The Hispanic Heritage Month committee branched off over summer into the Title V Student Advisory Committee. The Title V Student Advisory Committee is based on the Title V grant which Wright received in 2012.
Wright qualifies as being a Hispanic Serving Institution (HIS) and the colleges goals met the criteria for the given grant. With these funds the development of Hispanic themed programs and events are put into place. Not only has the institution and the Wright community benefited from the development of programs that came from the Title V Grant but so have students.
The Student Advisory Committee was formed to give students a chance to give their input and ideas on what they would like to see happen on campus, such as programs and events/. Committee member Jaziel Sanchez stated that the committee is here to “help give people a voice, and use it in the most effective way. She also stated that “students should become aware of this committee because it was created for students by students to help with resources and advice.”
This committee serves as a way for students to become involved and engaged on campus. One of the ways the committee is student centric is by starting a series of programs during Hispanic Heritage Month These programs are produced and run by students.
These programs include Calling All Dreamers and Multilingual Leaders Panel Discussion. Calling All Dreamers is a DACA Know Your Rights and Information session and Multilingual Leaders provides a platform for Title V Advisory leaders to share advice on navigating a multi-cultural space.
Secretary of the committee and one of Wright’s DACA mentors Amanda Jiang stated that it is important to “advocate for our Dreamers and make sure that they feel safe and secure at Wright College.” There are many issues that need to be talked about and addressed and it is important that we as students start having these conversations with one another and take initiative.
The Title V Student Advisory Committee is open to not only Wright’s main campus students and Humboldt Park campus students. Advisor Andrea Elzy from Wright’s main campus and co-advisor Gabby Guzman from Humboldt Park’s campus connect via skype during committee meetings so that students from both campuses are able to engage with one another.
“Representation between both campuses is crucial” stated Andrea Elzy. This is a unique way to connect to a wider range of students outside of Wright’s main campus. Students in both locations bring different viewpoints and experiences that can create a set of programs and events tailored for the students in the different campuses. Many of the students currently on the committee are bilingual and multicultural and hold other positions in student committees such as SGA.
The responsibilities of being a member of this committee include “finding time to help others while managing your own work/school schedule, researching and finding resources that will actually be of help to the students, and finding how you can use your own skills to help fellow students,” Jaziel Sanchez stated.
This committee is new to Wright and is looking for students to join. Stop by the Math Emporium on Thursday’s at 1 pm or email advisor Andrea Elzy with any questions at aelzy1@ccc.edu.