Overall experience :DD

I can say that this was a life changing experience. As how Laura mentioned, When I applied for HACU I didn't know what to expect because I had not been there yet, I wanted to seek information from the people that have already gone in the past. I wondered if there was anyone else applying, I wondered if the other applicants were going to get chosen and not me. Many things ran through my mind when I applied. I had applied the last day and turned in my application last minute due to the fact that I was busy, but then I thought to myself  "I will apply for this opportunity, to educate me, to give me experience, and also because it was an opportunity to travel to a different place. This was the first time I have ever been on an airplane and traveling far away from home. I really enjoyed this experience and I would do it all over. Advocating for Hispanic education was putting myself behind and putting all others in front of me. If I were to write everything we learned and talked about I would stay here late. There was so much information to process, and reflect on. We have received and viewed different perspectives from other people towards higher education. On March 15,2016 it was our last day in Washington D.C. That day was the moment we were all waiting for.. the day to advocate. I honestly felt we were all making a difference, and that all of what we advocated for they were going to take into consideration. I want to mention that on the Student 101 advocacy, Deborah Koolbeck, taught us to have confidence in what we were going to say, and to get straight to the point. This was what really impacted me and I really felt we all had the confidence to advocate, that whatever we were advocating for it will be done soon. I plan to make a workshop for Cochise college, and all students who would like to advocate for Hispanic's higher education. They will all be welcome. This is an opportunity to speak out that advocating to make a difference is very important. Also I want to thank all of the committee who dedicated their time to interview students and decide. I would also want to give Susana Greeno a special thank you for all of her hard work, and for being a great chaperon! I met really amazing people. I know that our message to students will be to encourage other students to make a difference in their community, and schools. I am truly honored to have received this opportunity, and I look forward to working with other students in my community college. THANK YOU!

Washington DC Experience

This trip far exceeded my expectations, from learning United States history, and gaining a sense that one person opinions really do matter. The conference not only educated me on the most current issues we face today, but taught me how to simply talk to congress by talking clear and direct to get my points across. I can bring these skills into my future job of becoming a teacher. This trip was an honor attending and inspired me to work even harder to make a change in society through all the skills I learned in the short four days being in Washington DC. Coming home I recommended this program to my fellow friends and other students because how much it impact my life for the better. I love every moment of the trip and I will share this experience for years to come.

Also, having the courage to stand up just to ask a question could not have been done  unless I had the other students motivation. They are amazing people and I will always remember them, and making me a better person. 

HACU Experience

When I first applied for HACU, I was not aware that I was making one of the most important decisions of my life. As I was doing my resume, goal statement and interviews I often wondered if at the end this would really be worth it. Now, that I am back from Washington, D.C. I realized that getting selected to attend to Washington, D.C. was such an amazing opportunity. I am an advocate of my community, my university, and also for Hispanic students. The importance of these conferences and being able to talk to Representatives of our state made me realize how blessed I really am for being selected to attend to HACU. My overall experience in this trip was wonderful! I was able to gain more knowledge and experience about subjects that passionate me the most. I am extremely thankful to my university, the University of Arizona South for selecting me to represent them in Washington, D.C. I made sure I came back with answers and new information to advocate for those students, specially Hispanic students, who are struggling to receive higher education. In this trip, I was able to view higher education from a different prospective. Education gives us choice and it allows us to work in what we love the most. It is very important to send students to conferences like HACU because they allow students to advocate for other students and to get involved to make a difference. This was a life changing experience that I believe we should all have the opportunity to have. I will never forget this experience and the fact that it has changed my life forever!

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

-Nelson Mandela

Highlight of the Day - Day Three

Today we went to Capitol Hill to represent our colleges and universities and to advocate for other students going into higher education. Susana prepared us with weeks in advance about the topics we would like to address with representatives of our state. We had the opportunity to have scheduled meetings with Senator Jeff Flake, Congressman Raul Grijalva, and Congresswomen Martha McSally to advocate for concerns that we have as Hispanic students that are in the process of receiving higher education.

We began our day by listening to a conference with other students attending to HACU while eating breakfast. After that, we had a quick meeting to learn basic ways that we could approach our Representatives in a professional way. The highlight of my day today was not only walking through high security connected tunnels in Capitol Hill, being able to watch President Barack Obama pass by in his car, but also being able to talk to the Representatives in a personal way and to know that they are interested and that they understand the importance of Hispanic higher education and support it.

