June 2021
Congratulations to the Class of 2021 on their graduation and the Class of 2020 on their belated graduation walk! For those who just graduated, we commend your perseverance and dedication to concluding your undergraduate career during such a difficult time, and we welcome you to the alumni community with open arms. This past quarter, in addition to continuing to actively tell our stories, we hosted a panel on Hispanic/Latinx leaders in the public sphere, Ricardo Padrón (CLAS ’89) was promoted to Full Professor in the Department of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, in recognition of his accomplishments in research teaching, and service, the Bolívar Network partnered with the Admissions Outreach Office to support the virtual admitted students programming and with the Alumni Association to provide the first-ever First Year Scholarship to an incoming first-year student!
To kick off the summer, we look forward to seeing many of you during the Virtual Reunions Remixed Programming on June 12th. Over the summer and into the fall, we look forward to planning for the future of the Bolívar Network through a strategic planning process that we hope will have a sustaining effect over the course of the next five years, developing our Professional Development committee, and preparing for the scholarship and award winners during the Virtual Awards Brunch on December 4th. Thank you for taking the time to read and engage with the Bolívar Network!
Congratulations Class of 2021
Congratulations to the Class of 2021 on their recent graduation! Keep an eye out on your inbox for a letter from the Board welcoming you to the alumni network and don’t hesitate to reach out to us at TheBolivarNetwork@gmail.com if we can be of any assistance to you as you enter this new chapter.
2021 Virtual Reunions Remixed Programming
Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 12 at 11:00 am. Please join us during the UVA 2021 Virtual Reunions to learn more about the Bolívar Network and for an opportunity to meet and mingle with other Hispanic/Latinx Alumni. If you have any questions, email Karla Aguayo (aguayoke@gmail.com) or Claudia Bonilla (cmb3mq@virginia.edu).
Register for the UVA 2021 Virtual Reunion
Bolívar Network Community Call
Join us for the Bolívar Network Community Call on June 23rd from 5:30 to 6:30pm. The call is open to all new, current and interested members of the Bolívar Network. Join us to learn more about what each committee is doing and how to get more involved.
Register for the Bolívar Network Community Call
First-Year Scholarship
We are excited to announce the release of the inaugural First-Year Scholarship to recipient Kiara Barrientos. A student from Leesburg, VA, Kiara plans to study Political Philosophy, Policy, and Law in the College of Arts & Sciences. She will start at the University in the Fall of 2021.
Save the Date: The Bolívar Network’s Annual Awards Brunch
Mark your calendars for The Bolívar Network’s Annual Awards Brunch on December 4th at 11:00am via zoom. For a recap of last year’s event, visit the summary on our website. More information to be sent out closer to the date.
Pablo J. Davis Award Nomination Form
The Pablo J. Davis Award seeks to identify an individual whose work has contributed significantly to the Hispanic/Latinx community within the boundaries of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Deadline to submit nominations is October 1st, 2021.
Nominate someone for the Pablo J. Davis Award
Want to get more involved with The Bolívar Network? If you’re interested in joining the Scholarships and Awards committee please email Mel Borja at hannah.mel.borja@gmail.com!
Congratulatory Calls
Thank you to the alumni who made congratulatory calls and sent text messages to admitted students this spring. The Outreach Office and Office of Undergraduate Admissions cannot always reach every admitted student and since they could not host students in person this year, your insight helped to give prospective students a deeper look at UVA. Your work helped to convince some students to call Grounds home this fall.
Spring Showcase 2021
Three alumni, Claudia Quintero (’11), Raymond Massey (’19), and Hannah “Mel” Borja (’19), participated in panel discussions during the Spring Showcase on April 10th about the Latinx Student Experience. They shared insight about their time on Grounds, their involvement with the Latinx community, and what they have been involved in since graduating from UVA. If you’re interested in participating in future panels, please contact Jason Puryear (jnp3f@virginia.edu), the Vice-Chair for Admissions for The Bolívar Network.
Alumni Spotlights
Nathália Dunlap (CLAS ’19), created Somos, the first early-in-career Hispanic and Latinx network at Microsoft after seeing a need for a group that was better geared towards her background and stage of life. SOMOS has three focuses: (1) professional growth, (2) social events (both in and outside of work), and (3) community service.
Read more about Natália’s experience here
During her second year at the University of Virginia, Gina Flores Stumpf (’00) helped found the Bolívar Network, the University’s Hispanic and Latino/a/x Alumni Network and now co-chairs the Fundraising & Development committee. She recounts how, “fundraising for these scholarships gave our alumni events meaning and solidified the connection among alumni and students.”
Read more about Gina’s experience here
Know a fellow UVA Latinx alumnus who has accomplished great things since graduation?Please submit one nomination per entry but feel free to submit more than one nomination! We’ll feature nominated alumni in upcoming newsletters and through our other channels.
UVA Latinx Alumnus Accomplishment Nomination Form
Latinx Oral Histories 2.0 Launch
Join us in congratulating and amplifying the work of Pilar Jimenez Larre Borges (‘21), Reflection’s latest student fellow, in continuing and expanding upon the work of the Latinx Oral History Initiative as she conducted original research through alumni interviews. To view the latest collection, including an interview with Professor Ricardo Padrón who was recently promoted to Full Professor, visit the initiative’s site here.
Still We Rise Podcast
The Still We Rise Podcast is a Reflections original oral history initiative, written, produced, and hosted by students from The University of Virginia with support from The UVA Democracy Initiative’s Memory Project. The podcast unites the perspectives of students, faculty, and members of the Charlottesville community through the exploration of concepts tied to racial injustice, equality, and the amplification of marginalized voices. At its core, the podcast is focused on recording, curating, and disseminating critical stories that capture the underrepresented narratives of the UVA experience. Still We Rise is accessible through Anchor, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Twitter: @stillweriseuva
Facebook: @reflectionsuva
Instagram: @reflectionsoralhistory
Website: www.reflectionsoralhistory.com/stillwerise
We Want to Hear From You!
The Bolívar Network is working to strengthen UVA Hispanic/Latinx alumni engagement in ways that acknowledge our presence in the legacy of the University, celebrate our community, and inspire current students to succeed. Please take a few minutes to complete our survey as we work to gather information as to how to best serve the community and how you can be more involved with the Bolívar Network!
Professional Development & Mentoring
We would like to welcome Alejandro Nava Moncada (‘16) and Raymond Massey (‘19) to our Board as they lead the charge for our Professional Development committee. Please stay tuned for news on workshops regarding career and professional development in the late summer and early fall.
Follow the Bolívar Network LinkedIn Page and join our private Bolívar Network LinkedIn Group to connect with members of the Network. We hope that this will become a space to share job and internship opportunities as well as career path mentoring.
Job Opportunities
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bureau for Management, Office of Management Policy, Budget, and Performance (M/MPBP) is looking for a Senior Management Analyst – DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access). This position is contracted through Chenega.
Is your company hiring or do you have a job posting that you would like to include in our newsletters and social media? Email us at TheBolivarNetwork@gmail.com.