From the president
Leslie is pursuing a Master of Arts in Applied Sociology at the University of Indianapolis. She is also a Belonging Fellow in the Office of Inclusive Excellence at UIndy. Leslie looks forward to using skills gained in her graduate work and the skills she developed as a double major in Biology and Spanish at the University of Indianapolis to address social inequalities and advocate for historically marginalized and underrepresented groups, especially the Latino community. Leslie’s graduate training will prepare her to think about these problems structurally, look for root causes, and take innovative approaches rooted in empowering communities and building their capacity to solve social problems. UIndy’s strong culture of experiential learning pairs well with the Newman Civic Fellowship’s mission to nurture students’ capacity to develop social change strategies. Leslie will benefit from hands-on opportunities to put her skills into practice in both her degree program and the Fellowship. We at the University of Indianapolis are proud to have Leslie Samperio represent us as a Newman Civic Fellow. We look forward to seeing how she will broadly make positive social change in our local community and the world.
Personal Statement
I am a graduate student in Applied Sociology at the University of Indianapolis and a first-generation Latina. I am passionate about empowering and building the capacity for Latina leaders to address social problems in our community. Outdated beliefs, gender disparities, and generational trauma sometimes lead people in the community to think women are less valuable than men. This can lead to people expecting more from men than from women. There needs to be so much more community-wise for Latina women so they can step in a different direction than some people may want them to. We need a women's support system within nonprofits and other organizations that will focus mainly on helping underrepresented women have a voice and communicate with others about how a different pathway in life is sometimes needed.
My experiences working in the Office of Inclusive Excellence have built my collaboration and communication skills. I look forward to building on these skills in my graduate program and as part of the Newman Civic Fellowship, developing my skills and my structural perspective, and being part of the next generation of Latina leaders addressing social issues and building our community.