Chico State Celebrates Grand Opening of El Centro

Graduate student Ermelindo Salgado Hernandez beamed as he greeted guests and introduced them to the services available to students at the University’s new El Centro Resource Center.

“Today brings me light and joy because when I first came to Chico State, I felt lost,” said Salgado Hernandez (Multicultural and Gender Studies, ’23), a San Diego native and El Centro’s grad student assistant. “I didn’t know where to find my community.”

Adorned with Latin American flags and rainbow hues of papel picado on the ceiling, El Centro and its staff welcomed dozens of students, faculty, and staff who packed into Meriam Library Room 161 on Monday afternoon to celebrate its grand opening.

This new academic and retention center is focused on fostering the success of Latinx students at Chico State. It prioritizes three key pillars that contribute to student academic success: mentoring, undergraduate research, and career preparation. But the center also holds special significance for many in attendance on Monday.

“We’ve made a very dynamic place and hopefully it will be a home away from home for the students who come through the campus and come through the space,” said Jamile Balli, El Centro’s program coordinator.

Paola Garcia, a junior legal studies major from Bakersfield, said El Centro is a place where Latinx students can feel seen and heard.

“I feel proud of the work that has been put into El Centro and to create an opportunity for others to feel welcomed,” she said.

Selgado Hernandez understands how important it is to feel a sense of belonging on campus.

“We want to make sure our students find community, making sure that our students are being retained and have the services they need to graduate from Chico State,” he said.

Today, nearly 40% of Chico State students identify as Latinx. A Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) since 2015, Chico State has invested in and received grants for numerous programs to support historically underserved students, particularly those from Latinx backgrounds. Programs like the Chico STEM Connections Collaborative and Adelante have provided hands-on research opportunities and mentorship.

“El Centro is the newest kid on the block, but our campus has been doing HSI work for decades …” Balli said. “This is very visible today, but there has been work for the Latinx community going on for years and years.” 

In front of a wall displaying photos of Latinx students on campus, Chico State President Steve Perez thanked all those involved in the center and reaffirmed the University’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment.

“[El Centro] is one more step in our evolution to being a welcoming campus,” he told the crowd. “Making sure everybody on this campus knows that they’re welcome, that they’re valued, that they have a place where they could be at home, that they are around others that can understand their experiences.”

In August, Chico State announced the opening of three new affinity centers on campus: El Centro, the Black Resource Center, and the Asian Pacific Islander and Desi American Resource Center. These centers are open to all Chico State students but intended to provide a space for and address the specific needs of Latinx, Black, and Asian Pacific Islander and Desi American students on campus.

El Centro is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday–Friday in Meriam Library, Room 161. It offers printing services; tutoring support, study spaces; a break room with a microwave, refrigerator, and snacks, like Gansitos and Barritas; annual events; and study nights. History professor Gloria Lopez will serve as the faculty in residence.  

Want to learn more? Contact El Centro at elcentro@csuchico.edu or follow its Instagram page @elcentro.chicostate.