Members of ALPFA and SHPE at the Eleva Tu Camino event last Thursday Oct. 23.
The Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) hosted their annual Eleva Tu Camino symposium at the Barnhardt Student Activity Center (SAC).
The Thursday night event brought students together for an evening centered around professional growth, cultural pride and connection. Eleva Tu Camino, which translates to “Elevate Your Path,” encourages students to reflect on their futures, hopes and goals through their academic and professional journeys.
This 2025 panel featured guest speakers, Brenda Morales, Isabella Peña Lazaro and Valentín Pérez, who each shared personal experiences navigating their careers and the lessons learned along the way.
From personal challenges, inspirations, influences from role models and successful milestones, the speakers offered insight on leadership, resilience and ways to be successful as young professionals going into their careers.
During the panel discussion, Morales spoke about the importance of representation in leadership settings and how cultural identity can add diverse skill sets to many professional careers.
“Understanding the leadership style of being Latino has a lot to bring to the table,” said Morales. “And I think that’s something many companies are beginning to recognize, our representation in those high executive meetings matters. We have a lot to bring, the different skills and perspectives that are needed.”
Throughout the evening, students had the opportunity to connect with their peers and the speakers during workshops. The workshops consist of perfecting elevator pitches, resume tips and interview practices, future planning: hopes and fears, and project management/teamwork.
Speakers emphasized the importance of career goals, networking tips and how to present oneself in professional settings.
The workshops reflected ALPFA and SHPE’s shared mission of creating a safe space for students to learn and connect within the professional world, while also celebrating their culture and identities.
Mateo Navarro, co-president of ALPFA, shared the importance and value of what the night represented for students.
“This event is really just about getting to know companies, seeing how convention is going to be when you go to the national convention and being able to network with so many first-gen students and really make an impact on the community is really what Camino is about,” said Navarro.
ALPFA and SHPE hope to build a community that supports professional development, while still keeping the culture alive. For so many students, Eleva Tu Camino was not just a night of networking but also a representation that community and determination can create an atmosphere of growth and success.