CWU students past and present benefit from attending national leadership conference

One of the most valuable gifts a college graduate can give to their community is to return home with their degree and use their newfound knowledge to lift up future generations.

Armando Ortiz has done that and much more since graduating from Central six years ago.

The former ASCWU president and 2017 alumnus has put his sociology degree to good use in his hometown of White Center, serving as a college and career advisor to ninth- and 10th-grade students at his alma mater, Evergreen High School, for the past three years.

"Keeping my community strong is the most important thing to me because my whole family lives here," Ortiz said. "I feel like I can make a difference with my younger siblings, cousins, and other kids here by showing them, 'this is what you should do when you graduate from high school.' I want to help them understand that doing the kind of work I do matters."

Ortiz's position at Evergreen High is funded through the College Success Foundation, a national nonprofit organization that helps underserved, low-income students achieve their dream of earning a college education.

White Center, located between Burien and West Seattle, is traditionally underrepresented, and many of the young people who live there aren't aware of the opportunities available to them. Ortiz also gives back through youth football, serving as a middle-school coach and assistant high-school coach. He believes the work he is doing will have a lasting impact on his hometown.

"Community is very important to me, and I really want to be a role model for young people who don't have all of the resources they need to be successful," he said. "I want to be a positive influence who can help students just like me, and I made it a point to come back to my old neighborhood because this is home to me."

Ortiz is a first-generation college graduate who went on to earn his master's degree from Loyola University in Chicago in 2019. But looking back on his time at CWU-especially his first couple of years-he had no idea that graduate school would be in his future.

His dreams of a post-graduate education all began to take shape in 2016, when he attended the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI) National Conference with a group of CWU students and advisors.

"I knew I wanted to branch out after earning my degree, but I didn't realize what that looked like until I met a recruiter for Loyola at USHLI," Ortiz said. "I also met a lot of people there who wanted to do the same thing as me and return to their hometowns to make a difference. Learning from so many people who came from the same background as me was really inspiring, and those experiences revealed to me what I needed to do for my career."

The Influence of USHLI

A similar revelation occurred this winter for a group of 11 current CWU students, who attended the 2023 USHLI Conference and returned home with many of the same feelings Ortiz had when he was a student. (A separate CWU news story includes more details about their experience.)

Litzy Figueroa, a junior psychology major, said she hadn't given much thought to returning to her hometown of Mabton after graduation. But, as time has gone on, she has realized the impact someone like her could have on other young people who haven't figured out their own direction in life."Two years ago, I didn't think I would want to go back home, but now I feel more of a responsibility to give back," said Figueroa, who plans to go into clinical counseling, perhaps as a school psychologist. "Where I'm from, the struggle is real. There are lots of students who are unmotivated, and they don't see a point. It takes someone to show them there's a better path."

Figueroa said the USHLI conference "came at the perfect time" in her life, showing her how psychologists can engage with their communities. Her community psychology class at CWU this winter focused on the importance of promoting diversity and giving back. The USHLI conference only helped reinforce those concepts for her.

"If you think about it, people who work with kids are literally changing the world," she said. "Children are our future, and we need to take care of every generation so they know what's right and good. We can't let them slip through the cracks."

Figueroa feels like she can reach kids in her hometown because she's been through all of the same things they have, yet she managed to chart her own positive direction.

"I want to show them that if they want to do something, they will find a way to do it," she said. "They need people who can instill in them that anything is possible so they can make good decisions. For me, it would be amazing to go back home and build relationships with these kids so our community can remain strong for many years to come."

CWU as a Catalyst

Noel Trujillo-Garcia left this year's USHLI conference with many of the same feelings as Figueroa and Ortiz. The junior physical education and school health major said he has always wanted to return home to Auburn, but after witnessing so many Latinx success stories at USHLI, he is convinced that going back home is the right choice.

"The conference gave me the motivation I needed to keep going," Trujillo-Garcia said. "We met so many amazing people, and they made us feel like we could accomplish the same things they have. They made it all seem so real, and after hearing what they had to say, I know I'm going to do big things in my career."

He also credited his CWU professors and advisors for helping him identify a career path that suits him. He pointed to positive influences from instructors like Keith Reyes in secondary education and Gilberto Garcia, the faculty advisor to the MEChA student club.

"Dr. Reyes is the first Mexican teacher I've ever had, and that has made a huge impact on me," said Trujillo-Garcia, who transferred to CWU from Green River College last fall. "He and Dr. Garcia have made a huge difference in my life, and they have showed me what I am capable of. Central has given me so many opportunities to challenge myself, and now I have the confidence I need to build a successful career and make a difference."

Katya Soto, who also attended the USHLI conference, shared a similar experience from her time at Central. The senior elementary education major, who is minoring in English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching, came to the U.S. when she was 4 years old.

After moving around with her family, she graduated from Eastmont High School in Wenatchee before enrolling at CWU in 2019. She credits CWU with helping connect her personal life to her professional goals.

"CWU has been a blessing," Soto said. "This university has opened doors to so many possibilities for me. College can open the door to so many experiences, and if you are open-minded, the possibilities are endless."

Similarly, Ortiz looks back on his time at Central with a feeling of tremendous accomplishment and boundless opportunity. He has unlocked his passion for helping people and making the world a better place-and it all started at CWU.

"Going to Central was exactly what I needed," he said. "During my time there, I realized the importance of community and how the work I do can have a positive impact on other people's lives. Now, I'm putting those lessons into practice, and it has been extremely fulfilling."