UF’s branch of the Association of Latino Professionals for America is ramping up its activities to support Latin American students.
The UF student chapter of the national organization, which is the largest Latino professional network in the country, focuses on teaching students essential business skills and fostering community growth. Now, members say it’s helping to unify the Latine community as tensions rise over immigration reform.
Ximena Contreras, an 18-year-old UF finance sophomore and ALPFA’s vice president of finance, said the chapter is committed to defending its members' safety and dignity.
“We're trying to advocate for our community,” she said. “We're trying to advocate for where our members come from and how they deserve to be treated.”
Contreras said ALPFA advocates by showing Latine representation across various S&P 500 companies, a benchmark of U.S. stock performance, in spite of tensions surrounding Hispanic communities.
For example, the organization hosted a professional networking event Feb. 2 featuring ALPFA alumni from J.P. Morgan, providing members with direct access to industry insights.
Ariadna Masis, a UF finance sophomore and ALPFA’s vice president of marketing, said the organization is focusing on digital outreach to ensure Latino students know they have a professional support system. The chapter is aiming to build upon last semester’s efforts to increase their membership through more consistent outreach to alumni and a wider variety of events.
“Our actions and goals this semester remain the same. However, our presence through social media is stronger than ever before,” she said.
The organization teaches students not just to leverage their heritage, but to honor it, she added.
The chapter is preparing for one of its busiest weeks of the semester. Among its events are a Procter & Gamble informational session for its members. The event is part of a Spring lineup that also includes upcoming sessions with Royal Caribbean, American Express and Deloitte.
Carlos Condori, a UF finance freshman and ALPFA's director of membership, emphasized that while the club is a pillar for the Latino community, it is open to all students looking to navigate a competitive business environment.
Condori said the club will continue its mentorship program for new members in an effort to keep expanding. He said ALPFA is proud of its continued growth efforts and urges current or future members to take advantage of the scholarships and networking opportunities.
“A great community is a really great way to do networking [or] find internships,” he said. “We're happy to welcome every single [person] that wants to be part of this.”
Contact Aaron Zagal Yaji at azagal@alligator.org. Follow him on X @azagalyaji.
Aaron Zagal Yaji is a Public Relations and Economics freshman in his first semester at The Alligator. He covers El Caimán's metro beat. In his free time, he enjoys going to the beach (or reminiscing about it), cooking Peruvian food, and squandering his money on golden shiny things.
