In the Student Union of Queens College, a college of diversity of different nationalities, lives the Association of Latino Professional for America, an organization that is dedicated to developing future professionals. ALPFA is more than a club that meets during the Free Hour; it is an association that strives to build up and prepare students of color for the business and corporate aspect of America.
It may be named “Association of Latino Professional for America”, but the club welcomes students of different nationalities interested in studying in the business/accounting field. The mission of this club is met through the organization of such events as networking and social expos, business trips to different states, meeting other students of similar interest, seminars, workshops and more. These events even feature professionals from some of today’s biggest industries and companies such as JP Morgan, Bank of America, PWC, Morgan Stanley, Instagram, and more.
Karla Veloz, current association president as well as a senior studying Economics, humbly credited her leadership of the club to her support system. “With the help and support of my mentors, professors, past leaders of the club, and of course, the ALPFA family, I have been able to successfully lead this club and others,” she says. “This experience has not only helped me grow as a student, but as a professional, as a leader and as a person.”
“Since joining ALPFA, I’ve come to learn that this journey is not about what I can make out of myself, but what we can make out of each other,” said Richard Torrenegra, the current treasurer and future president. “All the workshops, events, travels, and conversations can ultimately be summed up into one statement for me: there are many people out there willing to help you, so you should be willing to help others.”
ALPFA’s Vice President, Karina Catu, a sophomore studying accounting, says, “ALPFA motivated me to do better in school with the support of other students there. ALPFA has a welcoming environment that opened many opportunities for me. Now, this summerI have an internship opportunity. Through networking events and meeting other business students from across the country, this proved to me that ALPFA levels the playing fields and opens doors for people of color to enter the business world.”
ALPFA has also partnered with a couple accounting and business firms such as EY and IBDO to expose their members to the real world of business as to what to expect and what is expected of them.
To name a few, other events they have hosted this semester include, “The Ultimate Resume Writing Workshop” featuring Ernst & Young (EY) multinational professional services, “Breaking into the Business Industry”, featuring Bank of America, and “Accenture”, a meet and greet networking event for young professionals. Their most anticipated and successful event they held was in April. “Maximized Your Success” had over 50 professionals of color, all of whom came and to network and advise students that were also prospective clients.
These event-purposes are for leadership development, networking and just exploring different fields the business world has to offer. Many can attest that ALPFA is more than just a QC club; it is a professional development and opportunity-filled club for all business and accounting students!
