The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) held a summit for students to attend: the Emerging Leaders’ Summit hosted at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Student Center. Despite the selective and competitive nature of the summit, as students were required to submit a resume and complete a short application form beforehand, NEIU was able to have representation.
The summit, held on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, brought together many student leaders from across member institutions to network, listen to professionals and participate in a series of career and leadership development workshops. The summit also offered students an opportunity to meet different professionals and talk about future academic and career paths.
What made this an important summit to attend was its competitive application process, which was a great example of an early introduction to professional readiness that reflected the summit’s focus on career growth and leadership.
The day began with a warm welcome and introduction by Elijah Serena, HACU Student Services Program Manager. Following the introduction, Serena presided over a career panel discussion with UIC, National Futures Association and HACU’s Midwest Region professionals.
Panelists discussed both the challenges and rewards of their respective fields and the personal interests that drive their work. A recurring theme in the discussion was the importance of mentorship and internships to their success. The panelists discussed how to find a mentor, what an intern should expect or do and how to be a good mentee. All the panelists emphasized the value of having multiple mentors for broader perspectives and well-rounded guidance.
After the panel sessions, students were given the choice to participate in different professional development workshops. One such workshop was “Strategies to Build Your Confidence for Your Job Interview.” The goal of this workshop was to enhance students’ confidence while conducting interviews. This was achieved by emphasizing preparation, self-image and positive communication.
Another workshop was “Why Graduate School?”. This workshop was facilitated by one of UIC’s Pre-Graduate Department representatives, and the session emphasized the value and essence of pursuing graduate school. The facilitator went into what constitutes a good application, from research backgrounds to personal statements and academic accomplishments. The facilitator emphasized that although GPA is important, most graduate schools today care less about it and more about significant research and applied experiences that demonstrate active involvement in the field.
“Self-Advocacy in Higher Education: Sharing Collective Wisdom and Advocating for Yourself as a Future Latino Professional” was an empowering workshop that called on students to embrace their academic and cultural identities to develop positive self-advocacy skills. Through guided discussions, the participants explored how to navigate academic spaces with confidence, articulate their own needs and advocate on behalf of themselves and their communities as future Latino professionals.
Many NEIU students also attended the summit and gained valuable insights. Tabasuum Haveliwala, a first-generation college student and a first-time HACU attendee, shared her experience. She said that she saw this opportunity as a chance to learn practical ways to strengthen her self-confidence and connect with others who might be on a similar journey. When asked about her confidence level before and after attending the summit, she said, “I feel like my confidence level was inconsistent. Strong in some areas but shaky in others. But after the workshop, I feel more balanced and aware of what affects my confidence. I now feel motivated and empowered to keep working on it intentionally.” Overall, Haveliwala said that as a first-time attendee, she gained many new professional skills and valuable experience by networking with other students from HACU member institutions.
The last workshop, titled “You’re a Leader: Now Maximise Your Leverage” at the summit, gave many excellent recommendations towards professional development and building your resume. According to the workshop, everyone should have these keywords (listed in the image below) in their resume to make the greatest possible impact on their application. 
The HACU Emerging Leaders’ Summit succeeded in highlighting the power of mentorship, professional development and community. Such a summit continues to work to inspire students to amplify their voices, take action and build meaningful networks in the future.
For more information on HACU and its scholarships and internship opportunities, visit About HACU.
