning meetings to publicly voice the need for responsible developments in the local neighborhood, addressing issues such as displacement and affordable housing.
Chicanos/Latinos for Health Education (CHE)
“Sanando la comunidad/Healing the community”
Contact: Gabriel Flores
Email: floresg@usc.edu
Organization Email: clhe@usc.edu
The purpose of CHE is to promote pre-health student interest leading to improvement in healthcare in underserved communities. We create support for pre-health students in areas such as retention, academic success, career opportunities, and politics of medicine. CHE members participate in various community service projects, including an annual trip to Tijuana, Mexico to provide free health services with doctors.CHE members also create friendships with one another through participation in social activities, such as dinners and ice cream socials.
Chicanos for Progressive Education (CPE)
"Empowerment through Education"
Contact: Jose Nuno, Vanessa Portillo
Email: jnuno@usc.edu, portillv@usc.edu,
Organization Email: cpedeusc@usc.edu
Web: www.cpedeusc.edu
Founded at USC in 1991, Chicanos for Progressive Education is an organization that is committed to the education and retention of underrepresented minority students. Our purpose is to increase the number of minority students, especially Latinos, at USC and in colleges around the country by touring Los Angeles High Schools in order to motivate and answer questions about university life, academics, and financial aid. We also provide mentoring to high school students as well as informal mentoring between our members. We maintain a scholarship fund to help supplement the financial needs of one qualified freshmen or transfer student who has shown commitment and dedication to CPE and our cause. Additionally, CPE conducts bi-monthly high school visits to various high school in the Los Angeles area. We also pride ourselves in providing our members with a cultural and academic support group through various social events such as retreats and fundraisers.
Event Spotlight: Every semester, CPE organizes a High School Conference in which we fundraise and host over 300 high school students at USC.
El Sol y La Luna/ Latino Floors
“Promoting cultural awareness, community involvement, and academic success in a close knit multicultural environment conducive to a smooth transition to university life and overall unforgettable first year experience!”
Contact: Julian Tarula
Email: jtarula@usc.edu
Organization Email: latinofloors@gmail.com
Created in 1974, the Latino Floors residential program is an opportunity offered to first year students interested in learning more about the Latino culture in the presence of a supportive community of faculty/student mentors and peers. The goal of the Latino floors is to create and promote a positive and open-minded atmosphere that creates a unique first year experience meant to help ease the transition into college life. With amazing networking opportunities, faculty involvement, resourceful workshops, and cultural events, there’s no better way to experience diversity at USC. The Latino Floors provides extensive community service, cultural, academic and social activities throughout the year. The two Latino Floors house 64 residents and four resident advisors– experienced upperclassmen trained to cater to the needs of first-year students who plan programs and activities during the academic year.
Event Spotlight: This year the Latino Floors held a Beach Retreat at Dockweiler State Beach, hosted their annual Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Celebration where hundreds of local school children came to participate in educational workshops and festivities, and participated in mixers with the Somerville and Rainbow Floors.
Hapa Student Community (HapaSC)
“Hapa Student Community is a welcoming social community for people of mixed ethnicity and their friends: a place that we can all call home. As an intelligent social group, we serve to bring public awareness to the hapa community”
Contact: Lauren Perez
Org. email: hapaSC@gmail.com
Facebook: HapaSC
HapaSC is also the only organization at USC devoted to creating a student community within which students can explore what it means to be multiracial and it's growing niche in our society. Our organization puts on annual events, like the Interracial Dating Forum, Welcome Retreat, Comedy Night , Thanksgiving Dinner and Member Banquets. We also have a number of educational and social activities.
Event Spotlight: In Fall 2008 HapaSC presented Comedy night featuring Kate Rigg, Rachel Tomlinson and Comedy Central's Steve Byrne. After some hilarious standup performances the comedians sat down for a roundtable discussion on being hapa in the entertainment industry. The event was a big hit garnering interest from beyond the USC community.
Hermanas Unidas (HaU)
"Poder de la Mujer"
Contact: Bernadette Gholami, Isabel Duenas
Email: uschau_cochair1@yahoo.com, uschau_cochair2@yahoo.com
Hermanas Unidas de USC was established in 2004 and serves to ease the transition to amd from college with the help of our general body as well as alumni network. Hermanas Unidas has 11 chapters throughout California and is based off three pillars: Academics, Social Events, and Community Service. One great thing about HaU is that it offers family-like friendships.
Event Spotlight: Every year a different Chapter of Hermanas Unidas hosts the HaU Statewide Conference. This conference provides workshops put on by successful alumni from different school chapters as well as the networking opportunity. It also consists of social events and chances to make many friends from different schools around California. This weekend proves to be a lot of fun.
