The Latinx Student Union continues a jam-packed calendar of events amid the celebrations of Hispanic Heritage Month and growing interest in the club.
On Oct. 8, the club is hosting a Latin Fusion Night on the first-floor lounge of Campion Hall. The event will start at 7 p.m. with the help of the building’s Resident Assistants. Students will have the opportunity to try traditional dishes, dance to reggaeton music and play Hispanic trivia.
Towards the end of this Hispanic Heritage Month, LSU is hosting this year’s “Una Noche en Miami” on Oct. 18. The formal event consists of a dinner, speeches and a guest speaker or performer. The celebration will be held in the Oak and Dogwood rooms of the Barone Campus Center.
Latin Fusion Night and “Una Noche en Miami” are just two of the several events LSU has organized throughout the month to bring culture and community together. Earlier this week, the club screened Bajo la Misma Luna at a Hispanic Heritage movie night. The movie also counted towards a First Year Experience credit, giving the event more exposure to first-year students.
Aydee Cruz, a sophomore and general LSU member, reflected on attending the movie night, saying that she used to watch Bajo la Misma Luna at home with her family.
“Being able to be part of this club, I think, is a really great opportunity to make friends, and I feel very comfortable being in a space with the people that look like me on a campus that isn’t very diverse,” Cruz explained of her appreciation of LSU, which she has been a part of since her first year.
The movie was followed by last night’s event, a prayer and worship service co-hosted with the Office of Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and Campus Ministry. The event focused on uplifting Latinx voices and honoring the intersection of faith and culture.
The club has also had celebrations off campus. Earlier this September, members traveled to New York City for the New York Mets Hispanic Heritage game against the San Diego Padres, giving them a chance to connect and celebrate the organization on a larger scale.
“It was nice having interest outside of LSU,” club president Jared Alicea said. “Seeing how the club has grown, there’s a need for us to get more things for people to go to. It draws more people in and offers more.”
For LSU, these events mean more than just fun programming. They highlight the organization’s mission to promote understanding and appreciation of Latinx and Hispanic culture on Fairfield University’s campus. The club serves as both a cultural home and an invitation for any student to learn about Hispanic culture.
That mission is important to the Fairfieldo our campus, they say, as the Fairfield Latinox population has grown over the years. According to Fairfield University’s Common Data Set published for the 2024 year, 478 students identified as Latino or Hispanic, an increase from 371 in 2023 and 313 in 2022.
The overall percentage has risen from 7.46% to 8.68% in just a year, with Hispanic and Latino students making up the second-largest ethnic group on campus, after white students..
“My freshman year, there were probably 40 people there, maybe. Last year we had over 100,” Alicea said about the growing attendance of the “Rumba y Mambo” event that occurs in the spring semester.
Alicea explained that in his first year, the club was inactive. Now, as an active affinity club, they are drawing in more numbers and having events every week.
“Moving forward, we need to get more events going, with more tickets,” Alicea confessed when talking about the different events the club has sponsored. Last year, three members had the opportunity to attend the Harvard Lead Conference, which provided them with the time to network with other Latinx women.
As Hispanic Heritage Month continues, the events held by LSU offer more than just entertainment, but provide a look into the traditions, stories and community that make up an important and growing part of Fairfield University.
“It’s great to have that bond, especially because you get to meet people that aren’t in your grade or are in different majors and can have great advice for you,” Cruz added about her appreciation for the community that LSU has given her. All students are welcome to LSU events and anyone interested in joining the club as a general member can email them at lsuatfairfield@gmail.com or follow their Instagram @lsu.fairfieldu.
