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OLAS celebrates 10th anniversary
OLASCELEBRATES 10 ANNIVERSARY
Students, faculty, parents and alumni recently gathered to mark the 10th anniversary of GGC’s first registered student organization, the Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS).
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OLAS was conceived in 2007 by Rico Torres, ’08, business, and Dr. Jessica Damián, former professor of English, to enable GGC Hispanic/Latino students to connect with their culture, campus and community. Today, it has 300 members and exemplifies leadership and service.
The reunion allowed current members to appreciate how long OLAS has been active and enabled alumni to see OLAS’ growth through the years. The event symbolized that it’s not just an organization, but an interconnected family where all members share a vision of a strong community at GGC and beyond.
“OLAS has given GGC students a solid vehicle for growth and achievement outside the classroom,” said Mark Guevara-Galeano, ’17, president of OLAS. “We’re a family that strives to develop and support each member academically and personally.”
More than 60 attendees enjoyed food, fellowship, a live musical performance and a segment during which guests shared how OLAS impacted their lives and their community. Past presidents attending included Homero Gonzalez, ’11, business, OLAS’ first president, and Estefany Palacio, ’14, English, who served two terms.
“During my tenure as president, we
Students, alumni and staff gathered for the OLAS reunion included (first row) Roxana Solis, Lisa Fernandez, Mariela Tejada, Alejandra Garcia, Melissa Severino, Natali Marin, Crystal Ramirez, Mishel Cabrera, Jennifer Soto, Shirley Rosales, Camilo Hernandez, (second row) Ibeth Gutierrez, Karla Olguin, Monica Sandoval, Esmeralda Trevino, Jacqueline Tizol, Rosanny Tejada, Emma Gonzalez, Homero Gonzalez, Omar Zuniga, Luis Montanez, Darrick Alvarez, Brenda Duran, Alfredo Corona Jr., Dr. Linda Kay Mancillas, (third row) Tomas Jimenez, Dr. T.J. Arant, Susan Arant, Xheneta Kuçi, Aizaz Shaikh, Rigoberto Rivera, Mark Guevara-G
CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY
always sought to build OLAS based on what our members felt was important to them,” said Gonzalez. “A connection to our culture was important, but we also sought to demystify the process of reaching higher education for Hispanic/Latino students.”
“I love OLAS and was so happy to celebrate its success at the reunion,” said Palacio. “The great thing about OLAS is that it welcomes everyone and fosters an environment of involvement and friendship that continues beyond the collegiate years.”
OLAS’ mission leverages GGC’s core values with a focus on education, service and advocacy. The organization works with middle and high school student clubs and school and community partners to foster college awareness and readiness through events such as college fairs, open houses and mentoring programs. It also hosts an annual soccer tournament to fund a scholarship for GGC students.
Members engage in community outreach by building working relationships with local businesses and nonprofit organizations. They partner with Volunteer GGC and Junior Achievement to serve the Gwinnett community, and they also work with the Georgia Association of Latin Elected Officials (GALEO) and the Latin American Association to advocate for equal rights, DACA recipients, immigration reform and other issues that impact surrounding communities.
“OLAS provides a collective sense of community to students by helping them celebrate their diverse cultures,” said Tomas Jimenez, senior associate vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students. “The members are great GGC ambassadors and their commitment to service is unparalleled.”
According to Guevara-Galeano, OLAS could not have thrived without the unwavering support of GGC’s faculty. He noted the contributions of Dr. Adolfo Santos, dean of the School of Liberal Arts, Dr. Justin Jernigan, dean of the School of Transitional Studies and Carl Woods, director of Wellness and Recreation.
“OLAS has a great relationship with faculty and staff and works to ensure campus life is thriving. By connecting and volunteering with groups such as GALEO, Boy Scouts of America, Garden Plaza Senior Living Community, Junior Achievement, the School of Transitional Studies and others, we are able to provide service to our community that also develops our members and our college,” he said.
Guevara-Galeano also expressed appreciation for OLAS’ faculty advisors, beginning with Damián and currently, Dr. Richard Rawls, professor of history.
“Both have been essential in the creation and continuity of OLAS and have been such great mentors and friends to the organization and its members,” he said.
Guevara-Galeano said he became involved in OLAS because he felt that there was more to going to college than just academics and believes that is the case for most members.
“I believe OLAS will continue to thrive at GGC because we prepare members to be leaders from the first day they join,” he said. “We have a long-term vision in place that involves growing relationships with community partners and hosting meaningful events. I look forward to seeing OLAS prosper and provide the GGC community with an enhanced college experience for many years to come.”
Students, alumni and staff gathered for the OLAS reunion included (first row) Roxana Solis, Lisa Fernandez, Mariela Tejada, Alejandra Garcia, Melissa Severino, Natali Marin, Crystal Ramirez, Mishel Cabrera, Jennifer Soto, Shirley Rosales, Camilo Hernandez, (second row) Ibeth Gutierrez, Karla Olguin, Monica Sandoval, Esmeralda Trevino, Jacqueline Tizol, Rosanny Tejada, Emma Gonzalez, Homero Gonzalez, Omar Zuniga, Luis Montanez, Darrick Alvarez, Brenda Duran, Alfredo Corona Jr., Dr. Linda Kay Mancillas, (third row) Tomas Jimenez, Dr. T.J. Arant, Susan Arant, Xheneta Kuçi, Aizaz Shaikh, Rigoberto Rivera, Mark Guevara-Galeano, Estefany Palacio, Yesly Granados, Corey Grimes and Dr. Luis Mora.
OLAS members Melissa Severino, Camilo Hernandez, Roxana Solis, Mishel Cabrera, Darrick Alvarez, Omar Zuniga, Kenza Sandi, Alfredo Corona Jr. and Natali Marin enjoy fellowship while listening to the mariachi band.
