On October 14, faculty, staff, and students celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month at the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine by attending a lecture presented by Dr. Rubén Martinez, the director of MSU’s Julian Samora Research Institute. The lecture, entitled “The Status of Latinos/as in Michigan and the United States: Demographic, Education, and Income” focused on providing attendees with information about the current status of the Latino/a population, as well as projections for future populations. Attendees felt the event was both educational and thought provoking.

“I really appreciated that Dr. Martinez shared data on the lack of resources for immigrants trying to learn English,” one attendee shared in an anonymous survey. “It really made me think about our changing population and the importance of providing an ESL (English as a second language) education to immigrants.”

Dr. Martinez specializes in social stratification, race and ethnic relations, environmental justice, and Chicano/a and Latino/a community issues. He is the series editor of Latinos in the United States, which is published by the Michigan State University Press.

“We were honored to have Dr. Martinez as a speaker for this event,” said Dr. Hilda Mejia Abreu, assistant dean for Admissions, Scholarships, Diversity, and Inclusion. “His lecture was informative, stimulating, and provided attendees with the opportunity to learn something new. This was an excellent way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.”

Dr. Martinez’s lecture was co-sponsored by the College’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and Veterinary Students as One in Culture and Ethnicity (VOICE). The Office of Diversity and Inclusion will be hosting other diversity events throughout the year. We invite you to share ideas for programs and the upcoming events and activities on our website at cvm.msu.edu/diversity.