Honors College student Maurieugenia Gurdian, a senior majoring in political science and international relations, is having the experience of a lifetime, participating in two internships in Washington, D.C., this semester.

Gurdian is a part of the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute CHLI Global Leaders Program, a 15-week, semester-long internship program featuring for-credit coursework at a local university and placement in Congressional and corporate legislative affairs offices in Washington, D.C.

The Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) welcomed the Fall 2019 Global Leaders at the Comcast, NBC Universal, Telemundo office to kick off their first day of orientation!

Alfredo Oballos Diaz, a senior studying international relations, was one of 20 students to intern in Washington, D.C. this past Spring semester, though his experience was uniquely personal. 

Oballos Diaz, a Venezuelan asylum seeker, was able to work on legislation such as H.R. 549 that aims to support asylum seekers, introduced in the House of Representatives in January. The legislation proposes to allow Venezuelans eligibility for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the United States.  

“As a Venezuelan refugee myself, I feel extremely humbled by the opportunity to help my people through the work I am doing on the Hill,” Oballos Diaz said.

Olivia Padilla, an alumna of The University of New Mexico Class of 2018, is finishing a jampacked semester in Washington, D.C., as the first New Mexican to be a Global Leaders Fellow with the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI). CHLI gives students hands-on experience in congressional and corporate offices while earning academic credit hours.

Padilla graduated from UNM in May 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and International Studies with concentrations in Latin America and conflict, peace, and diplomacy, and a minor in Spanish. While an undergraduate, she was a tour guide for the UNM Office of Admissions, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Council #8096, Associated Students of UNM Senator, a member of Trailblazers, and Chi Omega sorority. She studied abroad in Mexico and Italy. 

La ex-Congresista Ileana Ros-Lehtinen presidirá la campaña de becas de El Instituto Congresional de Liderazgo Hispano. ‘We Belong’, la campaña de becas de El Instituto Congresional de Liderazgo Hispano (CHLI), aumentará el número de estudiantes hispanos que patrocina anualmente a través de su Programa de Líderes Globales.

Washington, D.C. - The Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) is honored to announce that CHLI founder, The Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, will continue to serve on the CHLI Board, and that, in addition, she will chair CHLI’s “We Belong” Scholarship Campaign.

Since the founding of CHLI in 2003, approximately 200 Hispanic college students have shared the CHLI internship or fellowship experience. The CHLI Global Leaders program provides hands-on experience to help Hispanic college students become future leaders.

The Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) 2019 Spring Global Leaders kicked off orientation week at American Beverage Association. CHLI Director of Programs & External Affairs, Juan Negron, welcomed the group and introduced CHLI's team, mission, and guided them through their 15-week long fellowship program. CHLI's Creative Communication & Marketing Manager, Michelle Archilla, spoke to the group about interacting through social media and engaging with followers throughout the semester, to share their CHLI experience. They later met with CHLI Senior Advisor, Stephen Halloway, for a conversation at The World Bank.

Our Fall 2018 CHLI Global Leaders have been out and about since landing in Washington D.C. Thank you to our CHLI Global Leaders Sponsors for making this opportunity possible: Peter Villegas, Coca-Cola Foundation; Juan Otero, Comcast Foundation; Heather Kennedy, The Home Depot; John Hoel, Altria Client Services; Issac Reyes, Target; Emilio Gonzalez, Verizon Foundation; and Alberto Senior, MillerCoors. 

The Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) kicked off orientation week with CHLI Board Member, Patrice Webb at theAmerican Beverage Association. CHLI Director of Programs & External Affairs, Juan Negron, gave welcome remarks and introduced the CHLI team and mission. Then Global Leaders met up with CHLI Senior Advisor, Stephen Halloway, who lead the interns through a tour of The World Bank.