Latino Leadership 2022
Meet the Latino Leadership students of 2022 below!
Jocelyn Cardona
Major: Health Science
I’m from Wichita, Kansas and I graduated from Wichita South High School. I’m majoring in Health Science, and planning to pursue a career as a physical therapist. I’m on the Friends cheerleading team. Both of my parents are from Aguascalientes, Mexico, and they are my motivation to work hard.
Sebastian Castillo
Major: Mechanical Engineering
My name is Sebastian Castillo, and I was raised in Miami, Florida. I went to school at Maize High and am pursuing Mechanical Engineering. I run cross country and track and have been running for 5 years. My heritage is Peruvian from my mom’s family. I’ve been to 23 out of 50 states and to Peru twice. A fun fact about me is that I can’t stand seeing people I know when I go out to eat.
Kevin Fernandez
Major: Chemistry
My name is Kevin Jose Fernandez, and I’m one of the new Latino Leaders at Friends. I’m from Wichita, Kansas and am glad to be studying chemistry and jazz performance in my hometown. I’d like to be a chemical researcher with my own lab, making new discoveries that help people like you and live in a better world through science. Then, I’d play a gig on the side, jammin’ it up with my instruments. In the meantime, I walk across campus between classes weirdly fingering entire progressive rock songs on a discombobulated, imaginary guitar. I hope to see you, the reader, around campus doing something strange as well, as an expression of yourself.
Pilar Flores
Major: Elementary Education
Pilar Flores is from Hickory Creek, Texas where she graduated from Lake Dallas High School. She is a freshman at Friends University and is majoring in Elementary Education and plans on getting her master’s. She plays soccer for Friends and her position is center midfield. Her dream is to become a teacher and change the world one student at a time! She would like to dedicate her successes to her family, for they were always there to push and support her.
Noah Longoria
Major: Chemistry and Music
Noah Longoria is a freshman at Friends University and is a proud associate of the Latino Leadership program. He has two majors in Chemistry and Music that he plans to earn a bachelors in during his time at Friends. Noah has been associated with the orchestral word since he was in intermediate school, he fell in love with the art of performance and the history of orchestral art. Noah has many favorite composers and soloists and spends much of his time viewing competitions and master classes. Though Noah has a deep love for the classical orchestral world he also enjoys the cosmetic industry world. Noah’s second major is chemistry. He originally wanted a cosmetic science degree but is taking chemistry first to go straight to medical school after Friends and master in cosmetic formulation. Noah has many things on his plate and aspires to do many great things in the world but what connects him and drives him the most for these careers is the diversity and acceptance of people. The world is changing constantly everyday but has never changed more in the music and cosmetic world as race, sex, and gender are no longer becoming a tabu topic and instead is being embraced and becoming a normality and an expectation. Though Noah has many dreams and aspirations in his life his number one goal is to allow people to express themselves and to allow people to embrace the bolder colors of life.
Angelina Mendoza
Major: Criminal Justice
Hi, my name is Angelina Mendoza, I am from Southern California, and I am attending Friends University and majoring in Criminal Justice, soon to hopefully add a minor in Conservation Science and Spanish to hopefully work and become a game warden for a national forest. Here at Friends, I play on the softball team as an outfielder. A fun fact about me is that I love listening to music and being outdoors, especially in the wildlife.
Marina Roman
Major: Biology
My name is Marina Roman. I’m from Eastvale, California and graduated from Eleanor Roosevelt High School. I’m a freshman at Friends University and majoring in Secondary History Education. My one goal as an educator is to help students find the same passion for learning that I have. I play softball here at Friends and my position is outfield. I’m extremely proud to claim my Puerto Rican and Mexican heritage, because without the people who passed it along to me, I wouldn’t be who I am today!
Alexandra Vick
Major: Biology
My name is Alexandra Vick and I’m a freshman at Friends University. I came from San Antonio, Texas but I was originally born in Pensacola, Florida. I’m playing for the softball team here at Friends and taking biology as a major. With this major, I would like to become a veterinarian or anything else in the medical field to help others. A fun fact about me is that during my free time, I like to crochet gifts for my friends and read.
Elizabeth Vizcarra-Bedoy
Major: Government & Social Studies Education
My name is Elizabeth Vizcarra-Bedoy and I was born in Van Nuys, California, but have lived in Wichita, Kansas for most of my life. I graduated from Wichita South High School. My parents are both from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. I am majoring in secondary history, social studies, and government education and I also plan on minoring in Spanish. I hope to one day be a high school history teacher. At Friends, aside from being in Latino Leadership, I am on the cheerleading team, and I am also part of the band.