Centralight
Executive Editor and Deputy Chief of Alumni Relations & Constituent Engagement
Marcie Otteman, ’87
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Conner
Leslie
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Features Centralight
Latine students, faculty and staff share a common goal: building a supportive community.
Our commitment to inclusion and belonging
This is your open invitation to connect with the CMU community across a brand range of identities
I am proud to present this special edition of Centralight. We’re shining a spotlight on our university’s Latine students, alumni, faculty and staff as we celebrate our fourth annual Diversity Gala this spring. I’m pleased to hand over my column space to Dr. Shawna Patterson-Stephens, Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging at CMU, to share more about why we’re producing this issue.
Dr. Patterson-Stephens and her team are committed to creating an environment that ensures everyone achieves their true potential on campus and in our communities.
I hope you enjoy the stories within this issue!
Throughout this issue, we are following the style of CMU’s Office for Institutional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by way of APA standards, capitalizing identity terms including Black and People of Color. We also use the term Latine for the broader community and include words people use to self-identify, including profe, a more-familial term for professor.
Greetings, CMU community, and welcome. As we mark our fourth year of the Diversity Gala, we will continue to do what is best for our university community, and that is to offer educational opportunities that advance our academic mission and provide services that support our students.
At CMU, we are proud to have an office dedicated to creating an environment that ensures everyone achieves their true potential on campus, in our surrounding community, and in their lives.
This special issue of Centralight focuses on our Latine alumni constituency — a group that is growing in membership and impact. In 2005, one CMU alumnus living in Washington, D.C., reached out to our alumni office asking if there could be an affinity group representing the university’s Latine graduates. From those earliest days, the dedication to connecting with Latine alumni and being a resource to the students on campus have been focused, intentional and rewarding.
I’ve said this before, but it always bears repeating: The entirety of our CMU alumni represents a broad range of identities, and we welcome members of our diverse communities to create alumni chapters that are representative of our vast lived experiences. It’s through our minoritized alumni that we can make some of the most meaningful connections with students and graduates, creating experiences that offer support of all kinds — from emotional to financial — ensuring we are promoting the interest, retention and welfare of our students, faculty, staff and alumni.
We are grateful for those who have stepped forward to do this work already, and we invite you to consider how you can deepen your relationship and connection with CMU. Whether you’re contributing your time, talent or treasure, when you show up for your community, we all rise.
There is space for you at CMU. We invite you to join us.
Join the OIDEI community and sign up for our newsletter at https://forms.office.com/r/aN2r4M57gd.
Marcie Otteman, ’87, Deputy Chief of Alumni Relations & Constituent Engagement
Dr. Shawna Patterson-Stephens, Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging
The power of creating an inclusive university
CMU celebrates our connection to the Latine community
President Neil MacKinnon, Ph.D.
Central Michigan University’s core values are deeply rooted in the belief that success flourishes in an environment where every person feels respected, valued and included. Among the many groups we are proud to lift up is our community of Latine and Hispanic students, faculty, staff and alumni.
Our Multicultural Academic Student Support office supports Latine and Hispanic students with faculty and staff mentors who address their concerns and support their academic experience at CMU. Our Center for Student Inclusion and Diversity also hosts La Gente, a biweekly community-building initiative for Latine students.
CMU students take the lead in creating groups that foster belonging. Students have established organizations like the Latino Medical Students Association, Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers, and Prospanica, dedicated to the advancement of Hispanic business professionals.
And of course, our dedicated alumni are getting involved with the growth of the Central Michigan Latine Alumni Chapter. They inspire and support current and future Latine CMU alumni through amazing homecoming and career development events.
Your continued involvement — whether through gifts, mentorship or the simple act of sharing your experiences — strengthens our connections. Together, we can ensure that every member of our university family — past, present and future — feels they belong with us.
Thank you, and Fire Up Chips!
Neil MacKinnon, Ph.D. President, Central Michigan University
CMU TODAY
CMU researchers dive into Bolivian water challenges
BY ROBERT WANG
When whispers of poor water quality reached Central Michigan University’s ears, there was no hesitating. With Itzel Marquez from the School of Engineering and Technology leading the charge, Marquez and CMU undergraduate Maxwell Hornak (with support faculty from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Department of Philosophy, Anthropology and Religion) geared up for an expedition to Copacabana, Bolivia.
Their mission? Unravel the mysteries behind the questionable water quality. Armed with samples and fueled by determination, the team conducted initial tests, hinting at a deeper problem that begged for further exploration.
CMU faculty join forces with international sustainability efforts
CMU faculty travel to Finland for the Finnish American Research and Innovation Accelerator
BY CONNER LESLIE
CMU faculty members Bob Dvorak, Itzel Marquez and Maggie Williams were among 19 U.S. researchers selected to travel to Finland for a series of workshops and discussions with Finnish faculty members.
Their trips were funded by The FinnishAmerican Research & Innovation Accelerator (FARIA) and the Erasmus Project, with a goal to accelerate collaboration between Finland and the United States to address global challenges through sustainable practices.
Touching down in Bolivia, they hit the ground running, conducting field tests to size up the situation firsthand. But the lack of proper lab gear meant they had to pack up some samples for a more detailed analysis back at CMU.
