UpDate - Vol. 14, No. 25, Page 8
March 23, 1995
Four HOLA members give conference high marks

     Four University students attended the National Hispanic
Institute's Collegiate Leadership Workshop, held last month in El
Paso, and returned with new ideas, new goals and new friends.
     Hector Cruz, Ramon De Gordon, Bill Navarro and Robert Soto, all
members of HOLA, a Latino campus organization, were enthusiastic about
the experience. The goal of the workshop was to establish a network of
Latino students across the country, to develop leadership skills and
to encourage students to work with their Latino communities through
their campus organizations.
     "We thought it would be a conference where they lectured us and
we listened," Navarro, a junior in the medical scholars program, said.
"Instead, we were divided into groups and had to develop ideas about
how to make our organizations more effective and involved with the
community. Then, the conference leaders critiqued each group's
program.It was strong and constructive criticism that made us aware of
the issues and how to carry out our goals."
     Soto, a junior majoring in biology, was chosen to represent
Delaware in the National Hispanic Institute, which is divided into six
regional divisions. "The goal of the institute is to create a large
national support group for the Latino population. We can now
communicate with Latino students on other campuses through e-mail and
telephone, thanks to the conference," Soto said.
     Cruz, HOLA president and a senior majoring in foreign languages,
said he hopes HOLA will broaden its focus and interact with the Latino
community and other campuses to promote the Latino culture and
language and to encourage younger students to further their education.
     Soto would like to see HOLA members visit community centers and
to become mentors to Latino high school students. Another goal is to
become more involved with the African-American and Latino Student
Focus Group on Admissions.
     Providing funding for the students were NUCLEUS (Network of
Undergraduate Collaborative Learning Experiences for Underrepresented
Scholars), the Office of the Vice President for Student Life and the
Office of Affirmative Action and Multicultural Programs.
     HOLA, which means "hello,"  was organized in 1990 by Elizabeth
Bertera, assistant professor of individual and family studies, and a
group of interested Latino and Anglo students. The group sponsors
several social activities and the Hispanic Students of Promise
reception and participates in international events on campus. It also
provides free tutoring in Spanish for members.
     Anyone interested in Latino culture is invited to join the group,
which has approximately 100 members. HOLA meets from 4-5 p.m. every
Monday in the Williamson Room of the Perkins Student Center.
     For more information, call Cruz at 731-8454 or Soto at 837-8825.
                                                   -Sue Swyers Moncure