Latino Leadership Initiative (LLI) Program

Students pose with certificates during LLI graduation, wearing purple stoles. — 2025 LLI Cohort at Latino Educational Training Institute’s (LETI) graduation ceremony, Spring 2025

Latino Leadership Initiative program is a cohort style program support Latine students. In partnership with a local partner, Latino Education and Training Institute (LETI), UW Bothell students get the chance to explore how they can be leaders in their community while gaining valuable networking and civic engagement experience. The LLI’s purpose is to increase awareness about issues and ideas that are specific to the Latinx community. Anyone who wants to learn more about the dynamic cultures that represent a variety of Latin American countries, cultures, and traditions is welcome to engage in this group.

Goals of the program

Empower Latine College and University students to be civically engaged
Expose Latino Leadership Initiative participants to a variety of educational and career options
Instill theory & application of multicultural leadership skills
Increase Latine identity consciousness & cultural competencies

students smiling to the camera in the Collaboratory

“This program is an effort to allow students to gain leadership skills and get access to resources and communal support so that they are then able to identify their needs, the needs of their communities and, most importantly, the capability to address those needs.”
Dr. Victoria Breckwich Vasquez, former faculty member in School of Nursing and Health Studies, and founder of LLI at UW Bothell in partnership with LETI

Benefits

Receive 40+ hours of Leadership Training
Students will work on a group service project focused on your community
Meet and network with prominent Latino dignitaries and professionals
Learn how to prepare a professional portfolio
Opportunities to receive letters of recommendation from Latino professionals
Opportunities to receive recommendations for internships at various businesses upon completion
Opportunity to receive assistance from Connected Learning advisor to apply for scholarships

Requirements

Commitment to attend bi-weekly meetings with UW Bothell cohort throughout winter and spring quarters
Commitment to attend seven group sessions, Saturday, 9am – 12pm, hosted by LETI.
Dates for 2025-2026 School Year:
- Orientation – Friday, December 5th 2025 at 3:30PM – 5:00 PM Zoom
- Kick Off – Saturday, January 10th 2026 (Zoom)
- 1st Immersion Seminar – February 7th , 2026 (Zoom)
- 2nd Immersion Seminar – March 7th, 2026 (Skagit Valley College)*
- 3rd Immersion Seminar – April 11th, 2026 (WSU Everett)*
- Final Project Presentations – May 16th, 2026 (Edmonds College)*
- Graduation Ceremony – May 30st, 2026 (WSU Everett or LETI Everett Location)*
- *For in person events, we’ll have a student leader drive the community transit van leaving UW Bothell at 8:15am to the scheduled event site.
Work on a community project in spring.
Open to 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students in all majors
All students committed to serving the Latine community are welcome to apply regardless of their race, sex, immigration status, or other identity.
The LLI’s purpose is to increase awareness about issues and ideas that are specific to the Latinx community. Anyone who wants to learn more about the dynamic cultures that represent a variety of Latin American countries, cultures, and traditions is welcome to engage in this affinity group.

Service projects

If staff or students would like to support our events by volunteering, please reach out to Alondra Guzman, uwblli@uw.edu.

Youth Mentoring to Latine High Schoolers

Continuing our partnership with Bothell High School for the past 5 years and expanding with Inglemoor High School, LLI members will be mentoring high school students on first generation college experience and post high school graduation pathways for success.

Civic Engagement for the Latine Community

A group of LLI members, connect their Next Gen Civic Leader Corps goals with their partnership with LETI and create a series of events focused on civic engagement in the Latinx Community.

Latino Culture Night on UW Bothell Campus

A group of LLI members create an event honoring the breadth and diversity of Latino culture in this campus and community wide event open to all.

Service Project 2025 Partners

Bothell High School

Juan Price, Principal
Angela Menon, Assistant Principal
Lindsay Eckle, Counselor
Patricia Herrera, Northshore School District Family Engagement Specialist

Inglemoor High School

Adam Desautels, Principal
AVID Class Teachers

UW Bothell

School of Educational Studies (co-sponsoring Equity in Education event)
Professor Vilma Illanes Spring 2025 BSPAN 216 Spanish Heritage Class

How to apply

Applications for the 2026 LLI cohort are open October 1 – November 7,2025.

Apply for LLI

Email Alondra Guzman, uwblli@uw.edu, in the Office of Connected Learning with any questions or if you want to volunteer for any of the service project events this Spring 2026.

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