“One of our own sounded the alarm about water quality in Copacabana,” Hornak shared. “So, we grabbed our gear, dove into the issue, and are gearing up to share our findings far and wide.”
Their findings? Eye-opening, to say the least.
The water wasn’t just murky; it was rife with challenges like hardness, total dissolved solids, and chloride ions.
The CMU faculty learned how Finnish faculty members are engaging with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in their research, educational curriculum, and in practical applications to impact communities. The CMU faculty also had the opportunity to share how their work in the U.S. aligns with sustainability goals by presenting research posters to the group.
Williams noted how well the Finnish Universities communicate with the public and how they prioritize research projects to best serve their people.
After a five-day training program with the entire group, each CMU faculty member spent a few more days visiting a different university that was matched to their research interest. Dvorak’s focus is wilderness and protected areas, and he has explored wildlife refuges in Alaska to improve sustainability in extreme
Working hand in hand with local water treatment plant crews, they cracked open a treasure trove of insights, prompting them to widen their research horizons.
In a heartwarming twist, the team joined forces with CMU chemistry faculty member Dr. Dale Lecaptain’s startup, H2OQ, to arm a local school with water quality analysis tools. It wasn’t just about solving problems; it was about empowering the next generation to be stewards of their environment.
As Hornak put it, “The best part? Immersing ourselves in Bolivian culture. From living with locals to savoring their cuisine, it wasn’t just about science; it was about forging connections and sharing experiences.”
Now back at CMU, they’re diving into the data, with plans to tackle solutions to the area’s water woes. Their journey may have ended, but the impact? That’s just beginning. •
environments near the Arctic Circle. In contrast, Marquez’s focus is engineering, and she investigated Finland’s water treatment systems.
The faculty were grateful for the opportunity that CMU, FARIA and the Erasmus project provided. They look forward to sharing what they learned in Finland with their students, and they hope to further collaborations with Finnish Universities to work on sustainability goals in the U.S. •
Itzel Marquez
CMU TODAY
Professor selected for Faculty Innovation Fellows Program
Project aims to foster an environment of success for first-generation students
BY SARAH BUCKLEY
Department of History, World Languages and Cultures faculty member Alejandra Rengifo is one of 20 educators selected for the University Innovation Fellows Program at Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design.
The program empowers students and faculty leaders to increase campus engagement with innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity and design thinking. Projects can include funding new programs, majors, classes, and activities that connect campus and the community. Candidates who complete the program were launched as Faculty Innovation Fellows in March.
Rengifo’s project, “Fostering an Environment of Success for FirstGeneration Students,” will help create a network of second-, third- and fourthyear first-generation students at Central Michigan University to support incoming students. This network is also open to any students, faculty or staff members who want to support this cause.
CMU classifies first-generation college students as a student having parents who never enrolled in postsecondary education.
Rengifo said she is committed to helping first-generation students achieve success at CMU.
“Graduation rates for first-generation college students typically lag behind those who have parents who graduated from college,” Rengifo said. “Research indicates that issues negatively impacting first-generation college students include less academic preparation,
internalization of negative stereotypes, less awareness of information about colleges and funding opportunities, ongoing financial concerns, culture shock, low self-esteem, and underdeveloped study and time management skills.”
The network will provide support in academics, social and mental health through peer mentoring and connecting with professionals when needed. They will also support fundraising for trips to conferences, art museums, or other events and outreach to high schools in Michigan to help future first-generation students apply for college. •
‘This is our past. This is our present. This is our future’
CMU marks Hispanic Heritage Month
BY BLACE CARPENTER
CMU held several events to honor and celebrate the cultures and history of Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America and Spain during Hispanic Heritage Month last fall.
The monthlong celebration began on Sept. 15 — Independence Day for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua — and concluded Oct. 15.
CMU Professor Alejandra Rengifo was raised in Cali, Colombia, and specializes in Caribbean, Colombian and Latino literature and culture. She said most Latin American countries are connected by their conquest for independence.
“Most of us had dictators,” Rengifo said. “Most of us have had civil wars or civil conflicts. Most of us have had a
commonality of the Spanish having been the conquerors and colonizers of our land.
“This is our past. This is our present. This is our future. It celebrates our cultural heritage. It celebrates our language.”
President of the Empowered Latino Union (ELU) Itzel Neri said Hispanic Heritage Month is not only a time to celebrate her family’s heritage but also an opportunity to teach others more about Hispanic and Latine culture and history.
“That’s something that I like about Hispanic Heritage Month,” Neri said. “It’s something that I can share with other people … even if it’s people that are not Hispanic or Latinos, they get some insiders (perspective) on
our traditions, our culture and just things that we hold dear to our heart.”
ELU collaborated with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) to hold a “Welcome Back Carne Asada.”
Rengifo said it’s a great way to start the fall semester.
“It opens the academic year for a lot of universities and schools,” Rengifo said.
“So we are lucky in that sense, because we open up all the months that celebrate different ethnicities.”
Other organizations — such as Sigma Lambda Gamma, CMU Latine Alumni Chapter and Multicultural Academic Student Services — held events throughout the month to honor and celebrate Hispanic and Latine culture and history.
