National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated to recognize the history, culture and contributions by Hispanic Americans in the United States. Starting in mid-September and ending in mid-October, students, faculty and staff at Villanova will celebrate Hispanic/Latine Heritage Month with a combination of educational events and community-based social events.
Different departments of Villanova’s students and staff, including Dining Services, the Office of Intercultural Affairs (OIA), Villanova’s Latin American Student Organization (LASO) and Falvey Library participate in preserving and celebrating Hispanic/Latine culture.
The Office of Intercultural Affairs fosters communication between students and staff who are leaders of identity-based organizations or specialize in research relevant to the month they are celebrating. It also works hard to advertise these events to the greater campus community.
Assistant director of the Office of Intercultural Affairs, Miranda Febus reported collaborating with on-campus organizations like the Latin American Student Organization and Campus Ministry to host events pertaining to Hispanic/Latine Heritage Month.
“For this month, I worked closely with Marisol Lezcano and Jared May in Campus Ministry to also have a beautifully designed banner hung above Dougherty Hall,” Febus said.
OIA has hosted to recognize and celebrate Hispanic culture this month including a Hora del Cafecito (coffee hour) and “What Does it Mean to be Hispanic/Latine?” The coffee hours and discussion sessions are “meant to provide an opportunity for underrepresented students to meet faculty and staff who look like them on campus,” Febus said.
Student organizations also play a significant role in spreading awareness and recognizing Hispanic/Latine Heritage Month. Student groups like Villanova’s Latin American Student Organization, the Hispanic Society and a variety of other groups aim to enhance the collegiate experience for students of these identities.
“These organizations, driven by their passion for celebrating Hispanic/Latinx heritage, have taken profound strides toward reshaping the educational landscape at Villanova,” Jeremy Fernandez, one of the event coordinators of LASO, said. “Their efforts extend far beyond organizing events solely for the Hispanic/Latinx community. They are dedicated to making a lasting impact on the entire University community.”
Fernandez noted that Villanova students can benefit from access to a supportive network to be able to express their identity and facilitate discussion. Additionally, he mentioned that the greater Villanova community can benefit from cultural exchange opportunities that these organizations provide.
Other members of Villanova’s Latin American Student Organization echoed Fernandez’s words regarding the importance of Hispanic/Latine Heritage Month.
“The active participation of the student body holds great significance as it provides a rare opportunity on campus for people of similar backgrounds to come together,” outreach chair of LASO Diego Lopez said. “Additionally, it amplifies our collective voice within the Villanova community, affirming that Hispanics/Latinos play a vital role and have a rightful place within the University.”
In addition to hosting interactive events, LASO also aims to educate the Villanova community and promote inclusivity through their social media.
“LASO ensures that Hispanic heritage month gets recognized by having a daily post celebrating members of Villanova, either being students or faculty as well as important figures that have made a significant change in their culture,” Edwin Gonzalez Aranda, member of LASO, said.
Villanova’s Falvey Library also contributes to the honor and celebration of Hispanic/Latine culture this month.
“Falvey Library, as an intellectual hub in the University community, provides many resources for students, faculty and staff that celebrate and explore the rich history and diverse traditions of many cultures,” Millicent Gaskell, University Librarian and Director of Falvey Library, said. Gaskell emphasized the key role the University library plays in showing its collections and databases and collaborating with the academic departments to engage students on this matter.
“I would like to propose to use Hispanic/Latiné Heritage Month as an opportunity to reflect on its name and the effect of labels on people,” Jutta Seibert, Director of Research Services & Scholarly Engagement and Global Interdisciplinary Studies Librarian, said.
Villanova annually celebrates Hispanic/Latine Heritage month to spread cultural awareness and celebrate a variety of identities on campus, but it is important to acknowledge these identities all months of the year.
“Elevation of Hispanic/Latinx culture for a designated month initiates vital conversations,” Fernandez said. “Yet, authentic recognition entails the cultivation of spaces for ongoing dialogue within the Villanova community.”
