John L. Hoffman, president of Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College, and the BSU/NTC Center for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion invite you to the Hispanic/Latine History Month President’s Reception, September 19 from 5–6:30 p.m. in the Beaux Arts Ballroom. Light appetizers and beverages will be provided. All members of BSU, NTC, and the community are welcome to attend.

ABOUT THE PRESIDENT’S RECEPTION

While BSU and NTC celebrate all cultures throughout the year, President’s Receptions offer special opportunities to amplify voices and experiences. The receptions bring our community together to learn about specific heritages and cultures being celebrated during national recognitions. Receptions begin with informal social time, followed by opening remarks from campus leaders and a guest keynote speaker.

ABOUT THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER: KEVIN ORTIZ

Kevin Ortiz was born in Mexico and migrated to the United States at the age of 12. While at the University of North Carolina, where he earned an MBA, Ortiz created LÍDER: Carolina Leadership Institute which provides a year-long, interactive leadership development program for North Carolina undergraduate students who have an interest in Latino culture and community. The institute, which operates in partnership with the Carolina Latinx Center and the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, helps participants understand themselves as leaders, learn useful frameworks for leadership in schools and their communities, and learn strategies for taking risks and communicating vision with clarity and enthusiasm. Most importantly, participants learn that they do not have to set aside their identities in order to lead.

In 2020, he was recognized by the Triad Business Journal 20 in their 20s and was a TEDx Greensboro speaker. For five years, Ortiz served as a board member of the Hispanic League in Winston-Salem, N.C., and actively volunteers with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. He is fluent in Spanish, is a skilled social dancer, hiking enthusiast and an avid reader of leadership development books. Ortiz currently serves as diversity and inclusion consultant at Bank of America in New York City.

Ortiz also earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Central Florida.

PARKING

Free parking for this event will be available in the Bangsberg Fine Arts Complex parking lot. Entrances to the lot can be found near the intersection of Birchmont Drive NE and 14th Street NE, and on 12th Street NE.