Look for the 2025 Hispanic Heritage Month schedule this fall, and consider returning to campus to attend one of the many events! •
Community MATTERS
Latine faculty, staff and alumni create valuable support systems, networks for CMU students
BY ROBIN MINER-SWARTZ
On the campus of a predominantly white institution, Latine students, faculty and staff share a common goal: building a supportive community.
‘We always need more’
Nearly a quarter-century of experience teaching at CMU has given Alejandra Rengifo a front-row seat to growth in numbers of Latine faculty on campus.
“When I arrived at CMU, I could count the number of people from Latin America on one hand,” she said.
Today, Profe Rengifo said having colleagues across departments who have come to Mount Pleasant from Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and more help Latine students see they have a place at CMU.
Rengifo is also the advisor for Central Bridge, CMU’s student organization that helps first-generation students make the transition from high school to college — many of whom are Latine.
“I’m working on this because I really care about these kids. I’m fourth- and thirdgeneration here from Colombia. My aunt went to graduate school in the U.S. My cousins went to college in the U.S. They helped me,” she said. “I understand that it’s hard work and you need that person you can talk to who you can relate to.”
Throughout her time at CMU — teaching courses in Spanish language, Latino culture and literature in honors and cultural and global studies — Rengifo said she has seen the university grow in the way it embraces different cultures.
“I’ve seen the effort. Do we need more? We always need more,” she said. “And we need to continue to build our community, so our students feel it.
“Our Latine alumni should be very proud of what we have now at CMU. And we need them to come back and network with our students to keep building that community.”
Rengifo said it’s important for students to bring their pride to campus.
“I always tell students you’re a name, you’re a face, you’re a person, but you’re also a story. You have a background that we will honor, and we will help you grow,” she said. “The faculty here are a community, and we want our students to thrive in that community. We’re waiting here for you.”
‘I felt the support’
Alejandro Gradilla, Ph.D. ’24, has experience as both a student and a staff member at CMU.
He came to Michigan in 2005 when he was accepted into Michigan State’s Ph.D. program, but he timed out of the program when he took a job working as a foster care case manager for unaccompanied children. He then moved to Lansing Community College’s Lucero program, serving Latino students.
While working at LCC, his supervisor recommended that he restart his Ph.D. studies. He applied to CMU’s doctorate program in educational leadership and was accepted, returning him to a familiar situation — working full time and studying at night.
“Being a nontraditional student, I felt the support much more strongly at CMU,” he said.
While in Lansing, he worked with Profe Rengifo on initiatives to get Latino students into college, and she asked him to promote a new job at CMU: assistant director of Latinx/Hispanic American student engagement in the Multicultural
Academic Student Services (MASS) office.
“I decided I wanted that job,” Gradilla said.
“As a student, I loved the environment and the culture of the students at Central, so I wanted to work there too.”
He was hired.
In his role, he focuses on Latine student retention, helping them navigate and adjust, providing them a sense of belonging on campus and in the community.
“I work with them to create these opportunities to feel their identities are valued at CMU and their voices are heard,” Gradilla said. “I’m so fortunate to be able to do this.”
Gradilla said representation is key for Latine students.
“Faculty and staff who not just look like them but understand them on a cultural level, knowing where they come from, understanding their statuses, the things they’re afraid of on an everyday basis, imposter syndrome — that’s important,” he said.
“We have Latino students who come from
all kinds of backgrounds — students with lighter skin who could be white-passing, we have Afro-Latinos, we have Latinos who speak Spanish and not English, we have students who don’t speak Spanish at all.
“Creating those opportunities for them to learn about their cultures and have that sense of identity and pride is really important for me for them to experience that.”
And Gradilla continues to work with Rengifo in the Lansing community to recruit Latine students.
“When I started working at CMU, I wasn’t an alumni, but I was invited to be a liaison to the Latine alumni chapter from the MASS office to help alumni get more involved with the university and our work.”
Gradilla said he hopes more Latine alumni will see the importance of connecting with today’s students.
“It doesn’t matter your racial background; if you’re advocating for students, they see that and they appreciate that.
“You might think you’re not making a difference, but you are. They’re watching your every move.”
“The faculty here are a community, and we want our students to thrive in that community,” said Professor Alejandra Rengifo.
‘Latino students are looking for mentorship’
Lizandro Tremolada, M.A. ’23, grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He came to Mount Pleasant in 1999 to work for the Office of Residence Life as a hall director.
“I came to visit and thought I’d be here a couple of years.” He’s been employed by CMU for 25 years now.
Today, he’s an academic advisor for the College of Science and Engineering, and he’s the advisor for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. He’s able to talk to students about what representation looked like back when he was a student.
“A lot of the growth we’ve seen on campus for Latino students has been student-led,” Tremolada said. “The connections they’ve built among one another has increased over the years, and it helps in dealing with isolation and under-representation.”
The Latine alumni chapter helps with that.
“Latino students are looking for mentorship,” he said. “So many of them are first-generation students and they don’t have the benefit of hearing about their parents’ experiences in college — especially students in STEM majors. Imposter syndrome is real. My focus is on helping students understand their value, boost their confidence.”
