Feb. 10, 2009
GETTYSBURG - Marizol Jimenez-Fotopoulos, bilingual support technician for the Gettysburg Campus, recently was appointed to a two-year term on the Governor's Advisory Commission for Latino Affairs (GACLA).
Jimenez-Fotopoulos, one of 17 new appointees named by Gov. Ed Rendell, will represent the counties of Adams and Franklin, as well as the Hanover area, which is HACC-Gettysburg’s service area. In addition, 12 GACLA commissioners from counties across the state were re-appointed by the governor. They will be sworn in this week.
“We are proud that Marizol was nominated and accepted the appointment to the Governor’s Commission on Latino Affairs,” says Jennifer Weaver, campus vice president and dean of the Gettysburg Campus. “She will be a proactive representative for our Latino students and for the community.”
Jimenez-Fotopoulos, who expects to graduate in May with an associate degree, enrolled at the HACC Gettysburg Campus in fall 2004, attending both as a full-time and part-time student.
She has been a full-time bilingual support technician at HACC-Gettysburg since September 2007, with her duties including organizing on-campus events such as open houses, a school counselor breakfast, and information sessions for students. In collaboration with the admissions recruiter and student life adviser, she also facilitates recruitment events such as high school guidance visits, college fairs and classroom presentations.
“I assist students in exploring career opportunities, improving their resumes and obtaining scholarship information,” Jimenez-Fotopoulos says of her multi-faceted job. “I provide assistance in translation to HACC student services for admissions, registration, advising, financial aid and class scheduling, and to professors who want to make sure their bilingual students understand class assignments and expectations.”
She also provides clerical support for student services and administrative support for recruitment and retention of minority students, among many other responsibilities.
Currently, she is assisting with coordinating the Adams County Latino Services Task force on the planning for a conference in March entitled, “Serving the Latino Community: Best practices, success stories, challenges and the road ahead.” She also is involved in planning for the Latino Culture Sensitivity Summit 2009 for the Hispanic American Center of Hanover to be held in October.
“Throughout my educational journey I have found that my goal has been to stay consistent - to complete all required courses and transfer to a four-year college to earn a bachelor’s degree in applied behavioral science or leadership organization, and continue for my master’s degree in education,” says Jimenez-Fotopoulos, who was born in Santiago, Chile, and raised in the United States. She is a resident of Cumberland County.
“In addition, ‘mi familia’ has made it ever more evident how important they are in my life, especially my three wonderful daughters who are the cause of my inspiration to better myself. Without them I could not have done any of this.” Her “familia” also extends to mentors and role models who have provided inspiration and purpose to give others the opportunity to overcome challenges in their life, says Jimenez-Fotopoulos.
As the fastest growing ethnic group in Pennsylvania, Latinos account for more than 60 percent of the state’s population growth between 2005 and 2008. Since 1971, GACLA’s mission has focused on ensuring that Pennsylvania’s 550,000 Latino residents are afforded the opportunity to continue to prosper. It has worked to address community development and empowerment, educational advancement, leadership enhancement, equal rights and equal opportunities, economic development, employment, health, housing, social services and other issues.
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