Regina Rodriguez, a sophomore in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, was named the 2022 Hispanic Youth of the Year by UMOS, a nonprofit advocacy organization that provides programs and services that improve the employment, educational, health and housing opportunities of underserved populations.
Rodriguez, who studies criminology and law studies, is a Milwaukee native and first-generation Hispanic student. She is a member of Marquette’s Equal Opportunity Program.
Rodriguez additionally is part of the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office Cadet Troop 890 where she earned the title of leader/captain of the Cadet Troop. She serves the community by engaging and helping organize events throughout the city of Milwaukee all while training for a successful career in law enforcement. She is an active member and participant in the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee Graduation Plus Program, which helps first generation students remain in college and prepare for their futures.
Dr. Sergio Gonzalez, assistant professor of Latinx studies in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, was named Hispanic Man of the Year by UMOS.
UMOS, or United Migrant Opportunity Services, was formed in 1965 by community and faith leaders who recognized the unmet needs and aspirations of migrant and seasonal farmworkers. While never forgetting its origins and initial population, UMOS has expanded its programs and services to assist people of all ethnic, racial, and linguistic backgrounds who struggle to meet their needs and dream of a better life for themselves and their families. Today, because of the generous support of individual and institutional philanthropists; federal, state, and local government agencies; employers; and other nonprofit partners, UMOS serves thousands of families every day across Wisconsin, Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Florida and Minnesota.
