White Plains, NY – Latino U College Access (LUCA) announces that after four years of dedicated service, Mr. Al Gutierrez will be stepping down as Board Chairman. Mr. Gutierrez will be superseded by former Vice Chairman, Mr. Stephen Moroney.

Al Gutierrez has championed Latino U College Access since its early beginnings when he first joined the Board in 2014. In 2017, he was named Board Chairman. As a first-generation student himself, the mission of empowering Latino students on their journeys to and through college is close to his heart. Al will continue to serve on the Board of Directors and looks forward to the organization’s continued success.

Stepping into the role of Board Chairman is Mr. Stephen Moroney. Steve has served on the Board of Directors for Latino U College Access since 2017; he has also volunteered his time as a College Coach. Professionally, Steve works at TD Bank as Senior Vice President and Regional Manager for the Westchester Market and is also responsible for TD Bank’s Corporate Philanthropy initiatives.

Regarding his new role, Steve shared, “I am so honored and humbled to be taking on the role of Chairman for Latino U College Access. At a time in our country when inequity is so prevalent in our everyday life, Latino U College Access is leveling the playing field for so many talented students that have the potential to be future leaders in our community. Being able to help steer the direction of this wonderful organization is truly a privilege.”

Latino U College Access also welcomes Mr. Shawn Edwards as its newly elected Vice Chairman of the Board. Shawn joined the Board of Directors in 2019 and has been instrumental in the ongoing growth of the organization. As Bloomberg’s Chief Technology Officer, Shawn oversees the development of Bloomberg’s global technology strategy.

“Latino U College Access has transformed the lives of first-gen Latino youth through the power of education. LUCA is an amazing organization filled with dedicated staff and passionate volunteers. I am honored to serve as Vice Chairman alongside such an extraordinary team to help expand our reach and serve even more deserving young scholars,” said Shawn.

Shirley Acevedo Buontempo, LUCA’s Founder & CEO, shared, “Latino U College Access is fortunate to have a truly dedicated Board of Directors. I am grateful to Al, Steve, and Shawn for their partnership and guidance through this time of great uncertainty. I look forward to a bright future for LUCA and for our Scholars with the leadership of our Board and this outstanding executive team. The generosity and commitment of our Board of Directors, donors, volunteers, and partners have ensured that it is still possible for first-generation students in our community to succeed!”

About Latino U College Access: Founded in 2012, Latino U College Access (LUCA) is a nonprofit organization that transforms lives by making college dreams a reality for first-generation, Latino youth. The organization guides students, who have demonstrated academic ability, through individualized coaching and culturally relevant programming as they navigate higher education to successfully enroll in schools that meet their financial and academic needs, enabling them to graduate on time and career ready. To learn more about LUCA or to make a donation in support of its mission, please visit www.latinou.org.

At the end of his junior year at White Plains High School, Christopher was nominated by his School Counselor to join the Latino U Scholars program. Once enrolled, Chris was matched with first-time volunteer College Coach Carlos Almodovar. Over the school year, they developed a very close bond. The pair would meet weekly at Starbucks to develop Christopher’s college list and work on his applications and personal statement.

Ultimately, Chris’ goal was to enroll in a college on the West Coast. With Carlos’ continued guidance and encouragement, Chris has decided to begin his college journey at Chapman University in California this fall.

Learn more about Chris and Carlos by reading our interview with them below.

What was it like working together as a Coach and Scholar?

Carlos: Working with Chris was a collaborative, insightful, and rewarding experience. During the course of our weekly sessions, I came to learn so much about Chris, his background, dreams, and aspirations. I could not have asked for a better Scholar and seeing Chris work diligently on his college application -despite all of his outside activities and responsibilities – motivated me to be the best Coach I can be.

Chris: Working with Carlos over the past couple of months was amazing, and I am beyond grateful for everything he has done for me. Since we first met, I saw how committed he was and how much he enjoyed helping, which meant a lot to me. We met on a weekly basis and every meeting was very productive. Carlos would also stay up late with me when I submitted my applications which is also something I really appreciated.