No matter the era or generation, Latine students always struggle to find a sense of belonging, Tremolada said. “They all experience isolation, microaggressions, bias, academic challenges. But by helping organize events, joining diversity initiatives or challenging discriminatory practices, they’re making campus more inclusive — for themselves and for the students coming behind them.”
Tremolada said creating a supportive community for Latine students is crucial to their success on campus.
“Many of them are balancing family obligations and sometimes financial strain, but that’s why they need us, the staff and faculty, because so many of us have experienced those things too. Just listening to them can make a difference.”
‘They know your struggle’
Laura Martinez went into law enforcement for a very personal reason.
“My first husband was abusive, and I wanted a career that would keep him away from me.”
She’s spent 26 years as a police officer — both on the force in Gladwin in northeastern Michigan and on CMU’s campus. And though she didn’t initially have a positive perception of police growing up, she’s worked to ensure the people she encounters have good interactions.
Martinez can live those values in her role as a police officer at CMU.
“Out in the world, you react to a call. You don’t really know your community. I was covering 780 square miles with 80,000 people. I just wasn’t going to know their story,” she said. “When I was a community policing officer at CMU, I got to see students from freshmen to seniors. I saw them grow as human beings.”
She takes her role seriously — as both an officer and an elder for the Latine students.
“I take 15 to 20 students home at Easter and Christmas to feed them because they can’t get home for the holidays,” she said. “Nothing’s worse than feeling alone at the holidays, and hopefully they feel less alone. I’ve done that for years.”
She’s also a student herself, working toward a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a concentration in criminal justice. Martinez was born and raised in Texas; her parents are from Mexico, and she didn’t speak English until she was 9. She’s proud to be able to tell students she’s been in their shoes.
“I know what they’re going through as first-generation students, so I try to make it softer for them,” she said. “I can point them to tutoring, I can connect them to the financial aid office. It’s not really my police role, but as a community police officer, it was important to me to help.”
She especially appreciates the work Gradilla does in the MASS office.
“He’s brought unity back. The Latin culture centers on family, and he’s allowed students to have this homeaway-from-home at CMU.”
Martinez said when she started in law enforcement, she didn’t see anyone who looked like her — and that’s a big reason she wants to be visible for Latine students and their families.
“I used to go with the orientation staff to different areas in the state, and when students would get here, they’d say, ‘Hey, I remember you from orientation! You talked to us in Spanish, and you made my mom feel so comfortable. That’s the reason I’m here — she knew you’d be a contact for me.’
“I think it’s important to connect with someone who looks like you, because they know your struggle.”
“Latino students are looking for mentorship,” said Lizandro Tremolada.
Serving alumni ACROSS GENERATIONS
Latine chapter builds connections between CMU students, graduates
BY ROBIN MINER-SWARTZ
In 1976, Laura Gonzales transferred to CMU for her junior year to pursue a teaching degree. She got a job in the admissions office giving tours to prospective students and their families.
“We were focused on trying to get the word out to Hispanic students in the state,” she said.
At her previous university, Gonzales, ’79, M.A. ’89, wasn’t involved in any student activities. “So, once I got to CMU, I dove in,” she said. “There was a group called Chicanos Organized for Progress and Action. By the time commencement came, I realized I’d had such a good experience at CMU because I was involved. It’s so important for students to find their own space on campus.”
The space for Latine students at CMU built slowly through the years — but purposefully. As Latine alumni began asking if CMU had an affinity chapter for them, the alumni office sent out a survey to gauge interest, and in 2005, the group was chartered.
“The Latine alumni chapter provides an opportunity for people to get involved at the level that fits them,” Gonzales said. “That might mean mentoring a student, helping promote the possibilities of internships, it’s another way for them to give back to CMU.”
Gonzales was president of the chapter and is now in the past president role.
The group’s current president is Melissa DeJesus, ’01, M.A. ’09, a third grade teacher in the Ann Arbor School District.
What success looks like
As a student, DeJesus was involved in the Hispanic student organization on campus. Gonzales was the group’s adviser.
“She served as a mentor for us,” DeJesus said. “If we had questions about anything, she was always there for us.”
The two kept in touch after DeJesus graduated, and Gonzales kept her informed about the alumni group — something DeJesus didn’t have time for while she was raising little kids. “But she was patient,” DeJesus remembered. “She told me to let her know when I was ready.”
During the COVID-19 shutdown, the group met over Zoom for a social gathering, and Gonzales invited DeJesus to join. One thing led to another, and DeJesus stepped into the president’s role about a year ago.
“We’ve been working to increase enrollment of Latine students and we reach out to current students who might need our support. We’re building relationships with Latine alumni, trying to get them more involved. We want people to see that once they graduate, they can still stay involved with CMU and build networks with Latine alumni.”
One of the chapter’s key activities happens the Friday before homecoming each year.
“There’s a session with the Multicultural Academic Student Services office that brings in Latine alumni to speak to the students on a panel,” Gonzales said. “It inspires students and shows them what the alumni involvement looked like when they were on campus. They talk about what it’s like in the work world for Latino alumni.”