In my opinion, the barriers we as Hispanics face the most, are financial barriers. In Capitol Hill I was able to advocate for those who struggle with Financial Aid. I discussed about how many times, Financial Aid becomes a barrier in order for students to complete a higher education. We first met with Elizabeth Jones, Senator Flake’s Legislative Correspondent, and I was able to present a proposal for an increase in Financial Aid for four year institutions, to create a less complicated form of Financial Aid, and that there should also be a summer Pell Grant in order for students to finish their education at a faster pace.

I was very excited today that I got to meet Congressman Raul Grijalva. I advocated for the same things as the previous meeting with Elizabeth Jones, but this time, Congressman Grijalva was present. I felt that he really understood the barriers that we face in higher education. I was felt extremely important during this meeting because he took the time to sit with us and listen to what we had to tell him.

Finally, we had the opportunity to speak to one of Congresswomen Martha McSally’s Legislative Correspondent. With Congresswomen McSally we were able to discuss more issues that take place directly in our communities. We addressed the issue about Douglas not having a hospital and also that our town lacks of recreational activities for children, youth, adults, and families as a whole.

Today was an informative day full of new experiences and adventures. I am really not looking forward for tomorrow because it is our last day here, but I am hoping that this is not the last time that I am here.

A Life Changing Experience

After really thinking about these past couple days it hit me, I won't experience that kind of environment ever again. Everyone from UA South and Cochise College and Pima College who attended the HACU Capitol Forum in Washington D.C made this experience a memorable one. I went into this event thinking that I knew the importance of higher education and I gained even more knowledge of the importance of higher education and the struggles we as hispanics face. I will forever be grateful to the University of Arizona for allowing me to represent them and the community of Nogales AZ at the HACU Capitol Form, it truly was an honor. The lessons I learned during my time in the nations capitol will be ones I take with me for the rest of my life. For the staff of Senator Flake, Congressman Grijalva and Congresswoman McSally I would like to thank you for giving us some time too talk about higher education. For Congressman Grijalva, I thank you for taking the time to sit down with us and giving us support in advocating the importance for higher education. To the staff of Congresswoman McSally, I thank you for going the extra mile for allowing us to meet the congresswoman. It is an experience I know all of us will never forget. This experience was truly one I will never forget!

Capital Hill Meetings

Today was our final day with HACU and it was the day I was looking forward too the most. Actually going to Capitol Hill has been one of dreams and my dream became a reality. We had three meetings today our first was with Senator Flake. Our meeting was in his meeting room and which was a surprise. The highlight of the meeting was when I asked a question about student loan debt. While my colleagues were talking about their agenda I was trying to figure out how I was going to ask my question properly. At the end when it was my time I just talked and let the question go. My question that I asked Elizabeth Jones who is Senator Flakes Legislative Correspondent had to do about consoling students prior to taking out a loan one-on-one with an advisor. I asked Ms. Jones if the Senator would put his name on a bill that would require schools to require this kind of consoling and she was lost for words.

Our second meeting was with Congressman Grijalva who is my congressman. We met with his Senior Legislative Assistant Norma Salazar-Ibarra and the meeting went great. Our meeting was outside of the office, which was not surprising. The highlight of the meeting was when he came into his office and took the time to talk to us in his office. It meant a lot that he took the time because he had another meeting waiting but he said, “They can wait.” It was a great feeling knowing that my congressman cares about us and is fighting for more legislation that is for education in general.

Our last meeting was with Congresswoman Martha McSally. Her Deputy Chief of Staff Kristen Douglas was the one who we spoke to but her and other assistant actually took us to the congresswoman to meet her. It was not expected and made the day, which was already a good one to a memorable day. Congresswoman McSally was not shy to none of us and was very happy to see us. Her and her assistants treated us great. It meant a lot that they all took the time to treat us with such respect and as a priority.

In all the fact that we got to meet 2 out of 3 legislators in one day is something that I did not expect. For that to happen was a surprise and was an honor to have experienced that. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would meet two members of congress from my home state in the same day when they have a busy schedule. It was truly the highlight of the day.  

