About LAGAPSA

Latin American Graduate and Professional Student Assembly at the University of Pennsylvania

Contact: communications.lagapsa@gmail.com

Mission of LAGAPSA

The Latin American Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (LAGAPSA) shall enhance the quality of life for graduate and professional students of Latin American, Latina/o/x, and/or Hispanic descent at the University of Pennsylvania through a centralized, campus-wide organizational structure that addresses their academic, social, political, community, and cultural needs and concerns through programming, services, and advocacy.

History of LAGAPSA

During the 2005-2006 academic year, a group of committed Latin American and Latina/o/x graduate and professional students at Penn started LAGAPSA. Their first efforts included putting together an Executive Board and publicizing their existence within the Latin American and Latina/o/x community at Penn, as well as within the administration. Since then, we have gained recognition as the lobbying group for Latin American and Latina/o/x graduate and professional students across the University.

In conjunction with cultural centers and other student organizations,  we provide a centralized, campus-wide organizational structure that addresses our needs and concerns through programming, services, and advocacy.

Festival Latinx 2024: celebrando logros y todo lo que hemos superado. Join us for our first event of the semester! Come out for an evening of food, drinks, games and great conversation. We’ll be in the Caster Building 6-8pm on February 22 getting to know fellow members of the Penn community. We hope to see you there! Register at the link in our bio. In celebration of Latinx/e Heritage Month, we have partnered with La Casa Latina to give away 20 free tickets to Lechon y Ron to graduate students! This year, it’ll take place on on Sunday, October 15, 2023, 12 PM - 6:30 PM. This is a great opportunity to connect with other professionals across the city. Ali is a part-time Higher Education program student in Penn Graduate School of Education. She also attended Penn for undergrad, earning her degree from the Wharton School in 2019. Ali is of Guatemalan descent. Ali works full-time here at Penn in Alumni Relations. In her free time, Ali enjoys playing with her rescue dog, Beef, and watching reality TV with her fiancé. She also enjoys trying new restaurants around Philly and taking day trips to the beach. Ali is LAGAPSA’s Chair of Communications and Media for the 2023-2024 academic year! Daira is a Master of Public Administration student at Penn. She is from Lima, Peru, which serves as the inspiration for most of her research and work. At the age of 17, Daira started her undergraduate degree in Economics at the University of Warwick in the UK, where she spent the last three years. She is interested in gender and labor economics and policy making, mostly focusing on Latin America and Peru. After her undergraduate graduation earlier this year, Daira moved to Philadelphia to start her master’s degree. She has spent a lot of time exploring Philly and visiting New York, her second favorite city besides Paris. If you don't see her studying around campus or running to her next meeting/commitment, you will see her shopping, watching a Premier League game or traveling around the world (and taking a lot of photos)! Daira is LAGAPSA’s Chair of Programming and Events for the 2023-2024 academic year! Diana is an Education Policy student at the Penn Graduate School of Education. A proud alumna of the University of Tampa, she earned both her Bachelor’s and first Master’s in Education in sunny Tampa, Florida, her hometown. A former schoolteacher, Diana moved to Philadelphia to study policy in hopes of working towards a happier future for Florida’s teachers. When Diana is not buried in readings and research, she is watching TV with Biscuit (her dog), finding events to attend on campus, and biking around the city. Diana is LAGAPSA’s Chair of Operations for the 2023-2024 academic year. Originally from Los Angeles, California, Vanessa is a first-year Master of City Planning candidate. She is a first-generation student and a 2023 UCLA graduate, where she obtained a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Sociology. The eldest of 3 siblings, Vanessa is Mexican American, with parents from Guerrero and Aguascalientes. She aspires to work within housing and economic development that will benefit and transform low-income communities of color by providing them with adequate and equitable resources to thrive. Vanessa was thrilled to find LAGAPSA as she feels that building community is a crucial part of navigating higher education. She is excited to not only meet other students with similar experiences, but also to have the opportunity to create and share spaces where Latin/x students can come together to decompress and support one another. Vanessa is LAGAPSA’s Chair of Finance for the 2023-2024 academic year! Meet Carlos! Carlos is a multidisciplinary product designer and biomedical engineer, advancing his studies through Penn’s Master of Science in Engineering Integrated Product Design program. An alumnus of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, he holds dual degrees in Electrical Engineering (Biomedical Option) and Design. He is passionate about using his interdisciplinary background to tackle pressing challenges relating to healthcare disparities and barriers, especially in underserved and vulnerable communities. Outside the academic and professional realm, Carlos is an avid board game enthusiast (with a seemingly ever-expanding collection), an (unfortunate) supporter of F1's Scuderia Ferrari and La Liga's Real Madrid, and a constant seeker of new music and experiences. If you ever want to chat about these things or LAGAPSA, I'm just a conversation away! Carlos is  LAGAPSA's Representative for the 2023-2024 academic year! Breaking the rules of social media with a double post to bring you Jessie! Jessie is a part-time Salvadoran graduate student in the Master's of Social Policy program at SP2, where she is also pursuing a certificate in Latin American and Latinx Studies. She is an Administrative Coordinator at Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP).  Jessie is originally from Greensboro, North Carolina and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Political Science from Appalachian State University. During her time at Appalachian, she worked as a Research Assistant contributing to studies on law enforcement policies regarding U-visas and COVID-19. Before moving to Philadelphia, Jessie interned with Comunidad Colectiva, a grassroots immigrant rights organization based in Charlotte, NC.Through LAGAPSA, she hopes to create an inclusive space for Latinx students across the graduate schools at Penn. Jessie loves traveling, spending time with friends, and trying new foods. Jessie is one of LAGAPSA's Co-Chair Presidents for the 2023-2024 academic year!

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