Viking_Yearbook_91

T he Hispanic Student Union provides a small community atmosphere for His– panic students who find the large Port- land State atmosphere can be intimidating. "Many hispanics come from small towns and family environoments and when they come to PSU they lose their cultural support which is very important to them," said Michelle Rodriguez Keesecker, co-coordinator for the HSU. "We hope to provide a place for them to feel comfort– able on campus by offering assistance with any problems they may be having and providing the opportunity to participate in activities which make them feel at home." Keesecker says that she is a good example of someone who needed that upport and cultural exposure when she arrived at PSU. "I wasn't heavily exposed to the Hispanic cul– ture when I was younger. My mother, who is Mexican, grew up in a local hispanic community (Woodbum) and was very ashamed of her her– itage because of the negative stigma attached ro being Hispanic. She didn't want my sister or I to face the same difficulties. What I want to do is to help make being hispanic something to be proud of instead of shameful. The HSU gives me an av– enue to meet these ends," she said. The HSU is one of the most active groups on campus. This year they celebrated Mexican In– dependence day on the 16 of September with over 400 attendies and in January their annual Baile drew a crowd of 500. "This year our core group is expanding and we seem to be reaching out to hispanics on campus who were previously unaware of us. We hope to continue this," said Keesecker. Keesecker also predicted that the group would grow because the number of Hispanic students in Higher Education in Oregon has grown. · "I will remember sharing my hispanic culture with my other hispanic friends and people who are interested in it," Keesecker concluded. • • • Deborah Hallick Photo by Deborah Hallick