High Light of the Day - Day Two

This morning we had to wake up early to get registered for HACU and to eat breakfast. The first conferences were mainly directed to the Deans and Presidents of Colleges and Universities. They gave different resources and tools to receive scholarships, grants, and funds for the universities/colleges. Although it was difficult to understand some of the subjects discussed in the first two conferences, I learned about the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) and how there mission is to support the research of minority health. This was interesting to me because of the issues that we have in Douglas with the lack of hospital services. There is no hospitals in Douglas, only a clinic for emergencies and this has certainly affected our community. NIMHD recognizes the importance of workforce diversity and they strongly believe that diversity in the bio medical workforce will improve the quality of training environment and it will also improve minority health because it will be understood culturally. Another important conference they gave during lunch was about having debt free graduates. Education debt not only has an impact on the students, but also on the family. Many institutions allow students to receive loans knowing that some families are not able to repay. Moreover, institutions have to ensure that their students are receiving what their education is worth. Senator Reed has proposed a "Protect Student Borrowers Act" Bill that will help those students with ruined credit and eligibility to continue their education. I learned that academic challenges in higher institutions lack of facilities and not enough preparations because of factors such as low income in minorities, but there will be nothing done about this until we, as Hispanics, present these problems to our representatives and also until the government decides to take action upon this issue. Finally, out of the various conferences we had today, my favorite one was where they taught us how we were going to advocate for other Hispanic students attending to a higher institution. According to speaker Deborah Koolbeck advocacy is about relationships. Tomorrow, when we go to Capitol Hill, we will have the opportunity and the honor to meet Senator Jeff Flake and Congresswomen Martha McSally. We will be able to ask our representatives about their thoughts on Hispanic higher education. Tomorrow I want to go to Capitol Hill with an open mind to learn from our Representatives' view on higher education. I want them to be aware of the problems we face as Hispanics in higher education because they represent us in this country! HACU has already impacted my life - I have a whole different perspective of the world that surrounds me and the importance of being a part of those who make a change in our community. The experience I am getting at HACU has made me an empowered student and it has given me vision of ways in which I want to influence the lives of other Hispanic students.

I'm excited to be in Washington D.C! Today was day two. there are so many things to learn, and so many people to see. Today's highlight was when we went to the the student advocacy 101 because they were preparing us for the Capitol Forum tomorrow! It felt like i was back in my class! The speaker talked about how she worked for the Capitol for 6 years and she loved her work! It was an info session for all the students who are going to the Capitol and advocate for higher education. I am excited to advocate for higher education, and also to meet the Senate! The picture attached are the students who will be going to the Capital Forum, and I am honored to be advocating along with other students. the 21st annual HACU National Capital Forum has really been a really exciting experience. I want to mention that there was another highlight of the day. I thought this was very nice! As we were walking to a very known restaurant called "We the pizza" we stopped in front of the Capitol at night, and Susan Greeno (our chaperon) was telling us the job she had there, history of how the Capitol was made, etc. Her job was to give tours at the Capitol Hill and I really liked that because I am a student ambassador at Cochise College in the Douglas campus and I can relate to her because I give tours at the college and they are very fun! I would really like to give tours at the Capitol Hill or the White House. 

Hello my name is Jessica Rosas, I was born in Agua Prieta, Sonora but I have been in the United States ever since I was three. Even though I was not raised in Agua Prieta, I still feel that I have a great connection to mexico. My mother was born there, as well as my grandparents. This picture I have attached has meant so much to me because being the big sister of these 3 little ones has been a blessing! Even though after this picture my mom had my other little brother, and my smallest sister. So you are probably wondering.. "So how many kids does your mom have?!" My mother has 8 kids! (I have two older brothers) Anyway, this picture means so much to me because being the big sister for them is setting THE example. To me, setting an example is leading a way for them to succeed in life, and to set goals and accomplish them. My mother did not have enough resources to finish school, my two older brothers had decided to go another way. So I was the next one in line so I am  now a first generation college student, and also I am the first high school graduate in my family. I know that I can not say I did it alone. My mother is the one that inspires me and continues to push me forward as well as family and friends. I believe higher education is the way to a better life and that higher education gives us the opportunity to make a difference in our community.

First Day in Washington and First Day of HACU

A brief summary of what happened yesterday. Yesterday we arrived to Washington D.C. and from the moment I arrived I was in shock with how the city looks. You always see pictures of the monuments and buildings look but to see them in person shocked me. The Lincoln memorial had to be my favorite of the ones we visited. I am being a little biased because I do share my name with President Lincoln. Putting that to the side tough, the size of the whole memorial really gave me some perspective on how important President Lincoln is too our nation.

