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LASER Chosen by White House as Bright Spot in Hispanic Education

September 17, 2015

LASER Chosen by White House as Bright Spot in Hispanic Education

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Ohio State LASER — Latino and Latin American Space for Enrichment and Research — was selected a 2015 Bright Spot in Hispanic Education by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.

The announcement was made on Sept. 15 by Alejandra Ceja, executive director of the initiative, at the launch of Hispanic Heritage Month and in honor of the initiative’s 25th anniversary.

“This is an incredible honor that recognizes all of the hard work that so many of our students, staff, faculty and community members invest in future generations of Latinos in the greater Columbus area and beyond,” said Frederick Aldama, professor of English and LASER founder and director.

Established in 2010, LASER is the country's first hub for scholarship and mentoring that centers on Latinos and the knowledge and cultural production of the Latin/o Americas. Signature programs include: LASER Mentors, matching high school students with college mentors; Latino Role Models Day, introducing students to successful Latino role models from the professional world; and the Gates Millennium Scholars Bridge Builders Forum, designed to provide Ohio’s underrepresented youth the tools and motivation to complete high school and to increase Latino access to higher education.

Frederick Aldama and LASER Scholars

Frederick Aldama and LASER Scholars

“LASER has positioned Ohio State as a leader in preparing, recruiting and retaining Latino scholars from high school through graduate school,” said Aldama. “We've been very successful with not only creating a pipeline — every Latino high school student in LASER has gone on to college — but through extensive networking with community members we have opened doors to opportunities for Latinos to thrive in and outside of the classroom.”

To expand the presence of Latinos in higher education, LASER utilizes a total system for mentoring Latino students from high school to college and professional schools, as well as those students who seek to learn more about Latino and Latin American history, culture, economics, literature, geography and other areas. In addition to supporting Latino students’ access and success in college, LASER also teaches parents what they can do to support their children’s college readiness, including financial planning for college expenses.

Looking back at the evolution of the LASER program, Aldama is most proud of the incredible dedication and determination of parents, students, staff and faculty to make a difference for tomorrow's thinkers, creators and transformers of society.

“Latino youth deserve to have access to a rich and total education to realize their full potential as human beings,” Aldama said. “Today and tomorrow’s Latinos are the country’s future.

As a Bright Spot, LASER will be part of a national online catalog that includes more than 230 programs that invest in key education priorities for Hispanics. 

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