Hispanic Heritage Month graphic

Five Cal State San Bernardino students, accompanied by Bibiana Díaz, professor of World Languages and Literatures at the College of Arts and Letters, recently visited 10 college campuses in Puerto Rico.

From Sept. 2-6, they participated in presentations and workshops hosted by the Hispanic Educational Technology Services (HETS), toured historic and cultural landmarks, and even enjoyed dinner with Puerto Rico Secretary of State Licenciado Omar Marrero.

The CSUSB cohort – students Ralph Figueroa, Sashvi Shah, Jahir Martinez, ASI President Carson Fajardo and ASI Vice President Diego Rendón – traveled to Puerto Rico to participate in HETS’ inaugural “Student Passport: Connect, Learn & Lead” conference, which included The Summ: Student Experience Summit and the HETS Student Leadership Showcase events. Approximately 11,000 attendees from Puerto Rico, the U.S. mainland and Latin America participated in The Summ event at the Puerto Rican Convention Center. CSUSB President Tomás Morales is a HETS board member and secretary of the board.

Figueroa, Shah and Martinez made presentations at the HETS’ inaugural “Student Passport,” and Fajardo and Rendón had the opportunity to meet with their counterparts on the governing boards of other institutions.

Five Cal State San Bernardino students, accompanied by Bibiana Díaz, professor of World Languages and Literatures, visited Puerto Rico Sept. 2-6, and during their time there, they toured historic and cultural landmarks.
Five Cal State San Bernardino students, accompanied by Professor Bibiana Díaz, visited Puerto Rico Sept. 2-6 and, on their trip, they toured historic and cultural landmarks.

The events also provided a backdrop for in-depth cultural explorations. “I learned about the rich culture, history, music, food and architecture of Puerto Rico,” Rendón said. “This experience gave me a deeper appreciation for the region's heritage and its influence on the broader Latino community.”

“All of the students enjoyed enriching experiences and were truly remarkable CSUSB ambassadors,” said Díaz. “They learned about internship opportunities, diplomacy and some history about the Spanish language, and I had the opportunity to discuss possible student exchanges and collaborations with representatives and faculty members from other institutions, as well.”   

Diaz added, "We are extremely grateful to the Office of Student Research; Sam Sudhakar, chief financial officer and vice president, Finance, Technology and Operations; Professor John Binkley, associate vice provost and dean, College of Extended and Global Education; and Professor Ryan Keating, chair, Department of History, for their support.”

HETS was established in 1993 and is the first bilingual consortium comprised of more than 40 higher education institutions in Puerto Rico, the United States and Latin America. The organization’s mission is to promote, support and increase the capabilities of member institutions in order to enhance Hispanic/Latino student success and opportunities in higher education.