First official day of HACU was very interesting. All the speakers demonstrated a lot of passion towards the awareness of higher education with not just Hispanics but every minority group. During the 1:45-3:00 p.m. session all the panelists showed a lot of pride in their work when it comes to student debt and how we approach this issue and gave different approaches on dealing with the issue. On out last meeting for the day we heard Deborah Koolbeck who works with the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). She spoke to us about student advocacy and also about what we should expect when we meet with members of congress and the senate. One expectation is we might not actually get to meet with the senator or member of congress; odds are we are going to be talking to a staff member. She went on to tell us how we should approach the staff member and gave us tips that will make the meetings successful. Two tips she told us and I feel is very important is that a Thank You goes along way and to have fun.

In conclusion today was very informative day. It’s almost what I expected the day would be like and the time was long but it went by very quickly. Hopefully tomorrow we can meet our members of congress and senator who represent us. If not, I will not be disappointed. Just knowing that I am going to Capitol Hill is enough for me. 

Highlight of the Day - Day 1

I could not decide on a “highlight” of the day for this day. The reason for this is because there were so many amazing places we went to visit today and it was also the day we arrived to Washington. Our flight from Phoenix to Washington was not as chaotic as I thought, but it was a tiring trip. As soon as we got to DC, we checked into the hotel and rested for a couple of hours to go sightseeing for the rest of the afternoon. First, we went to the White House and took some pictures. Also, while we were there Susana explained to us a little background on her internship in Washington, D.C. and how her experience helped her in her professional career. We went to the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, and to the World War II Memorial. I had only seen these places in movies or in pictures, but today, they all became a reality and I was beyond excited to be at these places for the afternoon. Now, I am looking forward for the new adventures that tomorrow will bring in our first HACU conference at the Marriott Hotel. So far, this has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life! Thanks University of Arizona South for giving me the opportunity of being a part of HACU – for allowing me to advocate in Washington D.C. for other students in my community.

Expectations for HACU

I am writing this as I am sitting at the Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix. I am beyond excited for this trip and I expect many things from it. It is my first time getting on a plane, I am a little nervous for the trip because I know that Washington DC is a huge city. However, I hope that I am able to learn a lot of new things in the conferences that we will be attending to. I feel as if HACU is not only going to expand my knowledge in the governmental field, but it will also give me experience. I expect to receive useful information from this trip and to be able to go back to Douglas with answers for our Hispanic students that are trying to attend to a higher institution. Since it is the first time I travel to another state in the United States, I am thrilled to see the world through a different perspective. Let this amazing experience begin!

Jose Cardona Cochise College Sierra Vista

Hey this is Jose Cardona born in Puerto Rico raised in Florida and Arizona. This is my last semester of Sierra Vista Cochise College getting my associate in Fine Arts. I plan to go to University of Arizona to get my Bachelors in Education and teach in Special Education. The reason my family and I left Puerto Rico was to simply live a better life in the states. Yes Puerto Rico is a United States territory and have a lot of the privilege any other US citizens have, but overall the island is in massive amounts of dept with competitive work areas it would be less stressful to move and start a new beginning in the states. My mom being a teacher found it very easy to get a job in special education in Florida. Because of her my love slowly grew in teaching from staying with after school hours to help around her class room to her telling me almost everyday how rewarding it is to work in such an environment. However, pay was never good and we always had to live pay check to pay check. Being selected to attend HACU I will work to find out how to raise teachers pay, so being a teacher is a job career people actually can live comfortably to really focus on their careers and not just trying to live for the next two weeks.      

Expectations: Abraham Sanchez

Later today we will be departing to Washington D.C and the nerves start to kick in. It will be my first time ever going to the nations capitol and I hope it’s not my last. I’m going in to the HACU Capitol Forum with an open mind and going to try to learn everything I can. I’m expecting the forum to be very well informative about Hispanics and higher education. I’m also excited to meet different congress people and senators who I would like to pick their heads and hope to get any little advice I can use in my life. This week will be an event I will always remember and hopefully give me a better understanding on the importance of college. I am excited and thrilled to be attending this year’s HACU Capitol Forum.