The Hispanic Latino Commission of Michigan (HLCOM) recently hosted their annual Statewide Post-Secondary Graduation Celebration at the Michigan Historical Center in downtown Lansing. More than 40 students from technical programs, community colleges, four-year universities and graduate programs located throughout the state attended. Approximately 115 students and guests were welcomed with a reception prior to the ceremony with food, music and photos. Students were presented certificates and serape stoles, inspired by Latino culture to wear with pride at their respective graduation ceremonies.
“The graduation serves as an opportunity to recognize Latinos who make up a small percentage of those graduating from post-secondary institutions,” said HLCOM Executive Director Dr. Isabel Montemayor-Vazquez. “These are the future policy makers, educators, scientists and leaders we need for our community to have a voice and to succeed.”
During the ceremony the students were inspired by the wise words of keynote speaker, former chair and current commissioner of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, Gloria Lara. Commissioner Lara shared her journey through the Harvard Business School and into the male dominated automotive industry.
The celebration also welcomed remarks from two student keynote speakers. The first student speaker was Sofia Rosales, she earned her master of arts in political science at Michigan State University and will continue on to pursue a doctor of philosophy. The second speaker was Alexie Milukhin who earned her master of arts from the University of Michigan in Public Policy and has accepted a position as Director of Policy with Michigan’s Population Growth Office.
The commission is always excited to celebrate students’ educational achievements and encourage students to apply their myriad skills as a part of the Michigan workforce. The commission understands that many of the challenges Latino students face impart a certain level of resilience that can be applied as they move forward in their careers.
Commission Vice Chair Florensio Hernandez shared words of encouragement to the students reminding them to never forget where they come from and to stay grounded: “No matter where you go from here, I hope you stay rooted. Rooted in who you are. Rooted in the love and strength that brought you all this far because being Latino isn’t just your heritage—it’s a blessing and a superpower.”
For more information about the Hispanic/Latino Commission of Michigan and its initiatives, visit https://www.michigan.gov/ogm/commissions/hlcom.
