Every Wednesday from 12:30 to 1:30 pm, the Latin American Student Organization (LASO) meets in S301, a moderately sized conference room whose ceilings reveal pipes and air ducts. The room almost appears to be under construction, much like LASO itself.
Organization President Daisy Rodriguez estimates that LASO has been around for three years. Its relative newness along with the ever changing student body at Wright has led to a fluctuation in members and a change in its vision over its short life.
Last year, some of their more notable contributions to the Wright community were an elote, Mexican corn on the cob, sale to collect money for the Monarch Scholarship, a scholarship for undocumented students.
LASO secretary Miguel Orozco Lopez explained that the group also focused on civic engagement. In a collaboration with the non-profit organization Chicago Votes, they set up voter registration tables at school and successfully registered around 500 students.
This year however, LASO wants to do more than just hold these events. In an attempt to expand their horizons and provide Latinx students with academic resources, they hope to connect with similar organizations and programs at four year universities, like LARES and L@s GANAS at UIC. These connections would allow transfer students to not only feel more connected with their new school, but also network for their prospective careers.
In addition to aiding students in their transitions to universities, they aim to provide students with the resources necessary for success at Wright. Rodriguez, who also works in the advising office, explained that due to the high number of former high school students enrolled this year at Wright there is an even greater need to connect them with resources to ease the transition into a community college setting.
Lopez also explained how the group anticipates that they will host more outreach programs in order to connect students with employers and begin the networking process. For example, if a majority of students in the organization are interested in studying business, they will reach out to certain businesses and host an event where students can receive advice and be offered jobs and intern positions. They would also bring in guest speakers to address the needs of the group’s members. These events would be open not only to LASO members, but to the entire student body at Wright.
Overall, the club’s main focus for the year is figuring out how to continue its legacy. “Do we really want to do just those events or do we want to build it up in a way that students are going to continue it?” questions Lopez. He goes on to explain how a sort of manual might benefit the organization, as it would clearly state the group’s intentions and give students the needed structure to keep it alive.
With only around five core members, and all except for one graduating after this year, there certainly is a need for such a manual to ensure the organization’s future. Because the group is still trying to establish themselves, the scheduled meeting times are flexible in order to accommodate as many members as possible.
For now, students interested in joining LASO and aiding in their efforts can attend LASO meetings at their scheduled times. Those students who face time conflicts but wish to be involved in the group’s endeavors may otherwise contact Lopez at morozco9@student.ccc.edu for copies of the meeting notes or to share their input.
LASO’s initiative to help Latin American students adjust to the college experience and find opportunities is not only something to behold, but also to get involved in.