What’s something that you’ve learned from each other?

Carlos: Over time, I came to learn what Chris values in life and how these values shape his view on college. Chris is all about helping others, his faith, and seeing things through. He is also a person of great character and open to hearing different points of view. As we embarked on his college journey, these factors guided us to specific universities that also embodied these ideals. I appreciated his commitment to staying true to himself, which at a young age is not an easy thing to do.

Chris: Carlos is a man that loves what he does. He loves being with his family and would often share stories about his kids with me. Something that I admired from the very beginning was his commitment to LUCA and how much he wanted to help me succeed. He would always put his best effort into everything we did together and made sure we included everything needed in any of my essays and applications. Over time, I got to learn more about the type of person Carlos was and how much he enjoyed working with me.

What’s the best part about working together?

Carlos: The best part about working with Chris was hearing his perspective and views on different things. Chris is very thoughtful, and I enjoyed our conversations regarding colleges, family, sports, or other events going on in the world. It was during many of these conversations that I really got to know Chris and realized how special he is.

Chris: Carlos has helped me with a lot. He helped me with essays, scholarships, college applications, and more which all led to me getting into many of my dream schools. The most rewarding part of having him as my coach, however, is the bond that we were able to build during this time. Carlos got to know me very well personally, and I got to know him very well also. Carlos is someone that I hope stays in my life for a very long time. I would not trade the relationship we built for anything.

Carlos, what are your hopes for Chris’ future?

My hope for Chris’ immediate future is for him to truly experience all the possibilities that college and California have to offer. Long-term, I want Chris to find a career that is true to his values and allows him to use his creative and entrepreneurial talents.

Chris, what are you most excited about in this new chapter as you graduate high school and become a first-year student at Chapman University?

I’ve always been a person that loves trying new things – so I’d say that having new experiences, meeting new people, and seeing new places are what I am most excited for. College is a whole different world and is nothing like high school (from what I’ve heard), and I am excited to see what the future will look like. I am also excited to be able to contribute to the Hispanic community and communities of color by getting involved in clubs and events at my school or possibly even starting my own club. I am proud to be a first-generation Latino college student.

Carlos, what can you share about your experience as a volunteer College Coach?

In early 2019, I started to look for ways where I could actively give back to my community. I came across LUCA and can say that my experience as a volunteer College Coach has greatly exceeded my expectations. Knowing that I played a direct part in helping Chris achieve his college dreams was so fulfilling that I have signed up as a Coach for another year!

As a LUCA College Coach, you have the potential to directly impact the lives of first-generation students who lack the resources, finances, and experiences of other college applicants. There is no more rewarding and fulfilling experience than to work hand-in-hand with these amazing students on their college journey and to share in the joy of their family as they see the potential life changes that college can bring.

At the end of junior year, Briana was nominated by her counselor at Ossining High School to join the Latino U Scholars program. She was matched with her volunteer College Coach, Debra, and throughout the fall, the pair would meet weekly at the Ossining Public Library to develop Briana’s college list, work on applications, share book recommendations, and discuss current events.

“I feel so lucky that I have someone to talk to about the stress of college admissions. I couldn’t talk to my family about college applications in-depth, but Debra was always there to offer her advice and support, whether it be about college or anything else. She makes me feel confident even when I doubt myself,” Briana reflects.

Born in Ecuador, Briana was two years old when she immigrated to the United States with her mother; they have lived in Ossining ever since. Family has always been Briana’s number one motivation to pursue higher education, as they sacrificed so much for her to have better opportunities. “As the first person in my immediate family to graduate from high school and go to college, I want to be a role model for my younger brother and sister, so that they may be inspired to follow in my footsteps.”

Debra is an alumna of Cornell University and has been a volunteer College Coach for two years now. Both years have been incredibly fulfilling, as Debra has helped introduce first-generation students to the incredible opportunities before them, especially at schools they may never have considered before. “There are no words to express how gratifying it is to help Scholars recognize their own potential and achieve their dreams. The best part is making a friend in the process!”

