By Linda Alvarado-Arce
Since 2003, The University of Toledo (UT) has held annually a Latino Youth Summit. This year, the event changed its name to the Latino Culture Summit. According to one of the two organizers, Alexis (Lexi) Alvarado, Senior Admission Counselor for UT, “the name change was done to reflect the mission of the event.” In shifting to a “culture” summit, she said, “We are taking an opportunity to invite folks from all backgrounds to come to learn about, experience, and celebrate the rich culture of the Latino community here in Toledo and at our institution.”
Lexi herself was once a scholarship recipient of this event. She was a graduate of Ayersville High School in Defiance, Ohio, and before graduation, her aunt invited her to apply for the scholarship offered at this event and to attend. Since getting this scholarship, Lexi has been able to obtain her undergraduate degree and employment and is currently working on her master’s degree at UT. She says, “As a student and even more so now as a professional at UToledo, this event is and has been a passion of hers.” She says, “It is important to me to lift while I climb” and now she has “the opportunity to do for another what was done for me, and I take pride and honor in that fact.”
This event was held on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in the Lancelot Thompson Student Union. The program involved a campus resource fair, a mini-campus tour, educational activities for grades 9-12, and remarks from Interim President Matt Schroeder & Dr. Tony Bourne, Vice-President of Strategic Enrollment Management.
Roughly 400 students from the entire state of Ohio and Southeast Michigan were in attendance, around 230+ from Toledo Public Schools (TPS) alone. The criteria for the scholarships are that a student applying must have a 3.0 GPA, be admitted to UToledo at the time of applying, and attend the event. According to Aleiah Jones, Director of the Office of Multicultural Student Success (OMSS), “this year the university gave out nine (9) scholarships valued at around $20,000 each, which funds 4 years of tuition and 1 year of campus housing.” This event is a collaboration with the Office of Multicultural Student Success and the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
