The Latino culture will be celebrated during the next month at Iowa State under the umbrella of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Hispanic Heritage Month is nationally recognized and runs from Sept. 15 until Oct. 15. Several events will take place throughout the month at ISU.

Opening ceremonies took place on Friday over the noon hour on the steps of Beardshear Hall. Participants gathered at the steps of Curtis Hall and paraded to Beardshear.

Guest speakers included ISU President Martin Jischke; Lilyan Fulginiti, professor of agriculture economics; Rafael Rodriguez, director of Minority Student Affairs; Paula Palasencia, who spoke on behalf of Hector Avalos, chairman of the Latino Studies Program; and Sylvia Tigerina, administrator for the Commission on Latino Affairs in the Governors Office.

Jischke said he felt the university should be committed to the idea of diversity.

“ISU’s growing Hispanic community has many opportunities to contribute to Iowa State,” Jischke said.

Students need to succeed in their studies and have fun while learning to live together, Jischke added.

Fulginiti said the Ames community is diverse with many opportunities for people. She said the Hispanic community should take pride in their heritage and share it with others.

“We have the responsibility to share with the rest of the community what we have — our culture and our rich heritage,” Fulginiti said.

Rodriguez said Hispanics need to realize how important their contributions are to society. He described the Hispanic community as “colorful and often a perplexing diversity, marriaged by common roots and shared ideas.”

Avalos’ message said the Latino Studies Program is now officially in the catalog. He said students should support and enroll in the new classes being established.

Tigerina said she travels the state looking for diversity programs.

“The people of Iowa are thirsty for knowledge about Latinos,” Tigerina said. “We must continue to educate people about our culture.”

Nelica Matos, a senior in art history and French, attended the opening ceremony.

“I think when they talk about the new class that has been added, it’s great,” Matos said. “We have a rich heritage, and I think people should know about it.”

Maria Menendez, president of the Hispanic Heritage Month Planning Committee and a graduate student in the MBA program, said she has several goals for the month’s activities.

“The all-encompassing theme is that we are all part of the same family — the human family,” Menendez said. “One of my goals is to increase the pride within the Hispanic community and heighten the awareness of the rest of the community.”

The Latino American Festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sept. 25 in the Great Hall of Memorial Union.

Booths and tables will be set up with information about Hispanic countries and student organizations will preform dance and musical selections. The ISU Daycare kids will also be invited to participate in breaking pi¤atas.

“It’s going to be a cultural display and a celebration of Hispanic culture,” Menendez said. “I think that we will be able to extend to the rest of the community with the festival. Some Hispanics are not fully aware of the importance of Hispanic Month. So we are trying to bring the planning committee out to the public.”

The closing ceremony will include a speech from Mariam Santos, the city treasurer of Chicago. Santos is the first Hispanic, the first woman and the youngest person to hold her position.

“We are very excited to have Mariam Santos come,” Menendez said. “She was a natural choice because of her accomplishments.”

Rosslyn Boyd, advisor to the Hispanic Heritage Month Planning Committee, said she hoped people would have a good time celebrating the Hispanic heritage.

“I want them to learn more about our own culture,” Boyd said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet Hispanic authors and politicians who have made a difference.”

Menendez said the committee is excited and expects to meet its goals.

“I think it will be great, and we are going to have fun along the way to achieving our goals,” Menendez said. “The unity within the Hispanic community is one of the most important gifts that planning this month has brought.”