Daniela Gamez

As an undergraduate research assistant for the Office for Institutional Diversity, I am collecting and gathering the history of Hispanic/Latinx students at the University of Kentucky as a piece of a series of research projects on underrepresented populations at the University of Kentucky. This is an interdisciplinary research project that focuses on the development of needs and of an organized Latinx presence on campus, among other focuses.

I began on November 5th, 2018 and plan to continue this research project throughout Spring semester because the Latinx/Hispanic student population includes such a broad category, considering how many countries are part of Latin America and how this identity has evolved throughout history. Since Latin America is multiracial and Hispanic/Latinx students do not adhere to one phenotype, there are not always clear identifiers unless the student publicly claimed to be Hispanic/Latinx. The terms Hispanic and Latino are also a recent development, followed by the even more recently developed and not as widely accepted Latinx. Gathering research on the Hispanic/Latinx students at the University of Kentucky as their population develops over time is the goal.

At the end of my internship I plan to have:
1. Identified mechanisms for collecting information about Hispanic/Latinx students at the University of Kentucky.
2. Collected data on Hispanic/Latinx student serving organizations and compare their experiences and accomplishments throughout their time at the University of Kentucky.
3. Collected data on how Hispanic Heritage Week evolved into Hispanic Heritage Month and how the two were represented and celebrated at the University of Kentucky.
4. Interviewed current and former University of Kentucky faculty, staff, and students for a more holistic approach towards researching the history of Hispanic/Latinx students at the University of Kentucky.
5. Created a file at the Special Collections Research Center for Latino Student Union.