Our Students Inspire
Chicano Student Programs is home to some of the most vibrant and active student organizations on campus. Each one offers unique networking benefits, special events, leadership opportunities, and community and campus service-learning projects.
Own the dance floor with our Salsa Club, get and give AB 540 support with PODER or start a brand new student organization, like the Riverside Betas did in 2010. From the driven scholars of the Latino Business Student Association and Latinos in Science to the strong women of Mujeres Unidas and MALCS de UCR, our students are Chicano Student Programs, and we are proud of their passion.
Alpha Pi Sigma
Website: http://www.myspace.com/deltachapteralpha
Alpha Pi Sigma seeks to encourage and promote academic excellence and cultural awareness while helping the Latino community. Activities include sponsoring the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Association of Latino Professionals in Finance & Accounting (ALPFA)
Website: http://www.alphapisigma.org/
ALPFA is the premier business organization for expanding opportunities for Latino Leadership in the global market. ALPFA creates opportunities, adds value and builds relationships for its members, the community, and its business partners while expanding Latino leadership in the global workforce. Activities include monthly student and professional conferences as well as an annual national conference.
Ballet Folklórico de UCR
By utilizing dance as a form of expression, Ballet Folklórico promotes cultural awareness while communicating the bond between Mexican heritage and progressing multicultural societies. The group performs at Cultural Awareness Nights and for senior centers and elementary schools through UCR’s Gluck Fellows Program of the Arts. Ballet Folklórico de UCR also performs with UCR’s Dance of Mexico class.
Brown Issues
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=124151047595660
Brown Issues works within the Chicano/Latino and UCR community to pinpoint relevant problems, evaluate possible answers, and execute the best possible solution in order to better the community and its people. Brown Issues is dedicated to the education of Brown people everywhere. Their motto is, “Struggle. Survive. Succeed.”
California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP)
The California Alliance for Minority Participation is designed for students in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics [STEM] fields pursuing graduate (Master/Doctoral) degrees.
CAMP was established at the University of California, Riverside in 1991 and is funded by the National Science Foundation [NSF]. CAMP is a program that works to encourage NSF-declared underrepresented students in the STEM fields to successfully complete undergraduate science degrees and further pursue their studies at the graduate and professional level. The National Science Foundation considers an underrepresented minority in STEM as students with Black/African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, and Non-Filipino-Pacific Islander ethnic backgrounds reported at UCR at the time of admission. CAMP exists at nine of the UC campuses and at various California State Universities, California Community Colleges, independent colleges and universities, and national laboratories that together work to achieve a goal of doubling the numbers of minority students receiving a B.S. or a B.A. degree in the many science disciplines.
Chicano Pre-Law
Chicano Pre-Law was formed to promote student interest in law careers. Chicano Pre-Law provides information concerning law school admission requirements, arranges for guest speakers, and organizes field trips to law schools.
Chicano/Latinos for Community Medicine (CCM)
The mission of CCM is to provide a mutually supportive and motivating learning environment in which every individual has the opportunity to develop academic success, community services, and career opportunities, as well as get involved in the politics of medicine, all of which foster self-motivation and leadership.
HSF Scholarship Chapter
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/HSF-Scholar-Chapter/171139756239805
HSF’s mission is to strengthen America by advancing the college education of Hispanic Americans. The HSF Scholar Chapters are official student groups designed to promote academic excellence and build leadership skills. The HSF Scholar Chapter Network exists to promote academic success and student engagement among Latino college students by encouraging them to serve as role models and leaders in their communities.
The program's goals are to advance the outstanding leadership and academic skills of HSF Scholars at the university level and to reinforce the pipeline of high school graduates attending select institutions and college graduates entering demanding professions. In addition, the initiative matches Hispanic students with HSF alumni and mentors through the HSF Mentoring Program. This program is designed to help HSF Scholars and Hispanic students’ transition from college to professional life, underscoring the program’s mission to continue to support students in achieving their career and leadership goals following graduation.
La Fe Bible Study
This small group from InterVarsity Christian Fellowship provides a safe, comforting, and fun Bible study specifically for Chicanos/Latinos. You do not have to be Christian, the organization is open to anyone willing to listen and explore. Activities include twice weekly meetings, Chicano/Latino family nights, and sports nights at the recreation center, too.
