Hispanic clubs enrich college life and celebrate heritage

Riverside, Calif. (Oct. 1, 2024) California Baptist University is looking forward to celebrating the vibrancy and rich history of Hispanic culture during Hispanic Heritage Month.

This year’s national theme, Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together, encourages us to look back and reflect on the contributions and achievements made by Latinos and the impact they have on our society’s future.

To acknowledge these contributions, we spoke with students from CBU’s Latino Student Union and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers to learn more about how these clubs make a difference for students during their Lancer Nation experience.

Jose Mendoza, a mechanical engineering junior and president of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, said the club helps empower him as a Latino student by connecting him with other Latinos to build a strong community on campus.

The club empowers Hispanic students in STEM by providing support to students to reach their full potential professionally and academically through motivation and guidance, according to its mission statement.

“It’s helping me shape my future because I am able to work with Latino professionals and get connected in the industry,” Mendoza said. “I am able to see what aspects of the industry I enjoy, and I am able to meet with professors as well and collaborate with them.”

Joshua Gomez, a computer science junior and secretary of the club, said it helps to connect him with other Latinos who have shared experiences and similar backgrounds.

“Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month means a lot to me. My family is from Colombia,” Gomez said. “It allows me to show my culture to those who may not know much about it.”

The Latino Student Union is a club that works to create a friendly atmosphere to discuss shared interests and differences while educating students about Latino culture.

Kimberly Roman, an interior design senior, serves as president for LSU.

“LSU gives me the opportunity to feel safe and comfortable to share my culture,” Roman said. “Being with people who look and speak like me definitely helps me to embrace my culture and who I am.”

Johari Jauregui, a journalism and new media junior and the club’s vice president, was one of the founding members of the club. She said attracting members to join the club wasn’t easy at first, but she trusted in God every step of the way.

“I had to put my trust in God and follow His word and whatever He had in store,” Jauregui said. “It’s been so inspirational to me to see how LSU has been able to help students feel more comfortable with their heritage.”

Students looking to get involved and celebrate Hispanic culture with either of the clubs mentioned are encouraged to visit calbaptist.edu/clubs to get connected.