Hermanos Unidos (HU)
“Fuerza en la Hermandad”
Contact: Luis Garcia Rico, Gustavo Lopez
Email: garciari@usc.edu or gustaval@usc.edu
Organization Email: huusc@usc.edu
Web: www.huusc.com
Hermanos Unidos-USC was founded in 2002 and seeks to help students succeed in the college environment by its commitment to the three foundational pillars of Academic Scholarship, Community Service, and Social Interaction. HU helps its members fulfill the three pillars by offering study hours, hands-on community service events, intramural sports, seminars, guest speakers, leadership development workshops, and team building activities. A unique component of the organization are its Platicas, where members are invited to converse on a more personal level and in an environment that promotes the achievement of both personal and collective goals. All HU members work towards achieving El Nuevo Hombre, an ideal state that defies the negative stereotypes that have been placed upon Latino males.
Event Spotlight:
Operation: Heads Up. Heads-Up is a one-on-one mentorship program with local high school students that promotes higher education. Students are provided guidance on how to successfully graduate from high school and gain admission into a college or university. HU members also prepare activities that expose students to various areas of college study. In addition, the students’ parents are invited to the event to see what their children have achieved during Heads-Up.
Pachanga Night. HU and USC's EVK Dining Hall partner up annually to promote Latino culture and food through this theme night. Students from all over the university are able to enjoy traditional Latino dishes, music, and customs.
Latino Honor Society (LHS)
“Recognizing scholastic excellence and dedication to the Latino community since 1997”
Email: ecc@usc.edu
Web: http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/elcentro/
Latino Honor Society was established at USC in the Fall of 1997. LHS is an academic program sponsored coordinated by El Centro Chicano. The society was founded in response to the need for a program that encouraged, stimulated, and recognized, those who maintain excellence in scholarship in addition to serving as positive role models in the community. LHS recognizes all Latino students at USC for their outstanding commitments to academic excellence and efforts in developing the Latino community through community service.
Latino Business Student Association (LBSA)
“To develop young men and women into the business leaders of tomorrow, through professional exposure, community involvement and social interaction”
Contact: Fabian Salas
Email: fsalas@usc.edu
Organization Email: lbsa@usc.edu
Website: www.usclbsa.com
LBSA is an organization which welcomes students from all majors looking to enjoy their college experience while preparing for their future professional endeavors. LBSA strives to accomplish this by providing members with opportunities to grow professionally, while giving back to the community and making lifelong friendships. We welcome you to the LBSA family! Meetings Wednesdays 6-8pm in Accounting 201 starting January 28.
Event Spotlight:
Every semester LBSA hosts the Corporate Luncheon for USC students. The event provides an opportunity for students to enjoy a three course meal with corporate recruiters from the company of their choice. These interactions often provide students with an added edge in obtaining internships and jobs from companies like Ernst & Young, Target, and Goldman Sachs
Latina/o Student Assembly (LSA)
Contact: Amber Barrios
Email: aberrios@usc.edu
Organization Email: lsausc@usc.edu
Phone: 213-740-5656 (Program Board)
Web: http://www-scf.usc.edu/~lsausc
The Latina/o Student Assembly is a non-profit umbrella group for Chicana/o, Hispana/o, Latina/o student organizations at USC and has been in existence for approximately 16 years. LSA is composed of an executive board of 5 elected officers, 1 appointed officer and 1 representative from each member organization. LSA receives funds from Student Senate and is overseen by Program Board. LSA allocates funds to organizational members as well as other USC student organizations.
Mariachi Sur de California
Contact: El Centro Chicano
Email: ecc@usc.edu
Mariachi Sur de California offers students, faculty, and staff, the opportunity to learn the different styles of mariachi music, take part in mariachi conferences, and become part of a very special group whose members are dedicated and passionate of the music. This group is not currently active, but is looking for students interested in helping revive the group.
Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano/a de Aztlan (MEChA)
“La Union Hace la Fuerza”
Contact person: Anay Martinez
Email: anaymart@usc.edu
Phone: (213) 740-3242
Organization Email: mecha@usc.edu
Web: http://www-scf.usc.edu/~mecha
M.E.Ch.A began at the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1969, when students, faculty, and community leaders met in response to growing unrest on the state of Raza education. There was a consensus that the path to liberation would come from passionate students who were dedicated to empowering their neighborhoods and people. M.E.Ch.A is inclusive of all Raza and strives for the empowerment and liberation of our gente through higher education. Plainly spoken, M.E.Ch.A is of the community. Event Spotlight: The MEChA High School Conference spans a history of well over a decade and has hosted over 10,000 students in the Los Angeles area. It is the intent of all MEChisAs to provide participants with a better understanding of the importance of achieving higher education. Accordingly, the conference is comprised of a variety of cultural and academic workshops as well as information about majors, field of study and/or careers from current USC students and alumni.