Community on campus
Gonzales said CMU has come a long way as an institution regarding inclusion efforts that center Latine folks from the time when she was a student trying to recruit Latine students.
“There’s always a challenge, but they continue to strive to meet it,” she said.
“One of the ways that’s been helpful is they provide Spanish interpretation online — that wasn’t available several years ago. And there’s a community on campus. You have Alejandro Gradilla focused on Latine student retention. There are more Latine faculty and staff. It adds up.”
DeJesus said Gonzales really helped her understand the importance of giving back to Latine students.
“I looked at my own experience as a student and realized that I love the university, I love the connections that I made there. Some of my friends from college are my kids’ godparents. To me, CMU really felt like a family,” she said.
“I try to help other alumni remember that there are students on campus today feeling the way we did when we got there — like they need a family.”
Today’s students also can benefit from connections and role models. Gonzales said she hopes Latine alumni realize how much they have to give to students.
“For the students who may or may not see role models in the classroom or the field they’re in, we could really help with their careers — help them learn about what they can do, who they can be. Reach out to our chapter or the MASS office and see how you can help. Express your interest to your department. You have so much talent to offer.”
DeJesus said the goals for the Latine alumni chapter are to build its membership, create a scholarship for Latine students or even recent graduates, and connect students to alumni.
Campus Diversity Gala
Launched under the vision of Shawna PattersonStephens, vice president for inclusive excellence and belonging and the university’s senior diversity officer, the annual Campus Diversity Gala puts a bow on the academic year, where all who share in the CMU mission can come together to celebrate achievements toward inclusion, equity and belonging. Individuals who are formally affiliated with CMU as well as changemakers within the region are recognized for their outstanding work in the area of social justice and change.
This year’s event will be held April 4 at the PohlCat. Shuttles from campus to the country club will be available.
Read about past winners: 2024 and 2023
https://go.cmualum.com/diversitygala23-24 2022
https://go.cmualum.com/diversitygala22
MEET THE NEXT GENERATION of Central Michigan University alumni
Today’s students find leadership opportunities, community and connections all across campus
Carolina Hernandez Ruiz
» Hometown: Madrid, Spain
» Identity: Hispanic, Latina
» Studying: Neuroscience and finance
» Expected graduation: 2026
Why did you choose CMU? As a teenager growing up in Spain, Carolina loved “High School Musical” and American movies, and she hoped to study in the U.S. She started teaching herself English and applied to be an international exchange student. She was placed with a family in Ionia, about an hour south of Mount Pleasant. She’s sort of a first-generation college student on two counts: her parents hadn’t gone to college, and her host family — a couple in their early 20s with a 1-year-old — also hadn’t. Her friends at Ionia High School told her about CMU and she applied, earning a partial scholarship.
What do you like about CMU? “CMU is a place you can grow — not just academically but as a person. I’ve faced some challenges, but looking back, that’s what’s made me who I am. It’s taught me to look for opportunities. No one’s going to give you a manual with all the secrets of college. Even if you have parents who’ve been to college, you still have to discover things for yourself, but that’s part of the journey. CMU has provided me with the space to develop into the person I am.”
What experiences have you had that made a significant impact on what you’ve learned at CMU? “I decided to get involved early on. I’m part of the honors program, I was involved in the honors council, I joined a pre-med fraternity, I’ve done the New Venture Challenge every year, I’m an inclusion assistant. I was chosen to represent CMU as a University Innovation Fellow in partnership with Stanford University. I’m the first international student to be president of the Student Government Association. In Spain, you just go to class and don’t do anything else. So, I knew I wanted to try everything I could from the beginning because I’m here to learn.”
What would you like Latine alumni to know about what it’s like to be a student at CMU today? “I’ve interacted with several alumni, but none of them were Latino. When we have events on campus, it would be great if they could join us, even in a Zoom meeting, so we could interact with them and ask them questions about how they address challenges in the workforce. Although we have a community on campus, at the end of the day, we’re a minority.”
What would you say to a Person of Color considering enrolling at CMU? “You can be who you are here, and you can find your community. It’s a really good size — you’re not overwhelmed by thousands of people, but you’re not bored because there’s no one. Every day I’m meeting someone new, trying something new. I’ve never been told by anyone, ‘You can’t do this.’ ”
Eduardo Memije-Ramirez
» Hometown: Wheeler, Michigan
» Identity: Latino
» Studying: Criminal sociology with a concentration in criminal justice
» Expected graduation: 2027
Why did you choose CMU? A big reason Eduardo chose CMU is because his sister was already a student. “She talked about how great it was, the community here — especially the Latino community. She’s had mentors and people helping her. I thought that sounded like a place I wanted to go where I could maybe thrive and flourish.”
What do you like about CMU? “The size of the campus — it’s not a big campus like other colleges I looked at.”
What experiences have you had that made a significant impact on what you’ve learned at CMU? “I joined Sigma Lambda Beta, a Latino fraternity. It stands on four pillars — brotherhood, community service, cultural awareness and scholarship. The one that appealed to me most was brotherhood. I’m an older brother, and I felt like this group would help me create those bonds on campus. The process of joining helped me realize what I’m really at CMU to do — to show other Latino students it’s possible for us to be in these positions to get an education. It aligns with everything I believe in.”