La Familia de UCR ( LaFa)
LaFa is a Queer/Latina/o student organization that seeks to bridge the gap between the Latina/o and Queer communities and create a safe space of its own to explore, support and educate everyone in imperative issues that affect Queer and Latina/o communities simultaneously. Their goal is to fight for self and group respect while ensuring cultural preservation, community activism, empowerment, and the unrestrained self. Activities include the Queer Latino Youth Conference, which features educational workshops, and Culture Nights at UCR.
Lambda Sigma Gamma
National website: http://www.lambdasigmagamma.org/
Chapter website: myspace.com/LSGXI
Meetings: lsg_xi@yahoogroups.com
Lambda Sigma Gamma seeks to instill the desire for self-improvement, scholastic excellence and civic responsibility in its members, while promoting unity and higher education amongst women.
Lambda Theta Alpha
National website: http://www.lambdalady.org
Chapter website: http://www.myspace.com/gammazeta
Lambda Theta Alpha’s goals are to create a sisterhood based on unity, love, and respect; provide social and cultural activities; participate in charitable and educational programs; offer promotion through leadership; maintain high academic standards and serve as a voice for the Latino community.
Lambda Theta Nu
Website: http://www.lambdathetanu.org
Lambda Theta Nu’s purpose is to open doors of opportunity to the Latinas in our community. Its primary focus is academic excellence and providing an environment for personal growth within a unit of sisterhood. Activities include the Latina Youth Leadership Conference, fundraising for Literacy Grams (an organization that grants money and books to Latino education programs) and other national philanthropy endeavors. Please see our scholarships page for information on the Lambda Theta Nu Latina Scholarship Award.
Lambda Theta Phi
Lambda Theta Phi’s goals are to cultivate a spirit of brotherhood, value education, promote unity among all Latinos, take pride in and cherish their heritage, assert roles of leadership, develop character, practice chivalry and serve mankind.
Latinic Societas Unitas (LSU)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Latinic-Societas-Unitas/100001579152347
LSU is a sisterhood dedicated to promoting cultural awareness, community involvement and academic success. Activities include the Little Sister Mentor Program (a tutoring program for girls at Union Middle School), Cleaning the Streets, soccer clinics, Relay for Life, and volunteering at soup kitchens and nursing homes.
Latino Business Student Association (LBSA)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8506163053&v=wall
The LBSA provides opportunities for those majoring in business administration to gain exposure to businesses and companies through conferences, workshops and speakers.
Latino Union (LU)
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/LatinoUnion
LU’s mission is to unite the Latino community through community service while promoting higher education, pacifist behavior, healthy lifestyles, and the unification of all Latino cultures under a common vision. Its outreach programs include providing educational supplies for lower income families in the Riverside area, street cleaning, and three scholarship programs that benefit incoming UCR students.
Latinos In Science (LIS)
Website: http://mymaes.org/
LIS seeks to increase student involvement in the professional health and science fields and promotes academic excellence and support networks through its information and programming.
Latino Medication Student Association (LMSA)
The purpose of LMSA is to unify and provide a voice to all Latino and underrepresented medical students, and to educate and sensitize the entire medical community to the specific needs and differences of Latino and underrepresented Inland Empire communities regarding health and human well-being. It will be an advocate for the rights of Latinos and underrepresented Inland Empire communities, and it will educate medical students on health issues specific to those communities, while improving the health care delivery to those communities. In addition, it will actively promote the recruitment and retention of Latino and underrepresented students at all levels, and it will retain its members in the health professions programs by supporting academic and social activities and by fostering close ties among its members. LMSA will provide leadership opportunities and promote volunteerism among its members, and it will provide network with other organizations at the local and national levels to achieve common objectives.
The Latin American Student Association at UCR (LASA)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lasa.atucr
The Latin American Student Association at UCR was established to provide cultural, political, educational, and community-based participation in issues regarding Latin America and the Latino community. It provides resources and opportunities for others to learn about and celebrate Latin American cultures and traditions, become more aware of current issues facing Latin America, become politically involved in these issues, and become more active in the Latin American and local Latino community.