Nuestra Alma Latina (NAL)
“Strength through Unity”
Organization Email: nuestra@usc.edu
Web: http://www-scf.usc.edu/~nuestra
Spring 2007 Mission Statement: “We the ladies and gentlemen of Nuestra Alma Latina will establish in each member a foundation of support through the bonds of friendship, academic excellence, social awareness and to lead by example in our university and community.”
Nuestra Alma Latina was established in 1995 by eleven Latina, female student leaders. Its purpose was to provide a support group for Latinas on campus that helps its members succeed academically and socially to reach the end goal of graduation.
NAL welcomes all students who wish to be committed members to the organization. We sponsor community service events, such as Halloween event with young children at a nearby learning center and social events including monthly dinners. NAL’s alumni continue to be active in the organization and have recently met their endowment fund goal for the NAL scholarship.
Project Dream
Contact: Ana Irazabal
Email: ordonezi@usc.edu
Organization Email: dream@usc.edu
Project Dream is an organization meant to serve as a college preparatory program for inner-city low income students around the USC area. We welcome students from every major who are willing to serve middle school and high school students as mentors and role models. Project Dream is a great service opportunity for students who understand the issues with inner-city education and like to work with youth. Project Dream is out to make a difference in education starting at the college level and reaching the future leaders of the world.
Event Spotlight: John Adams Middle School Mentoring Program, Adjusting The Status Quo For Failure: LAUSD High Schools, & Fall High School Conference.
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers at USC (SHPE-USC)
“SHPE promotes the development of Hispanics in engineering, science and other technical professions to achieve educational excellence, economic opportunity and social equality.”
Contact: President - Cesar Valladares, External Vice President - Jessica Quintero, Internal Vice President - Armando Rene Rojas
Email: cvallada@usc.edu, quinterj@usc.edu, armandrr@usc.edu
Organization Email: shpeusc@gmail.com
Website: http://shpe.usc.edu/cs/Default.aspx
The National Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers was established in 1974 with goals focusing on outreach to the community as well as networking among all Hispanics. SHPE-USC was one of the first established student chapters in the nation, founded in 1975. Here at the University of Southern California, we do our best to provide our members with the right tools to become successful individuals who also give back to the community. In addition, we also have a long heritage of successful SHPE alumni who help us in successful completion of our goals.
Event Spotlight: The SHPE Conference is the major event for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Inc. and the largest technical and career conference for Hispanics in the country. Each year, the SHPE Conference attracts nearly 5,000 engineering professionals, students and corporate representatives. The 2009 SHPE Conference will take place in Washington, DC October 28 - November 1, 2009.
Undergraduate Student Government – Diversity Affairs Committee
Contact: Angie Gonzalez
Email: apgonzal@usc.edu
Website: http://senate.usc.edu/
Undergraduate Student Government (USG) if the official governing body of the nearly 16,500 undergraduates at USC. It exists to represent the interests of the students to the administration on campus through an extensive programming, committee, and advocacy structure. The four branches that comprise USG are the Legislative, Executive, Judicial, and Programming branches.
The Diversity Affairs committee is part of the advocacy branch that works to improve the atmosphere and opportunities for all minority students. In addition, Diversity Affairs is charged with increasing the diversity of students that attend USC. These groups include the Latino, Black, Asian, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgendered, international, disabled, religious, and female communities.
Event Spotlight: This Spring will be the 2nd Annual Multicultural Retreat that will bring together students from all backgrounds whether it be related to ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, etc. This two-day retreat is a chance for leaders in the diverse communities of USC to come together and develop an action plan that will help to make our prestigious university even better. We will address pertinent issues and what we can do to solve them. The retreat is all expenses paid and everyone is encouraged to apply.
If you would like to join this committee or any of the others you can do so now by applying. Applications for elected and appointed positions for next year's Undergraduate Student Government will be out soon. Please contact Angie Gonzalez if you have any questions.
USC Ballroom and Latin Dance Team
"Providing social, instructional, and competitive opportunities in traditional ballroom and Latin partner dances"
Contact: Amy Hurwitz
Email: ahurwitz@usc.edu
Organization Email: ballroom@usc.edu
Web: http://www-scf.usc.edu/~ballroom/
The Ballroom & Latin Dance Club offers members of the USC community the opportunity to explore the art of partner dancing through class instruction, competition and social events. Classes twice per week focus on the American Smooth Ballroom and International Latin dance styles with classes in the following dances: Chacha, Rumba, Samba, Jive, Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz and Quickstep. Social events also include opportunities to learn Salsa, Hustle, Swing and other dances. Classes are catered to students of all abilities from beginner to championship levels. Several members travel to both collegiate and professional competitions throughout the year and have won top prizes throughout the western region in all levels. In addition, members practice what they learn in a social setting at weekend dances.