What would you like Latine alumni to know about what it’s like to be a student at CMU today? “There’s a lot more inclusivity. There’s a lot more People of Color in faculty positions who are there to advocate for us, for students to reach out to them. There’s a lot more resources for multicultural students now, I bet, than there were back then.”
What would you say to a Person of Color considering enrolling at CMU? “There are a lot of programs here for them. They shouldn’t shy away from coming here because it’s a predominantly white institution. We have a lot of inclusive groups. Whatever they’re interested in, they can probably find a place here.”
Itzel Neri
» Hometown: Waterford, Michigan
» Identity: Latina, Hispanic, Chicana, Mexican American
» Studying: Double majoring in political science and law and economics with a minor in legal studies
» Expected graduation: 2026
Why did you choose CMU? “It was really important for me, as a first-generation student, to be at a school where I felt like I can integrate easily. Nobody in my extended family went to university, so when I was in high school, I really didn’t participate a lot. I was more focused on my schoolwork and getting a good GPA to get into a good school. When I was going through the process of choosing universities, CMU really stood out to me because of the organizations on campus like Empowered Latino Union. It looked like someplace I could find community more easily.”
What do you like about CMU? “The close-knit community we have here. It’s so easy to meet new people but also see the same people. The organizations are a really good way to find your friends. I feel respected by my professors, and if they can’t help you, they direct you to tutors or somebody else who can assist you.”
What experiences have you had that made a significant impact on what you’ve learned at CMU? “I’m the president of two organizations now — Sigma Lambda Gamma, the multicultural sorority, and Empower Latino Union. And I’m the fundraising chair for Ballet Folklorico de la Luz and the retention chair for Prospanica (an association dedicated to advancing Hispanic MBAs and business professionals around the nation).”
What would you like Latine alumni to know about what it’s like to be a student at CMU today? “It would be really great to have connections with Latino alumni. I know work and life are busy and hard, but even giving us a little bit of insight about what they’ve done since they left CMU, let us ask questions. We don’t really have a lot of those connections and, honestly, it would be a major help. Even sharing our social media posts can help us.”
What would you say to a Person of Color considering enrolling at CMU? “I’d tell them the first step is to reach out to Impact — get into that because it’s a People of Color program where you get to meet people from lots of different communities. CMU is a really good school — it’s not so small that you’ll feel isolated, but it’s not so big that you’ll feel overstimulated.”
‘Find your COMMUNITY’
Cultural connections grow into lifetime networks
BY ROBIN MINER-SWARTZ
We asked four alumni to share their CMU experience, their journeys of professional success, and the value of networking within the Latine student and alumni community.
Rebeca Barrios-Hurst, ’00, MBA ’02
When Rebeca Barrios-Hurst engages with prospective students considering CMU, her heart swells with pride as she shares a transformative truth shaped by her own journey: “The biggest misconception about CMU is that there’s a lack of color on campus, leading many to believe there’s a lack of diversity,” she explained. “The reality is that CMU is a vibrant tapestry of international students and cultures, providing a unique opportunity to learn from and grow alongside a richly diverse community.”
Barrios-Hurst’s academic path began at a larger university, where she felt lost in a sea of anonymity.
“Every time I entered an office, the first question was always, ‘What’s your student ID?’ It felt impersonal,” she recalled. “At CMU, it was different; they asked, ‘How’s it going? How are your classes?’ I felt seen and valued as an individual, not just a number.”
Remarkably, BarriosHurst didn’t even set foot on the Mount Pleasant campus until her graduation day, having pursued her bachelor’s in international business through CMU’s Innovation and Online programs (formerly the College of Extended Learning).
Driven by the same desire for a closeknit, supportive environment, she chose CMU for her MBA.
Initially, she faced challenges when seeking study abroad opportunities as a graduate student, with many institutions turning her away. But then she met Daniel Vetter in the College of Business Administration, who not only listened but also inspired her to advocate for herself.
“He said, ‘I can’t give you what you want, but I can help you get there,’ ” she recalled.
With his support, she was able to research a program in Spain, paving the way for those credits to count toward her MBA.
Barrios-Hurst and her husband, Patrick Hurst, joined the CMU Alumni cruise to the Bahamas last fall.
That self-advocacy she learned at CMU is crucial for career success, she said.
“It astounds me when candidates undervalue themselves in salary negotiations,” she said. “Knowing your worth is essential.”
Today, as a senior practice consultant for CLEAResult, an energy waste reduction firm, Barrios-Hurst manages a diverse team, embodying the principles of inclusivity and cultural understanding she cherishes.
Her commitment to CMU remains strong; she actively participates in alumni communities including as a member of the CMU Latine Alumni, she served on the national alumni board and now is helping to establish a Lansing alumni chapter for CMU.
“Remember, college is what you make of it,” she encouraged. “Dive into activities like Impact, Safari and other student organizations — it’s how you’ll find your community and create lasting connections.”
Barrios-Hurst (front, second from right) with the CMU MBA Association.
Michael Covarrubias, ’19
The first time Michael Covarrubias set foot on a university campus was for Safety Patrol Day, held on the football field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium at CMU.
