As part of Delaware County Community College’s commitment to providing access and quality education to Latino students, the College will hold a conference on “Beyond Multiculturalism: Empowering Latino Students and the Community” from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 15 in the Large Auditorium on the Marple Campus (901 S. Media Line Road, Media, PA, 19063).

The conference features keynote speaker Pedro Rivera, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education, who was appointed by Governor Tom Wolf and previously served as Superintendent for the School District of Lancaster. In 2014, he was one of ten recipients nationwide to be recognized by the White House as a Champion of Change for his efforts to transform urban education. Rivera is a first generation college graduate and earned a bachelor’s degree from The Pennsylvania State University, a master’s degree in education administration from Cheyney University, and a superintendent’s letter of eligibility from Arcadia University.

Montgomery County Poet Laureate David Escobar-Martin will open the conference, which includes panels on “Abriendo Puertas: Strengthening Latino Communities through Mentoring, Leadership and Increasing College Access,” “Changing the Narrative: Latino Representation and the Challenges of Immigration, Equity and Inclusion” and “Latino Student Perspectives and the College Experience”.

The conference is sponsored by the College’s faculty-led Latino Initiatives and Outreach Network in collaboration with the student-led Latin Flavor Club. It is free and open to the public. Lunch will be provided to those who register in advance at www.dccc.edu/latino-conference.