On Jan. 18, 2023, a highly dedicated group of Washington University alumni braved pouring rain to celebrate the launch of La Comunidad, or “the community,” a new alumni network focused on engaging and connecting the university’s Hispanic, Latinx, and Latin American graduates.
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Anna Gonzalez spoke at the event, sharing details about her personal journey as an immigrant. She also spoke on the bicultural educational environment where she came of age as a first-generation student at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She relayed a hopeful message about the state of equity and inclusion at WashU.
“This is an exciting time for the university,” Gonzalez said. “Not only is the administration deeply committed to encouraging students from diverse backgrounds to attend WashU, but it is also deeply invested in making sure that all members of our community feel welcomed, heard, and seen.”
“This is something alumni have really been looking for,” added Julia Macias, PhD ’20, the associate dean of WashU’s Office of Scholar Programs and a member of La Comunidad’s six-person alumni steering committee. “We’re at roughly 11% undergraduate Latinx students and our numbers continue to increase.”
To better serve these new graduates, network organizers are establishing regional chapters of La Comunidad and ramping up WashU Latinx alumni activity in cities across the country.
Get involved!
Submit a general interest form and consider joining this growing community.
Contact
La Comunidad network
Elizabeth Williams-Johnson, AB ’10, MSW ’17
Director, Diverse Alumni Networks