As a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), PCC recognizes the importance of centering Latine and minoritized student populations’ voices, ideas, perspectives, and insights to promote equity-minded practices prioritizing student-centered policies, practices, and proposals.

About The Student Advisory Equipo

Established in 2019 as part of Pasadena City College's Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Title V grant, Abriendo Caminos (2019-2024), the Student Advisory Equipo signifies a crucial step in the institution's commitment to empowering and fostering the representation and leadership of Latine students. Driven by the leadership of Dr. Michaela Mares-Tamayo and the vision of Dr. Desiree Zuniga, the Equipo emerged as a response to the need for increased involvement of Latine students in the planning and execution of initiatives.

Unlike traditional student panels or temporary student advisory boards, the HSI grant leaders, guided by Dr. Desiree Zuniga, a PCC alumna, student advocate, and faculty counselor, advocated integrating student leaders as paid collaborators within the HSI Abriendo Caminos grant team. Since its beginning, the Student Advisory Equipo has evolved through four cohorts of diverse Latine student leaders actively engaging in shared governance and campus-wide collaborations and partnerships.

Beyond contributing to student voice projects, Equipo now plays a pivotal role in shaping culturally relevant programs and conducting qualitative research and inquiry. Their focus extends beyond enrolling Latine students to genuinely serving and supporting them, as emphasized by Gracia (2019).

Today, the Student Advisory Equipo continues to be committed to adopting practices that "presumes [Latine and historically marginalized students] are competent and worthy, and that thinks [their/or] language and culture are beautiful assets to be enhanced, not subtracted" (Garcia, 2019, p.90). In addition, Equipo continues to advocate for a campus culture that embraces the perspectives, narratives, and cultural and experiential knowledge of its Latine students and other minoritized student populations. 

Interested in getting involved with Equipo? To explore partnership opportunities with the Student Advisory Equipo, please reach out to Dr. Desiree Zuniga at dzuniga7@pasdena.edu.

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Tune In and Learn More: Explore the Work of the Equipo

Learn more about the inspiring work of the Equipo leaders as they share their experiences in the latest episode of "¿Qué pasa, HSIs?" Season 3, Episode 7, titled "Spaces of Empowerment: HSI Student Equipos," with host and HSI scholar, Dr. Gina Ann Garcia.

This episode of ¿Qué pasa, HSIs? features Dra. Dez Zuniga, HSI faculty lead for the Abriendo Caminos project at Pasadena City College (PCC), along with four members of PCC’s Student Advisory Equipo. The Equipo is an HSI initiative with significant impact and influence at PCC, led by Latine student leaders who participate in committees and working groups to help build a campus culture for serving Latine students. Our guests share their many successes and challenges along the way, guided by the love of their femtor Dra Dez, who embodies servingness as an HSI advocate on campus and creator of the student advisory group. Each guest shares their path to HSI consciousness and their journeys into and through college, which are not linear. They also talk about working in solidarity to elevate the needs and voices of Latinx/a/o/e, Black/African American, and Asian Pacific Islander Desai American (APIDA) student populations at PCC.

¿What is Equipo?

Meet the Equipo

  • Amanda
  • Jennifer
  • Kimberly
  • Maria
  • Matthew
  • Melanie
  • Oswaldo
    Guatemalan/Mexican
    he/him/el

    HSIs play an important role in providing access to higher education for Hispanic students, a population that has historically faced academic barriers. They contribute not only to enrollment but retention, graduation, and empowering students from underrepresented backgrounds, allowing them to have a sense of belonging in institutions that have often excluded them.

    By supporting Hispanic students, HSIs foster community development, economic mobility, and societal progress. As a result, students succeed in both their academic and professional careers, providing the chance to give back to the underserved and underrepresented communities they came from.

    Be selfish with your education, you are the only one who knows what you would like to pursue and at the very least you know what you do not enjoy. Never be the barrier between yourself and what you hope to achieve. There will be many obstacles to overcome on your academic journey, do not make yourself one of them.

    Favorite Song: Pa No Pensar by Peso Pluma and Quavo

Past Members


APA Citation:
Garcia, Gina A. 2019. Becoming Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Opportunities for Colleges & Universities. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Garcia, G.A. (Host). (2023, October 22). Spaces of Empowerment: HSI Student Equipos. (No.307) [Audio podcast episode]. In ¿Qué pasa, HSIs?. https://www.ginaanngarcia.com/podcast/episode/a03adfcb/spaces-of-empowerment-hsi-student-equiposmore content