“I was in the fifth grade. Kids from all over the state came to CMU for the day. My dad chaperoned,” Covarrubias recalled. “That was probably the first time he’d seen a university too.”
From that day on, his dad was a CMU fan. That made an impact on Covarrubias too.
Growing up in Sebewaing, a small farm community on the shoreline of Lake Huron, Covarrubias was a member of one of two Hispanic families in town.
“My family migrated from Texas to Michigan and worked as a family. My mom was the oldest of nine and the family worked in the field,” Covarrubias said.
On his dad’s side, his grandfather and father worked in the town’s sugar factory. “They were the first Hispanic people to work there,” he said. “That’s the reason they stayed in Sebewaing.”
Neither of his parents went to college. “I didn’t know anything about college. People said you should go, but nobody told me anything about it.”
Still, Covarrubias understood he needed to build skills, so he joined the Army right out of high school.
“You learn skills there, but you also learn about training and education and how it helps you maneuver through life,” he said. “So, I started taking college classes. When I was stationed at Fort Devens in Massachusetts, CMU had a satellite campus.”
He took classes at each station throughout his eight years in the Army, working toward an associate degree. He got married, and he and his wife, Joan, had a son; he thought it was time to stay in one place.
Covarrubias had been a military police sergeant, so he looked to the police academy as his next step. He became a police officer in Mount Pleasant.
“I started learning more about the CMU community and just fell in love with it,” he said.
He stayed with the Mount Pleasant Police Department for 25 years, retired with a pension, and earned his bachelor’s in community development. Today, he’s a police officer at CMU, and he’s passionate about connecting with students and building positive relationships.
“I’m considered a first-generation college grad in my family even though I took a roundabout route. I’m 55, but I’m talking with students who are 20 and are also going to be first-gen graduates in their families. It’s exciting to see the progress and opportunity for them.”
Over the winter, Covarrubias went back to his high school in Sebewaing and told the counselor he wanted to speak at the school about CMU.
“When I was a kid, I never knew anything about universities. I wanted to pass along that knowledge.”
He was invited to speak at a school assembly, and two months later, he arranged for 40 students to visit campus.
“We just have to give people information,” he said. “My parents did the best they could, but there’s some information they didn’t have.”
Covarrubias spoke at a send-off for first-generation Latine CMU students, and he works to build relationships with students throughout their time on campus.
“You’re rooting for them to be successful,” he said. “You never know when someone’s having doubts or lacking confidence. If you can be that person saying, ‘Hey, you got it,’ it can help them accomplish those hard things.”
“I started learning more about the CMU community, and I just fell in love with it,” Covarrubias said.
Isabel Montemayor-Vazquez, ’05
Born and raised in Lansing, Isabel Montemayor-Vazquez describes herself as a Mexican American and Michigander through and through.
“I’ve only left the state for short periods, but I’ve always found my way back to Michigan,” she said.
As the executive director of the Hispanic/Latino Commission of Michigan, Montemayor-Vazquez leads an advisory board reporting to the state’s governor and legislature on issues pertaining to the Latino community.
The commission strives to market the state’s career development services to Michigan Hispanics, encourage initiatives to reduce the high school dropout rates of Hispanic youth, and facilitate efforts to increase the enrollment of Hispanics in postsecondary education and training programs.
CMU first came on her radar thanks to a class trip.
“My high school Spanish teacher, Alfonso Salais — who’s also a CMU alum — took his students to Finch Fieldhouse for a foreign language day,” Montemayor-Vazquez recalled.
When it came time to apply to colleges, CMU felt familiar.
“I knew some people from my church who were going there, and they offered me the best scholarship package,” she said. “It wasn’t too far from home, and I felt comfortable there already.”
She double majored in political science and Spanish, with a concentration in international relations and comparative politics.
The close relationships she formed with professors, staff and administrators at CMU helped propel what ultimately became her career trajectory.
“In my last two years at CMU, I was part of the McNair Program,
and they taught me everything I needed to know to apply for graduate school. I knew I wanted to go no matter what — even if I had to pay — but they helped me train for the GRE exam and helped me pay for visits to my top ranking grad schools.”
Montemayor-Vazquez went on to earn a master’s degree in Latin American studies from University of Texas, Austin, and a master’s and Ph.D. in anthropology from Michigan State.
Montemayor-Vazquez double majored in political science and Spanish.
Coming to Mount Pleasant was a bit challenging at first, Montemayor-Vazquez said.
“In Lansing, I was surrounded by diversity. I’d never been in a situation where I was so much of a minority,” she said. “But I believe when a minority student goes to a university that doesn’t reflect them, they’re faced with an option: you either hide from who you are, or you really, really solidify your identity.”
She said her time at CMU helped her understand who she was and where she came from.
“It made me want to learn about my history, my parents’ history, understand more about my lineage and culture.”
Trisha Zizumbo, ’05, M.S.A. ’10
Trisha Zizumbo has her aunt to thank for her status as a proud CMU alumna.
“Tia Beatriz went to Central, and no one in my immediate family had gone to college at that point,” she said. “It was just the natural pick.”
Like so many freshmen, Zizumbo changed majors a few times, ultimately choosing to double major in public health education and Spanish.