Even while practicing social distancing, Debra continues to support Briana through phone conversations and text messages. After submitting 23 college applications and receiving 19 acceptances (so far!), Briana and Debra have shifted their focus to preparing for scholarship interviews – she is currently a finalist for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the Gates Scholarship, and the Handler Scholarship at the University of Rochester – and deciding on which school will be the best academic, social, and financial fit for Briana.

Briana recalls, “as a first-gen student, my parents only knew the big names like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. I was very lost at the beginning of the process and had no idea which schools I wanted to apply to or what to look for in a school. Debra is a big advocate of finding the school that is right for me personally. She helped me determine that what I really want is a small school with a tight-knit community and a learning environment that is more collaborative than competitive.”

Debra firmly believes that the “sky’s the limit” for Briana. Her hope is that Briana will be happy and feel fulfilled in whatever she chooses to do. “Honestly, it has been a pleasure getting to know this wonderful, bright, kind, giving young woman, who succeeds in everything she does yet always considers others first. Opening her eyes to her own potential and watching her grow and become more confident has been the best part of this experience,” says Debra.

Once in college, Briana plans to pursue law after earning a bachelor’s degree in history. Her career dream is to work in litigation or become an immigration lawyer. “Ultimately, I want to give back to the Latino community and help others the way Latino U College Access has helped me.”

Stay tuned to find out where Briana will decide to make her college dreams a reality!

SLEEPY HOLLOW, NY, June 2019 – The Education Trust–New York recognized Sleepy Hollow High School as a statewide “top performer” for their work helping students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a critical step toward enabling low-income students to access the financial aid necessary to enroll in college.

Sleepy Hollow High School and Latino U College Access (LUCA) have partnered on this important effort for the last three years through LUCA’s FAFSA Boot Camps. Each year, attendance continues to grow with 120 attendees at last year’s event. During this comprehensive four-hour program, students and families work individually with trained volunteers to complete and submit the FAFSA. 95% of the families in attendance at last year’s Sleepy Hollow High School Boot Camp completed and submitted their FAFSA on-site.

“We are proud to partner with Sleepy Hollow High School in our shared commitment to increasing FAFSA completion – especially among low-income, first generation college students,” said Shirley Acevedo Buontempo, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Latino U College Access. “Working together with Sleepy Hollow High School and community volunteers, our FAFSA Boot Camp helps families successfully complete this important step in making their college dreams a reality. We are delighted with the results achieved through our partnership and the much-deserved recognition for Sleepy Hollow High School.”

David Ziegler, Counseling Department Chair at Sleepy Hollow High School, shared “Sleepy Hollow HS counselors were excited to learn our high school was recognized for our financial aid completion rates. We are grateful for our partnership with Latino U College Access. Together, our two organizations share a mission of helping our students not only get accepted to college but to also educate and work with families on obtaining available funding for college.”

Families are able to benefit from FAFSA Boot Camps thanks to generous funding from Kids’ Club of Tarrytown & Sleepy Hollow and the Westchester Community Foundation, a division of the New York Community Foundation.

The New York FAFSA Completion Challenge recognizes high schools with the highest and most improved FAFSA completion rates since last year based on the region of the state and school size. The Challenge is part of a statewide campaign launched by Ed Trust–NY to encourage public high schools to increase the proportion of eligible low-income students who complete the FAFSA. Winning high schools, where at least half of students must be low-income, each receive $750 to award a scholarship to a college-bound high school senior who is either low-income or a first-generation college student.

About Latino U College Access: Latino U College Access (LUCA) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that transforms lives by making college dreams a reality for low-income, high-achieving Latino students. LUCA’s mission is to increase college enrollment and completion among first generation students by providing equal access and guidance through education, outreach, collaboration, and advocacy, enabling students to reach their full potential. To learn more about LUCA or to make a donation in support of their mission, please visit www.latinou.org