Mujeres Unidas
Website: http://mujeresunidas.150m.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mu_ucr/statuses/4045677450
Mujeres Unidas is a women's group committed to serving the community through its activities. It seeks the empowerment of la mujer by lending moral support, assistance, and encouraging academic achievement. Activities include the North High School Mentor Program, the Mujer Conference for high school students, the Breast Cancer Workshop, Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive, the “Mujeres: Asi Somos” photography exhibition, and various other community service and fundraising events.
Nu Alpha Kappa
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nu.naks00
Nu Alpha Kappa seeks to unite and involve all students in a harmonious, brotherly atmosphere through academic, social and cultural means. Activities include volunteering at local animal shelters and organizing the annual NAKland Children’s Carnival.
Nuestras Cosa Newspaper
Nuestra Cosa serves as a bridge of communication between la raza on campus and the community at large. The publication and its connected UCR course, offer students the opportunity to work on developing a progressive press. Students and community members can write articles, help with layout and create art for the newspaper, too. See our Nuestra Cosapage for more information.
Providing Opportunities, Dreams & Education in Riverside (PODER)
Website: https://www.facebook.com/poderatucriverside/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/poderatucriverside/
Student organization PODER creates a safe environment for students who identify as AB 540. It also holds the responsibility to educate fellow students, youth, the Riverside community and faculty at all educational levels, about laws that allow undocumented students to continue their education.
Each year, PODER offers its Ofelia Valdez-Yeager Scholarship to students who identify as AB540, do not qualify for federal or financial aid, have a GPA of 2.5 or higher and demonstrate community involvement. For application procedures and deadline, please see the Ofelia Valdez-Yeager Scholarship application.
PODER’s annual Un Dia de Celebracion con Educacion Conference provides an opportunity for attendees to learn about higher education for all, A-G requirements, students’ rights, how to fund an education and more. Its annual Keeping Dreams Alive Banquet helps generate scholarship money to benefit AB 540 Students.
Puente Connection
Website: https://admissions.ucr.edu/transfer/transfer-admission-guarantee#puente_project
The purpose of this organization shall be to provide the tools necessary for freshmen and transfer students to succeed at UCR. This intent will be reached by pointing out resources on campus, through workshops, by building a strong community in UCR, and by connecting the student with many more Puentistas so as to ease his transition and help succeed.
Radio Aztlan KUCR 88.3 FM
Website: http://www.kucr.org/
Estella Acuña, estella.acuna@ucr.edu
Radio Aztlan is KUCR’s award-winning Chicano/Latino alternative radio program. You can listen live each Friday night from 5:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. on Saturday morning. Programming highlights música Chicana and is designed to preserve, educate and entertain. It has a wide-ranging audience throughout the Inland Empire and beyond. Radio Aztlan and Chicano Student Programs host the annual Radio Aztlan Music Festival each April. The festival provides a platform for many talented regional and underground Chicano/Latino musical artists and also distributes awards for lifetime achievement. Please see our Radio Aztlan page for more information.
Raza Assembly
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raza.assembly
The purpose of Raza Assembly is to enhance communication and unity among, promote education and awareness for, and uphold the higher values of, all of the organizations within Raza Assembly and our surrounding community. Raza Assembly helps raise funds for the Chicano/Latino Youth Conference and unites UCR Latina/o student organizations for community service projects. Future goals include participating in the AIDS Walk in Los Angeles and raising funds for a possible Cesar Chavez statue in downtown Riverside.
Raza Graduate Student Association (RGSA)
Our Raza Graduate Student Association addresses issues and recruitment of Chicano/Latino students in higher education. The members also serve as mentors and resources for the graduate school application process.
R'Beat
R'beat was founded to bring the UCR and Riverside community together and get in touch with the Latin Culture. Typical Latin dances that will be taught by R'beat will be Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Corridos, and Banda. Aside, from teaching its members to dance, R'Beat is also big on community service. Part of the requirement of being a member is to perform community service by reaching out to high schools and teaching choreographies and dance moves.
