SCampus Student Guidebook

2008-09 SCampus (PDFs)

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Student Services

El Centro Chicano

Section PDF

Director: William Vela
Assistant Director: Alejandra Bonilla
(213) 740-1480
(213) 745-6721 (FAX)
United University Church (UUC) 300
Email: ecc@usc.edu
www.usc.edu/student-affairs/elcentro

Responding to a request from the Chicano/Latino students on campus, USC established El Centro Chicano in 1972. Today, El Centro works toward enhancing the college experience of Chicana/o and Latina/o students at USC.

El Centro provides culturally sensitive programs that foster and promote the academic and personal success of Chicana/o and Latina/o students. In addition, it strives to educate the campus about Chicana/o and Latina/o issues and the ethnic diversity represented within the community (i.e., Central and South America, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Puerto Rico).

El Centro also offers student advocacy, personal support, assistance for Chicana/o and Latina/o student groups and transitional/beyond USC programming. El Centro programs and services also consider gender, class, religion/spirituality, bi/monolingual, continuing generations, sexual orientation, disabilities and bi-racial/ethnic identities, among other factors.

Academic Support

El Centro Chicano offers a variety of services that include workshops on academic skills and interaction with faculty and academic affairs staff. The following are some of the academic support programs offered.

Latino Honor Society

The Latino Honor Society (LHS) is a program monitored by El Centro Chicano that aims to honor the academic and leadership contributions of the USC Latino students. In order to recognize students for their academic achievements, LHS and El Centro Chicano co-host the annual Sophomore Recognition ceremony in the fall and the LHS Induction ceremony at the end of the year. Every spring, students are notified if they are eligible to apply for LHS membership. See Academic Services – Honor Societies for qualifications and application information.

Finals Study Breaks

El Centro Chicano hosts a study break every semester for students during finals week. In an effort to create a stress-free zone and support students during finals, El Centro provides students with a free meal and a very supportive environment created by a handful of faculty, staff and alumni. This event tends to bring the semester to a close and allows students to say goodbye before they leave for break or as they venture off for the summer.

New Student Welcome: Orientation Program

Summer orientation can be overwhelming and packed with valuable information. Therefore, El Centro Chicano has designed an additional program at the beginning of the school year with a cultural twist for first year students to get to know more about the Chicana/o and Latina/o community at USC, as well as get connected to campus resources. The workshops presented were designed by students, alumni and faculty/staff members at the university. The program welcomes students and their families to the Trojan Familia and helps them transition successfully to university life.

Student Retention

The student life at USC is rich with student organizations and programs. El Centro offers several programs that allow all students to feel comfortable with the USC environment. Services include a commuter lounge, facilities for student clubs and organizations and the Latino Floors for freshmen living in university housing. Students registered with El Centro receive the Latino Resource Handbook, an orientation guide to USC, at the beginning of the year, as well as weekly El Centro e-newsletters on campus activities, scholarship opportunities, internships and Chicano/Latino activities in the surrounding community. In addition, El Centro promotes social consciousness, cultural pride, identity exploration and cultural awareness throughout the campus. Cultural awareness programs include the Latin American Independences Day Celebration, La Posada and the Chicano/Latino Graduation.

Latino Floors

El Centro Chicano’s special interest housing program, the Latino Floors, was established in 1974 and is designed for first year students. These floors are for students interested in learning more about the Chicano/Latino culture who want to live and grow together as a residential community. The Latino Floors promote cultural awareness, community involvement and academic success while assisting first-year students’ transition into college life.

The two Latino Floors house 64 residents and four resident advisors – experienced upperclassmen trained to cater to the needs of first-year students – who plan programs and activities during the academic year.

Chicano/Latino Graduation

The Chicano/Latino Graduation has been a tradition at USC for 30 years. It is a festive event that takes place the night before the main commencement ceremony. The purpose of the ceremony is to celebrate students’ personal success and academic achievements in the spirit and traditions of Chicano/Latino culture. The bilingual celebration is dedicated to the families and friends of graduating students. The ceremony is open to all graduating students and provides them with 20 seconds to publicly thank those who have helped them through their educational careers.

Community Outreach

El Centro Chicano provides students and families the opportunity to work with the community in several ways. El Centro provides outreach to parents through the Latino Parent Association and to local community agencies and schools. Throughout the year, El Centro hosts visits from local elementary/middle/high school students, community colleges and college outreach programs. USC students serve on panels during these visits, encouraging younger students to pursue higher education. In addition, USC students are made aware of volunteer programs within the greater Los Angeles Chicano/Latino community.

Latino Parent Association

The Latino Parent Association (LPA) was founded in 1982 to help parents better understand the issues that directly affect Chicano/Latino students and parents. Serving over 200 families, the LPA offers activities that allow parents to participate in the planning and implementation of events. In addition, parents participate in monthly meetings to stay informed about the university and student life. The LPA assists students and their parents through the process of their education in order to fulfill college dreams. Guest speakers also provide information about a variety of programs and services offered by USC and in the surrounding community.