Oakton to Receive Award for Service to Latinx Community

Oakton Community College will receive the Reflecting Excellence Award on Wednesday, Nov. 13 for its contributions to the Latinx community by Reflejos, a bilingual weekly newspaper that has been serving the Chicago suburban Latinx market for over 20 years. Oakton will be honored tonight at Reflejos' Eighth Annual Reflecting Excellence Awards ceremony at Stonegate Banquets in Hoffman Estates.

Reflejos hosts an award ceremony annually where organizations and institutions are honored based on their outreach and services to the Latinx community. The Reflecting Excellence Award is based on nominations by readers of Reflejos. This year's awards ceremony has the overarching theme of diversity and Reflejos is honoring community colleges who "beautifully demonstrate the real value of diversity."

"We're extremely pleased to receive this award in recognition of the many ways we've made Oakton a truly more diverse, accessible, and inclusive institution for the Latinx community," Jessica Ibares, Latinx student coordinator for Oakton's ANDALE program, says. "This special recognition is a tribute to the leadership and commitment of individuals across the college."

ANDALE is a student organization that provides support to Oakton's Latinx student population. The organization offers a variety of student success initiatives designed to enhance the personal, social, academic, and career development of Latinx students. Opportunities include educational workshops and financial aid seminars for primarily Spanish speaking parents and families.