KU News Release

July 9, 2008
Contact: Jill Jess, University Relations, (785) 864-8858.

Advisory council to help KU make college accessible to Latino families

LAWRENCE – Addressing an urgent need in the state, the University of Kansas is making a commitment to the growing number of Latino families to ensure college accessibility.

The Latino Vision Council, formed earlier this spring at the invitation of KU Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Richard Lariviere, will identify strategies and actions that will guide the university in assisting this important segment of the state’s population.

“The University of Kansas is committed to serving the people of Kansas,” Lariviere said. “Part of that mission includes communicating the value of higher education. The members of the Latino Vision Council are highly respected in their communities and are well placed to help KU build trust with families who might not be familiar with all that a university has to offer. It takes effective leaders to build effective bridges.”

Since 2001, census data shows that Hispanics are the largest minority group in both Kansas and the United States. And while data shows a decrease in projected numbers of Kansas high school graduates overall, Hispanic graduates in the state are expected to more than double. In 2004-05, Hispanics made up 2,019 of the graduates of Kansas public high schools. In 2021-22, that number is projected to grow to 4,227.

The council will help guide KU as the university communicates with Latino families across the state regarding the value of a college education. The nearly two dozen council members include public school officials, state officials and leaders of community, religious, media and social service organizations. Four KU students also serve on the council.

Among the ideas discussed at a recent meeting of the council were:

* Providing more KU promotional materials in Spanish
* Establishing a Spanish-language hotline for admissions
* Providing more university-based summer camps for Latino children and teens, such as the recent Harvest of Hope Leadership Academy migrant education program

A small committee of members of the council will report back to the university with a draft of a plan by mid-July.

Members of the Latino Vision Council are:

Ruben Font, KU Medical Center student from Miami, Fla., and president of the National Network of Latin American Medical Students

Ben Fuentes, Satanta sophomore and vice president of the university chapter of the Hispanic American Leadership Organization

Juan Gonzalez, Kansas City, Kan., senior and vice president of Sigma Lambda Beta, the largest Latino-based fraternity in the United States

Stephanie Gómez, Newton senior and past president of the university chapter of the Hispanic American Leadership Organization

Miguel Bañuelos of Wichita, founder and director of Tiempos newspaper and La Fiesta radio

Leo Casados of Wichita, former assistant director of admissions at Wichita State University. Casados has retired but still works part time as an admissions administrator at Butler County Community College. He is a longtime community activist.

Gilbert Cruz of Topeka, executive director of the Kansas Office of State Long-Term Care Ombudsmen. Cruz has longtime personal and business ties to Garden City. Cruz received a bachelor’s from the KU Medical Center in respiratory therapy. He also holds a master’s in public administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Elías García of Topeka, director of diversity recruitment for the Kansas Department of Corrections

Sabina Gonzales-Hacker of Kansas City, Kan., director of the English as a Second Language program for Kansas City, Kan., public schools

Nicole Guerrero Foster of Girard, English to Speakers of Other Languages specialist at Greenbush, the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center

Mary Lou Jaramillo of Kansas City, Kan., executive director of El Centro Inc., a nonprofit whose mission is to address the needs and improve the lives of Kansas City’s Hispanic residents. She is a longtime community leader.

Cruz Jasso of Emporia, principal of Emporia High School. Jasso is active in promoting educational attainment as well as organizing and coordinating activities for Latino students.

Lydia Leon of Lawrence, founder and director of Servicios Hispanos de Lawrence. Leon is in the master’s of social welfare program at KU and is a driving force behind immigrant programming in Lawrence.

Dolores Morales of Garden City, community organizer

Dana Nannina of Garden City, community organizer. A KU alumna, Nannina has worked in the Garden City area to assist Latino students learn about and enter college.

Arturo Ponce of Liberal, field organizer, United Methodist Mex-Am Ministries. Ponce is a longstanding and active member of the Southwest Kansas community.

Leo Prieto of Leawood, director of Latino relations for the Kansas City Wizards soccer team. Prieto is a 2007 graduate of the KU School of Law and is active in national Latino organizations.

Stacie Valdez of Wichita, AVID coordinator, Wichita North High School. Valdez has been a teacher for 30 years, including 20 at Wichita North. She is a finalist for the 2008 Kansas teacher of the year.

Eliseo Vega of Topeka, pastor of the Jerusalem – Asemblea de Dios church. Vega is a central figure in the NE Kansas pastoral alliance.

Robert Vinton of Dodge City, director, Migrant Education at USD 443. Vinton is a public school educator/administrator and longtime Dodge City community leader.

-30-

The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.

kunews@ku.edu | (785) 864-3256 | 1314 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS 66045