By: Josephine Carrillo I Published: April 24, 2025
The Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) was founded in 1972 in the United States, with the sole purpose of creating a community where members can improve their leadership, communication, and social skills to thrive in their career fields.
The ALPFA Chapter at Kean focuses on guiding and encouraging Kean Cougars to utilize their organization and their resources to land their dream job in corporate America.
Dayana Verdugo, a sophomore majoring in general business management, is currently the Vice President of Events at ALPFA Kean.
“I work alongside the E-board members to oversee the planning, coordination, and execution of events, ensuring they align with our organization’s mission and goals,” said Verdugo. “I want ALPFA to be recognized not just as an organization but as a transformative experience that empowers students to step out of their comfort zones and unlock their full potential.”
Although ALPFA was originally created to provide resources and create opportunities for Latino descent members who aim to land a job in corporate America, ALPFA Kean welcomes all students to join their community and let them be part of their professional journey.
The chapter is slowly but surely getting the exposure and recognition they deserve through their guest speaker series, sharing their knowledge and personal experiences within their careers with ALPFA members and connecting.
“We live in a time where young adults pursuing a career in university cannot hold eye contact or an actual conversation without needing to take a glance at their cellphones or are too much of an introvert to continue chatting and possibly establish and grow their network, I want to change that through ALPFA,” said Ariandy Batista, current President of the ALPFA Kean chapter.
Batista is currently a sophomore pursuing a marketing major at Kean. He shared how his time and involvement at ALPFA helped him grow personally and professionally, allowed him to meet other students and professionals within and outside his career journey, and what a wonderful experience it has been all along.
Although the organization has made a name for itself at Kean, Batista has bigger plans and visions for the organization.
“I want to be able to help others as much as ALPFA has helped me, through different resources and programs eligible for our members, and take advantage of the multiple benefits the organization has to offer,” said Batista.
Batista plans on developing a possible mentorship program (AMP) for freshman students in college or seniors in high school, where they can learn and gain insight into ALPFA’s mission and be able to join as soon as they start their college journey.
“My role at ALPFA Kean is to develop and maintain the organization’s website, ensuring it is up to date with all our events and resources. I strive to create an engaging interface that makes it easy for everyone to access information,” said Nicolle Cuevas, a junior information technology and business management major and ALPFA’s current Vice President of IT.
Cuevas is currently developing a website for the organization, where students can keep up with all events they host throughout the semesters, allow access to all their resources, provide information regarding their general meetings, and more importantly, how to become a member.
ALPFA Kean recently hosted “Breaking Barriers: Lessons from a Global Business Leader” on Wednesday, April 23. Attending students learned about Hugo Almeida’s career path as an entrepreneur and technology advisor, gaining insight on real-life experiences within the tech industry and across industries.
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