What if we entered institutions, colleges and universities and felt free that the spaces allowed us to become ourselves, to lean into ourselves and be who we wanted to be at our core?”
– Gina Ann Garcia, Ph.D., in her presentation, “Becoming Hispanic-Serving Institutions” at Newman University in February 2023
In 2023, Newman was recognized by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities as one of the first four-year colleges in Kansas to be a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI). Since then, Newman has hosted several collaborative events and opportunities to help Hispanic students not only feel seen and valued but also help them thrive and rise as leaders.
Sonja Bontrager, assistant professor of Spanish and co-director of Hispanic initiatives at Newman, said being an HSI that supports its students well involves an ongoing commitment to inclusion, “listening to students and responding in ways that feel supportive,” she added.
“I hope that we can continue to connect as we work to remove obstacles for the current and next generations,” she said.
Read on for an overview of upcoming and past HSI events built to support Newman students.
Upcoming: HALO’s Dia De Los Muertos celebration
Student leaders of the Hispanic American Leadership Organization (HALO) hand-delivered invitations to several staff and faculty members across campus in anticipation of its Dia De Los Muertos, or “Day of the Dead,” event on Nov. 6.
The event begins with a 3 p.m. Mass in St. John’s Chapel, followed by festivities from 4-8 p.m. in the Dugan-Gorges Conference Center. Guests are encouraged to bring a 4×6 photo to place on the altar in memory of a passed loved one.
Guests can enjoy face painting, a photo booth, rosary making and local vendors, along with live performances by mariachi, folkclorico, danza and salsa dancers. Additionally, HALO will host loteria (bingo) with prizes, a raffle and door prizes. Fresh fruit, aguas frescas, authentic Mexican food and desserts will be served. The evening concludes in the chapel with a bilingual rosary to honor those who have died.
Entry tickets are available at the door. A group of six (not including children 6 and under) is $30, adults 13+ are $10, Newman faculty, staff and non-Newman students are $5 per person and Newman students get in free with their Newman I.D. An RSVP is required.
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities annual conference
A group of six students, two faculty and one staff member began their travels on Oct. 30 to Aurora, Colorado, for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) annual conference. The student participants are Ryan Garcia, Melisa Arguijo, Grecia Nunez, Nayelly Rosales, Isabella Torres and Luis Piedra.
The three-day conference aims to showcase successful programs and initiatives of HACU-member institutions, promote collaboration between institutions, explore policy issues affecting the education opportunities of Hispanics and discuss emerging trends in terms of scholarships, internships, careers, etc. This marks the first time any current Newman students, staff or faculty have attended the conference.
“I’m excited for them to get this national perspective, to recognize their own leadership skills and to develop their expertise,” Bontrager said. “I think it helps to be removed from campus to see the broader world and then come back together.”
Lead to Succeed
The Kansas Hispanic Education and Development Foundation (KHEDF) asked Newmlan to collaborate and host their Lead to Succeed series known as Éxito Starts Here. Students of Newman, Wichita State University and beyond took part in the resumé-building event Sept. 18 in the Dugan-Gorges Conference Center.
Each group worked with a professional — including Newman Director of Career Services Maggie Slack — to format, organize and optimize resumés to stand out to employers, then participated in a lunch and reflection.
“We were delighted to partner with KHEDF,” Bontrager said.
La Cadena
The first HSI event of the fall 2024 semester was called La Cadena, which references “chain” in a well-known quote of the university’s namesake, St. John Henry Newman.
“God has created me for some purpose. I have my mission in life. I might not know it in this life, but I shall know it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons,” Bontrager said. “No matter what the faith of the person, I think we can recognize our human connectedness to one another.”
When selecting panelists for the Sept. 16 event, Bontrager looked at a two-decade span of alumni from Newman — many of whom were part of HALO as students.
More than 70 guests of all ages and backgrounds attended La Cadena, which featured Brian Alvarez ’10, Mike Asebedo ’15, Andrea Marino ’18, Dania Jumpa ’21 and Stephania Lopez ’21. The five shared their educational and professional journeys and the challenges they faced, all while recognizing individuals who encouraged them on their path.
“A huge thanks goes to our panelists, who gave the gift of their presence by sharing and encouraging the current generation of students,” Bontrager said. “Their words were so meaningful and their support for each other was beautiful — a true example of embodying the best that Newman says it is.”
Bontrager thanks Daniela Correa, who became assistant director of Hispanic initiatives in late June, for her skills, support and perspective she brings to the HSI work at Newman.
“I’m very grateful for her contributions and collaborations,” Bontrager said. “I also want to give a huge thank you to Dana Beitey for sharing the vision of the La Cadena series project, to Amy Ponce for being the chief advisor of HALO and Candace Davis for being the club’s spiritual companion. I’d also like to thank all the volunteers — from HALO leaders to students of Corazón, a Latina leadership lessons group on campus.”
Bontrager invites alumni, donors and other supporters to share ideas and perspectives for future HSI planning.
“We want to cultivate that sense of belonging, use culturally relevant pedagogies and practices that accelerate the success of and intentionally serve our Latino students,” Bontrager said.
We’d love to hear from you
Are you a past member of HALO, a graduate of Newman or a community member who’d like to support Newman’s HSI initiatives?
