This year, the DU chapter of Association of Latino Professionals For America (ALPFA) celebrated their first year as a student organization on campus. ALPFA was founded last fall and has since been establishing its presence at DU with programming to provide students with the tools and resources they need to succeed. 

The Association of Latino Professionals For America is a national organization with both professional and student chapters. The professional chapters are established in nearly every big city, with Denver being the only professional chapter in Colorado. In Colorado, there are two active student chapters, one at the University of Denver and the other at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Both chapters are fairly new with Boulder establishing itself shortly after DU. 

The mission of ALPFA is to “create opportunities, add value, build relationships for its members, the community and its business partners while expanding Latino leadership in the global workforce.” 

ALPFA DU strives to form a community that provides students with the tools and resources needed to make the transition into the professional world easier while also equipping members for success. The organization hopes to bridge the gap between Latine students and the professional world. 

Senior biology major, Alyssa Aragon from La Junta, Colorado is the president of ALPFA and was one of the founding board members last year. Since starting ALPFA, Aragon has been able to form new friendships, build professional relationships and, most importantly, find a space on campus where she feels represented and accepted. 

“It is very important for institutions like DU to have organizations like ALPFA because, since DU is a PWI, students of color need representation in clubs and throughout the school to feel welcome and included on campus,” Aragon said.  

But what sets ALPFA apart from other organizations such as the Latine Student Alliance (LSA) and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)? First and foremost, ALPFA is not exclusive to one major. The organization offers programming and networking opportunities for students in any field. 

 “We are primarily focused on setting up our members for success in the professional world. We also are open to any member of any culture/race and try to include anyone seeking help to prepare for life after college. ALPFA is not really focused on any major or type of profession. We try to help any student on campus,” Aragon said. 

How do they do this? Members are asked to fill out a form with their information where they provide their field of study. ALPFA executive board members then reviews the new submissions and makes note of any new major and will look for professional partnerships to serve the major. 

Secondly, ALPFA not only provides social events to further strengthen their membership, but also hosts an array of professional workshops to fulfill their mission. This past Thursday ALPFA hosted their Resume Workshop in partnership with the Burwell Center. Members were able to get individualized help with their resumes to better equip them for internship applications. 

Thirdly, ALPFA is able to give members a lifetime community in the form of ALPFAmilia. Because  ALPFA is a student and professional organization, one’s membership does not end once finished with undergrad. One can continue their ALPFA membership at the professional level by joining the professional chapter; this is in order to create a seamless transition for young Latine professionals after they receive their undergraduate degrees.

This past summer, ALPFA e-board members attended ALPFA’s annual convention in San Antonio, Texas. There, DU was able to connect with other student chapters across the country, form professional partnerships, explore potential internship opportunities, hear keynote speeches from successful Latine professionals and connect with the Denver professional chapter. 

The convention was successful and proved to be a memorable experience for all those who attended. ALPFA hopes to take at least 10 members to next year’s convention in Las Vegas. 

As ALPFA starts the new year on campus, its goal is to build a better relationship with members. They have a strong foundation, now it’s time to build strong connections. 

“Looking back to when we started ALPFA a year ago, it was just five e-board members trying to understand how to run an organization on campus and learn more about our members so we could plan events … In just a year, we have about 100-plus members … I am so proud of the little community we created on campus and how comfortable our members always feel at events or seeing us around campus,” Aragon said.

ALPFA hosts biweekly programming for members on Thursdays from 6–7p.m. To stay up to date, join ALPFA’s Crimson Connect and follow their Instagram.