Latinx Resource Center Director recognized: Making education accessible for underrepresented students
From Staff Reports
A passionate advocate for inclusive educational environments, Emmanuel Lopez, Director of the Latinx Resource Center (LRC) at Governors State University (GovState), recently received the Inclusion, Access, and Success Award from the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC).
The award, established in 2015, honors individuals who have been instrumental in making postsecondary educational opportunities accessible to historically underrepresented students. For Lopez, this recognition highlights his leadership in supporting undocumented students and expanding college access initiatives, in addition to fostering inclusive educational environments throughout Illinois.
Lopez received the award during the 12th Annual IACAC Sharing the Dream Conference, which GovState hosted for the first time in the institution's history, bringing together more than 300 registered participants from across Illinois to advance educational access and success for undocumented students and students from mixed-status families.
“As co-chair of this year's planning committee, it has been an honor to help bring the Sharing the Dream Conference to Governors State University,” Lopez said. “For many undocumented student liaisons, hosting this conference on their campus is a career milestone.”
The conference featured various workshops that covered topics related to admissions, financial aid, student support services, advocacy, and best practices for serving undocumented students and their families. Amongst those in attendance were representatives from 23 universities, 12 community colleges, 10 high schools, and eight non-profits.
To learn more about the support and resources GovState's Latinx Resource Center offers, click here.