“I had a grandfather who didn’t speak English, so growing up I couldn’t really communicate with him,” Zizumbo said. “I started taking Spanish to learn to talk with him.”
She went on to earn a Master of Science in Administration with a concentration in health services.
Today, Zizumbo lives in Waterford and is the chief operating officer for Oakland Community Health Network, providing behavioral health services to people in Oakland County with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental health concerns and substance use disorders.
Zizumbo received a partial scholarship to attend CMU, and she supplemented that by working all kinds of jobs while she studied.
“My father swears it builds character,” she said, laughing. She worked all the way through school, at places as diverse as the Educational Materials Center on campus to Soaring Eagle Casino to a cell phone store.
“It really instilled the kind of balance you have to have — you go to class, you go to work, and you have to balance that with a little bit of fun. And that was really important in my career — being able to juggle things, working with people of all different personalities and from all kinds of backgrounds.”
“When I was a student, there wasn’t a Latine alumni chapter,” Zizumbo said.
Studying abroad helped with that too.
“Those two and a half months in Spain, I wouldn’t trade for anything. Taking classes over there and learning a different kind of Spanish really opened my eyes and made me less scared to move to new places for jobs.”
Recently, Zizumbo has gotten more involved with the Latine alumni group at CMU.
“When you first start out your career, you don’t always see the importance of giving back to students, but as we get older and move into different stages of our careers, we have a better understanding of the value of an alumni network. When I was a student, there wasn’t a Latine alumni chapter — just a small multicultural office in the basement of the Bovee Center.
“Now, seeing what we have, and being able to give back, that’s a high priority.”
Having a group you identify with, people who look like you, have similar cultural and life experiences, is an asset in general, but particularly at a predominantly white institution.
“Growing up in Saginaw, I grew up in a pretty diverse area, then I came to Mount Pleasant, and I’d never met Yoopers in my life,” she said. “They were a good time! Even getting to know the community of Mount Pleasant, the Indigenous culture, being able to connect with all those people, it was amazing to learn.”
Zizumbo says to today’s students, it’s up to you to make it your own experience. You get out what you put in.
“Being able to open yourself up to new experiences and new people will follow you throughout life. But it’s also good to have those people you’re comfortable with to connect with, to fall back on. And I had that at Central.”
DO YOU REMEMBER
ONE VOICE
Uplifting Latine community, culture and advocacy on campus
What began as a request from a Latino alumnus resulted in a CMU Latino Alumni Constituent Chapter that was chartered in 2005.
The chapter’s first president, Laura Gonzales, ’79, M.A. ’89, shared the news in the spring 2006 issue of Centralight.
“We decided to host a social/meeting in April in Lansing, and approximately 20 people met — despite freezing rain and snowy roads — to support the group and see their fellow alumni. So far, we have hosted four meetings and two socials,” she wrote.
While 2005 marked the first official Latine alumni convening, CMU’s documented history with Latine students, faculty and staff dates back decades.
Some of the most notable — and earliest — details about Latine students are connected to United Migrants for Opportunity, Inc. (UMOI), and Chicana Organized for Progress and Action/ Chicanos Organizados para Progreso y Accion (COPA) in the 1970s.
UMOI was Michigan’s first migrant scholarship program, a federally funded initiative in place at CMU from 1970 to 1975. The nonprofit organization offered to match every dollar of financial aid CMU gave migrant worker students to attend CMU.
An article in CM Life in 1971 reported on a grant to fund the establishment of a Migrant Center on campus.
“The center, the first of its kind at any college or university in the nation, receives its support through stateadministered federal funds from the Office of Economic Opportunity.”
The center focused on preservice and in-service teacher and paraprofessional preparation for personnel staffing special summer programs for migrants and youth, the development and maintenance of teaching materials for the needs of migrant youth, and research regarding program outcomes for migrant youth.
Around the same time the Migrant Center was established, Chicano students involved in COPA on campus called for a lettuce boycott, as the university was buying lettuce from sources not served by the United Farm Workers. The students also asked CMU to stop recruiting Chicano students until purchasing practices changed.
Their advocacy worked. Then-President Bill Boyd pledged to buy Michigangrown lettuce carrying the UFW label, supporting the students’ demands.
The earliest mention of CMU marking Hispanic Heritage Week, came in 1979, and later issues of CM Life features stories about Hispanic heritage activities celebrated across campus. Today, Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated on campus from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, with events honoring and celebrating a broad array of Latine cultures and history.
1973
Students call for a lettuce boycott.
1998
A mariachi band performs for an event
2000
A dance performance for Hispanic Heritage Month 2011
Students celebrate Latine culture on campus 1998
Visitors check out cars at a low rider show
Hispanic artist talk with an English class on campus
Flamenco dancers perform during Hispanic Heritage Month
An instructor leads a Zumba class during Hispanic Heritage Month
Mexican food trucks came to campus for
low rider show
Centralight
Carlin Alumni House
Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 48859
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Alejandro Gradilla, assistant director of Latinx/Hispanic American Student Engagement in the Multicultural Academic Student Services office, talks with students at a Latine Alumni Career Awareness session on campus.
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