Salsa Club
The purpose and mission of The Salsa Club at UCR is to create a passionate and supportive student community that aims to share the skill, knowledge, and joy of salsa dancing and related dances. We provide instruction in the basics of salsa, bachata, kizomba, merengue, cha cha cha, which are all dances growing in popularity within local salsa clubs and Latin dance clubs. We aim to provide an environment where practice of the above dances can be executed, to provide a social network that focuses on dancing events and activities, and to provide a portal for individuals with similar interests to meet and interact. Our goal as the new generation of the Salsa Club at UCR is to ensure a continued, thriving existence for the club with the addition of a very supportive network of alumni in the salsa community as a way for the members of the Riverside Salsa Family to continue growing and supporting this gateway to a life-long gift of dance, friendship, and perhaps love!
Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
Website: http://www.sacnas.org/
SACNAS is a society dedicated to supporting and promoting the success of Hispanic/Chicano and Native American scientists, ranging from college students to professionals, in attaining advanced degrees, careers, and leadership positions.
SALSA (Student Association of Latin Spanish Affairs)
SALSA’s activities include the Alumni College Conference, volunteering at soup kitchens, peer-to-peer tutoring, working with Avid students on college applications and personal statements, tutoring at the Cesar Chavez Community Center, and hosting blood drives on campus.
Salsa Club of UCR
Website: http://www.ucrsalsa.150m.com/
The Salsa Club of UCR provides salsa dance instruction, free workshops, and informal social dancing as well as a social network for connecting fellow salsa enthusiasts at UCR.
Sigma Delta Alpha
Sigma Delta Alpha members’ goals are to support each other academically, socially, and personally; encourage the promotion and retention of Latinos and other underrepresented groups at institutions of higher learning; connect with outside organizations and community; promote Latino culture; and conduct themselves in a way that casts a positive light on the fraternity, its members and the community.
Sigma Lambda Beta
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001628563330
Blog: http://riversidebetas.blogspot.com/
Sigma Lambda Beta is a newer Latino fraternity at UCR. Through the efforts of the seven “Highlander Boys,” the Riverside Betas became part of the UCR Greek community in 2010.
Sigma Pi Alpha
bellabeta@yahoo.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/sigmapialphaucr
Sigma Pi Alpha seeks to create a close network of Latinas who want to make a difference in their community. The group addresses the academic, cultural, communal and social needs of members, and also works to raise awareness of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
Website: https://shpe.org
The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) is a national organization of professional engineers that serve as role models in the Hispanic community and provide networking opportunities nationwide.
Teatro Quinto Sol (TQS)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=135625223114532
Through its dramatic performances, TQS enhances cultural awareness and instills pride in Chicano/Latino culture by educating students and the public about history and current events. TQS also hosts the annual Poesía Peligrosa, an open mic and cultural awareness night.
Tomás Rivera Teachers' Association (TRTA)
TRTA is geared towards students interested in the field of education. TRTA promotes a cooperative learning environment, encourages higher education goals, and provides a vital link between UCR and the Chicano/Latino community.
Union Estudiantil de la Raza (UER)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Union-Estudiantil-de-la-Raza/191129235502
Members of "Casa de Hermanos" strive for academic excellence and liberation by serving the community and sharing Chicano/Latino history with others. Activities include the annual Thanksgiving basket and toy drive, soccer clinic and Chicano/Latino Youth Conference.
Union Salvadoreña de Estudiantes Universitarios (USEU)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=176327553735
USEU is a Salvadoran student organization whose mission is to empower the Salvadoran community through the promotion of higher education by developing an awareness of cultural, political, and economic issues that directly affect the Salvadoran community; preserving the historical and cultural identity of El Salvador; and mobilizing the Salvadoran student population to take action through higher education.
Women’s Club Soccer at UCR
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Womens-Club-Soccer-at-UCR/175699812485079
womensclubsoccer.ucr@gmail.com
Passion, family and empowerment: these are some of the values founder and President Vanessa Fulladosa had in mind when she created the Women’s Club Soccer at UCR. This competitive team is open to all UCR students, but the majority of its members have been historically Chicana.
Women’s Club Soccer at UCR plays in the West Coast Soccer Association league against other universities throughout California. Games start in October and continue through June. The team challenges and pushes one another, but is a family as well. Team goals include playing at a competitive level, relieving the stress and pressure of college life, and empowering women while displaying passion and love for the game.