Scholarship brunch supports Latinx students at Elgin Community College
The Jane Barbosa Legacy Brunch, held on Sept. 12, kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month at Elgin Community College and raised over $15,000 for the We Rise Jane Barbosa Scholarships, which support undocumented, mixed-status, and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students. Five students were each awarded $1,000.
For the second year, the brunch honored the late Jane Barbosa, founder of ECC’s Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS), which was established in March 1990.
“My mom initiated many programs and services at the college that inspired students, especially first-generation Latino students, to attend college,” said Melissa Barbosa-Guzman, Jane’s daughter and District 509 board member. “She helped the college bring inspiring national figures to speak on campus, including legends like Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, and created the annual breakfast/brunch to kick off Latinx Heritage Month.”
Her legacy was echoed by state Sen. Cristina Castro (D-Elgin), who credited Barbosa with inspiring her own path.
“I wouldn’t be here today without Jane’s words of wisdom, guidance, and inspiration,” Castro said. “She inspired many high school youth, including myself, to strive to go to college. She recruited me to ECC. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.”
Annamarie Schopen, ECC’s vice president of Teaching, Learning, & Student Development, reminded attendees that ECC is just one of over 500 Hispanic-Serving Institutions nationwide.
“We are here to serve, to support, and uplift,” Schopen said. “This event is both a celebration and a reminder of the powerful impact one individual can have in shaping a more inclusive and supportive community.”
Speakers shared stories of students and families navigating today’s immigration climate, underscoring why scholarships like We Rise matter.
Because of the climate surrounding undocumented and DACA students, scholarship recipients remained anonymous. Still, one recipient shared their experience through a written testimony describing how the award lessened financial stress and allowed them to focus on their education.
“The past semester was by far the most difficult to manage and balance, with three heavy-load classes, work, and our first clinical rotation,” the student said. “Despite the challenges I faced, I was always well supported by my classmates, wellness services, and most importantly, my professors. I want to give a special thank you to the scholarship donors for providing me with some financial support. I was able to worry less about my financial hardships and focus more on my education and building confidence as a future Physical Therapist Assistant.”
Keynote speaker Rey Wences, senior director at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, spoke about the current immigration policies affecting the Latin community in Illinois. Wences, whose pronouns are they/them, emphasized the power of community.
They said that the Latin community’s strength comes through training, planning, talking to one another, and connecting.
“This is how we’re showing up in solidarity,” Wences said. “Let us go forward with resolve to stay informed, to reach out, to support each other, to raise our voices and hold power accountable, because the fight for justice is never over and together, we will it’s never over and together, we will build a future where every person can live without fear, with dignity and with fully respected rights.”
The event also recognized We Rise Award winners who continue Barbosa’s work today: Dianha Ortega-Ehreth of Centro de Información, ECC Academic Advisor Magnolia “Maggie” Im, and Dundee-Crown High School teacher Beatriz Alday.
Alday could not make the event in person, but her daughter, ECC student Sofia Fabela-Alday, accepted the award on her behalf.
“I just wanted to speak on her connection to Jane Barbosa and a little bit about her story,” Fabela-Alday said. “My mom arrived in the United States at 15 as an undocumented immigrant. She then graduated from Elgin High School with a 4.0 and continued her education at ECC. At ECC, she truly found a home at OLAS, a community that was cultivated by Jane Barbosa, and Jane was always there for my mother, no matter what.”
To continue celebrating Latinx Heritage Month, upcoming Student Life events include Indigenous Peoples Day Harvest Pow Wow on Oct. 12, Dia de los Muertos Ofrenda from Oct. 27 to Nov. 6, and the National Museum of Mexican Art Field Trip on Nov. 7.
For more information, visit elgin.edu/latinx.