UT’s LSU preparing for annual baile

By Allison Wingate, Special to La Prensa

Nov. 28, 2008: The Latino Student Union, an organization with an aim of providing a community and support for Latino students as well as cultural awareness at the University of Toledo, is in full swing this fall semester.

Under the advisement of Sabina Elizondo-Serratos, who also serves as the Director of the Office of Latino Initiatives at UT, President José López and LSU members have been organizing several fundraising events of which the group will use the proceeds to fund its annual scholarship baile—its 36^th!

Joe Lopez with Sabina Elizondo Serratos  

Although the dance is several months away, with a possible date of February 14, 2009, LSU is already in the planning stages, working on booking a band for the event, López informed this reporter.

Only fundraising dollars are used to make arrangements for this baile, so fundraising is a high priority for the organization.

Their most recent fundraiser occurred this past Friday—a burrito sale, where one could place an order with a LSU member and the members themselves assembled the burritos at El Sueño, a local Mexican restaurant on West Laskey Road in Toledo. It was also at El Sueño that the organization hosted an Ohio State vs. Michigan party on Saturday, Nov. 22.

The organization, formerly known as “Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán – Latino Student Union” was co-founded in 1972 by María Rodríguez-Winters and became an official UT organization a year later. It wasn’t until 2003 that the name was changed to simply the Latino Student Union.

LSU has approximately 80 active members, according to López. 

The Latino Student Union is leadership-oriented, as LSU is prominent in the community for their volunteer efforts as well as fundraising for scholarships, which are awarded to current students at the university.

Many of its members are also involved in the Primos program, a peer-mentor program for Latinos at UT, which pairs a younger student with a more experienced student, who knows the way of university life and can impart some wisdom in that respect.  The group will have a special retreat on Dec. 5, 2008, in Rocky’s Attic, on the third floor in the Main Campus Student Union.

Representatives of LSU often visit local high schools throughout the spring and fall semesters in order to showcase the organization and to connect with incoming students. Representatives of LSU and Primos visited Whitmer High School this past Thursday and have plans to visit several others throughout the school year.

A weekly study-table for LSU, hosted by UT’s Multicultural Office, helps these students focus on their studies and get any academic help they need from either each other or outside mentors.

Wednesday, December 3^rd will see a sponsored “Exam Cram,” a multiple hour study session in the Multicultural Office in preparation for fall semester’s final exams.

LSU meets every Monday evening at 8:00pm at the Student Union, UT’s Main Campus, room 2591.

For more info on LSU, visit:  https://laprensatoledo.com/Stories/2008/011808/Serratos.htm