The Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Latinos met this month to honor the recipients of their annual recognition awards and the Hilda Lopez-Arce Scholarship.
The awards and scholarship are presented to dedicated UIC faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students who serve the Latino community. This year, the awards were highly competitive. The recipients are recognized as role models and mentors in the Latino community who are actively addressing Latino issues at the university.
The awardees for the 2024-25 academic year are:
P. Zitlali Morales, Faculty Award: Morales is a UIC curriculum and instruction professor who is affiliated with the Latin American and Latino Studies program. Her research explores the linguistic practices of Latina/o/x bilinguals, language education policy and teacher preparation for diverse students. She has documented the testimonies of Latino teachers in Chicago and has received funding for various projects, including a grant from the Spencer Foundation, Centering Racialized Pre-Service Teachers. She recently secured funding for Amplifying Latinx Families’ Language Education Rights, in collaboration with UIC students and the UIC Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement. Previously, she co-chaired the Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Latinos (2017-2019) and is a member of the English Learners Advocacy Council in Higher Education (ELACHE) and the Illinois Association for Multilingual Multicultural Education (IAMME). She is the coordinator for the Bblingual/ESL endorsement at UIC and co-editor of the book “Transforming Schooling for Second Language Learners.”
Elsa Mayela Soto, Academic Professional Award: Soto is a first-generation Mexican American and college graduate from Chicago. A double alum of UIC, she is the director of the Equity and Inclusion in Engineering Program, where she fosters a more inclusive environment for underrepresented engineering students. Soto founded and served as the associate director of the Women in Engineering Programs at UIC, focusing on women’s success in STEM fields. Committed to uplifting the Latino community, she creates opportunities for Latino students by promoting engineering pathways and developing supportive programs. She also co-founded PERSIST, aimed at helping women and non-binary students of color in engineering through mentorship and community-building.
Lauren Elizabeth De Jesus, Civil Service Award: De Jesus has served the Latino community at UIC through the Rafael Cintrón Ortiz Latino Cultural Center since 2017. She started as a graduate assistant while earning her master’s degree in museum and exhibition studies. Her background fuels her passion for cultures, museums and social justice, which she applies in her role at the Latino Cultural Center. At the center, she leads initiatives like mural tours and civic dialogues that explore issues such as immigration, climate justice and cultural identity. Over the past seven years, De Jesus has provided empathetic support to students, helping them navigate academic and personal challenges. For her, the center is more than a workplace; it’s a vibrant home for connection and community building.
Liliana Macias, Graduate Student Award: Macias is a Chicago educator, cultural worker and scholar. She has supported first-generation Latino students as a former adjunct professor at Northeastern Illinois University. As an education manager at the Chicago History Museum, she advocated for Spanish language accessibility and developed a bilingual curriculum focused on the histories of Latinas in Chicago. Macias led public programs for the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs’ monument project, “Pilsen Latina Legacies,” honoring Latina advocates in the Pilsen community. She also co-developed the Latine LGBTQ+ Leadership Institute with ALMA, supporting future queer Latino leaders in Chicago. In January 2024, she co-founded the Raices Chicago Story Coalition, which supports archival and storytelling projects about Latinas. Currently, she is pursuing her PhD in history, researching the contributions of queer Latinos to Chicago’s Latino communities.
Brenda Leyva, Undergraduate Student Award: Leyva is a first-generation Latina and computer science student at UIC, committed to uplifting the Latino community in technology. As president of the Latinx Organization for Growth in Computing and Academics, she organizes panels, workshops and events like Tech Week to help students build skills and connect. Leyva founded the Women in CyberSecurity chapter at UIC and is a board member for the chapter’s Chicago affiliate, working to make cybersecurity more accessible to underrepresented Latinas. She co-organized UIC’s first citywide Capture the Flame cybersecurity competition, engaging over 200 students in a hands-on learning environment. Additionally, as the SHPEtinas Chair for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, she mentors students on internships and career planning, helping many securing positions at leading technology companies.
Bernard Santarsiero, Lifetime Service Award: Santarsiero is a research professor in the department of pharmaceutical sciences at UIC and director of research initiatives in the Graduate College. He joined UIC in 2000, focusing on drug discovery and natural product research after conducting research at prestigious institutions like Caltech and UC Berkeley. As the first in his family to attend college, he is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in research and education. His efforts have led to programs like L@S GANAS and Bridge to Faculty. He has held various committee roles at UIC and was invited to give keynote presentations on equity and diversity in 2023. In 2024, he received the Diamond Award for Academic Leadership from the Not Alone Foundation.
Veronica Castillo Le Maitre, Hilda Lopez-Arce Scholarship Recipient: Castillo is biomedical engineering student with a passion for health care accessibility and advocacy. As a first-generation American, she is driven by a deep desire to honor her parents’ sacrifices and give back to the community that shaped her. As a Spanish medical interpreter at CommunityHealth, Chicago’s largest volunteer-based medical center, she helps bridge the language gap for low-income, uninsured and underinsured patients. She also spent two years collaborating with an engineering team and the College of Medicine to develop neonatal laparoscopic surgery simulators. These low-cost, replicable models for esophageal atresia were used in a six-month training course at UIC’s Robotic Surgery Center, equipping pediatric surgeons from Ecuador, Uruguay and other countries with life-saving, minimally invasive surgical techniques. Castillo also serves as an EMT with ATI Ambulance, responding to medical emergencies across Chicago. Most recently, she joined the Mobile Migrant Health Team and hopes to begin working as an interpreter for Venezuelan children, continuing her mission to make health care more accessible for all.
Daniela Cueche, Hilda Lopez-Arce Scholarship Recipient: Cueche is a criminology student with a strong commitment to the Latino community. As a Venezuelan immigrant, she is determined to create opportunities for those facing similar challenges. She has worked as a Spanish mentor, guiding students through their learning process and academic adaptation. She has also participated in initiatives supporting new students and providing consulting services for community entrepreneurs. Her passion for service and education has led her to engage in projects that promote growth and inclusion. Additionally, she has been recognized for her academic excellence, making the dean’s list for three consecutive semesters. Cueche stands out for her leadership, problem-solving and time management skills, which have allowed her to make a positive impact on those around her. Her goal is to contribute to social change and open doors for future generations of immigrants.
