UMKC program helps Latino students keep moving forward

UMKC program helps Latino students keep moving forward

HERE AT 41 ACTION NEWS,WE'RE CELEBRATINGHISPANIC HERITAGEMONTH.IT'S AN IMPORTANT PARTOF KANSAS CITY -- AND IT'SCOMMUNITY.SPEAKING OFCOMMUNITY, SOMETIMESIT CAN BE HARD TO FEELLIKE YOU BELONG.IT'S A COMMON THEMEONE MAN SAW AT A LOCALUNIVERSITY.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER ANDRESGUTIERREZ SHOWS USHOW HE DEVELOPED APROGRAM -- TO HELPLATINO STUDENTSSUCCEED.WHEN U-M-K-C HIRED IVANRAMIREZ AT THEIR OFFICEOF MULTICULTURALSTUDENT AFFAIRS, ONETHING REALLY SURPRISEDHIM.Ivan Ramirez/Coordinator ofUMKC's"Avanzando" program/When I came onboard theclimate survey said that latinostudents didn't feel like theybelong at the university.IT'S NOT AN UNAMILIARFEELING TO RAMIREZ.HE IMMIGRATED TO THEU-S FROM MEXICO ANDBECAME THE FIRST IN HISFAMILY TO ATTENDCOLLEGE--THE VERY ONEHE NOW WORKS AT.Ivan Ramirez/Coordinator ofUMKC's"Avanzando" program/Education was important forthem, they did not understandthe process of higher ed orwhat I was doing in theclassroom, or at the universityAT THE TIME RAMIREZTURNED TO UMKC'S"AVANZANDO" PROGRAM..TRANSLATED IT MEANSKEEPING MOVINGFORWARD...AND THEY'VE HELPEDLATINO STUDENTS DOTHAT SINCE 2011Dr. Theresa Torres/UMKCAssociateProfessor of Race Ethnic andGender Studies/Instead of having to lose timeand energy trying to findsupport that is already built inTWO YEARS AGO,RAMIREZ RETURNED TOCAMPUS TO LEAD THEPROGRAM.THE NUMBER OFSTUDENTS UTILIZINGIT--HAS QUADRUPLED TOMORE THAN 250.Donovan Castaneda/ProgramParticipant/I heard it can get meconnected with other people.And I know as a transferstudent, it can get really hardto connect with other peopleAndres Gutierrez/Reporting/And to continue the program'sgrowth, Ramirez and Dr.Torres say they need the helpfrom the community in theform of mentorsDr. Theresa Torres/UMKCAssociateProfessor of Race Ethnic andGender Studies/The more mentors that wehave, the better and strongerthat they will be as studentsIvan Ramirez/Coordinator ofUMKC's"Avanzando" program/It is important for students tosee themselves reflected in aprofessional.BESIDES FORAGINGOPPORTUNITIES, RAMIREZWANTS TO SURE MAKETHEIR CULTURE ISCELEBRATED WITHOTHERS.Ivan Ramirez/Coordinator ofUMKC's"Avanzando" program/I do not want the students togo through the samehardships that I wentIN KANSAS CITY.

ANDRESGUTIERREZ.

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