On Tuesday, Aug. 20, Lakers Unidos, in collaboration with Laker Familia held a bilingual English and Spanish social lunch as a part of Laker Familia’s new student orientation. The event was added as an addition to the three-day Laker Familia orientation, which was designed to introduce students to campus and its resources. The itinerary this year included priority move-in dates, a multicultural student organization resource fair, a night at the recreation center and more.
In past years, the event primarily featured information and student resource-based sessions, but by adding events such as the social mixer, they hope to reach out in expanded ways.
Dr. John Bender, a chemistry professor at GVSU and founding member of Lakers Unidos, currently serves as faculty co-lead for the organization’s executive board. He noted that event planning is coordinated with the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), ensuring alignment with both Lakers Unidos and Laker Familia’s objectives.
OMA works on building a diverse and inclusive campus. Through its comprehensive programs and services, OMA draws attention to the history, tradition and culture of various ethnic groups on campus.
“The (Laker Unidos) programming is for GVSU Latinx employees coming from environments where they are typically the only Latinx employee in their GVSU office,” Bender said.
The cultural affinity group Lakers Unidos was founded in 2015, and operates within GVSU’s Division of Inclusion and Equity. The organization aims to support the interests of Latinx students, employees and faculty, by supporting their needs and fostering a sense of community. Through this effort, they hope to assist the University in overall recruitment of Latinx students, as well as retaining them through graduation. Beyond just the Laker Familia orientation, they hold events such as networking opportunities, cultural focused events such as the October Hispanic Heritage Festival and a celebration of Dia De Los Muertos in November, and panel discussions in order to provide students with opportunities for growth and connection.
The initiative aims to improve Latinx student visibility and achievement through various support mechanisms. As a result of efforts by Lakers Unidos, as well as OMA, GVSU has been recognized nationally for its effectiveness in enhancing student outcomes.
In June 2022, GVSU was awarded the Seal of Excelencia by Excelencia in Education, and was the only university in the Midwest to receive such recognition. President of GVSU, Philomena V. Mantella, then gave a speech at an Excelencia in Education ceremony in Washington, D.C.
GVSU Vice President of Inclusion and Equity Jesse Bernal explained the framework through which Laker Unidos earned the Seal of Excelencia.
“It is focused on the use of data, evidence-based practices and culturally responsive leadership. The (Seal of Excelencia) framework aligns with work long underway at GVSU,” said Bernal.
The Seal of Excelencia framework looks beyond the mere enrollment of Latinx students. It seeks institutions that intentionally serve them through data, practice and leadership. GVSU serves over 18,000 undergraduates, with less than 10% identifying as Latinx. To address this, GVSU created a Latino Transformation Team, which was tasked with reviewing key data and developing recruitment and retention strategies for Latino students as a key component of its Strategic Enrollment Management Plan.
14 transformation teams, each focusing on a distinct student population, collaborate with senior leadership to develop evidence-informed strategies that leverage the strengths of Latinx and all students. As of 2022, this led GVSU to maintain retention rates and award the highest amount of degrees in the University’s history to Latinx students.
