Bowling Green, Ky.- The Western Kentucky University Latin American Student Association (LASA) honored new officers and outstanding students and announced scholarship winners in a meeting at the Office of International Programs.

President Nadia De Leon of Panama and faculty adviser Jeff Butterfield introduced the new officers, acknowledged achievements in the 2005-2006 year and gave their best wishes for the incoming period.

This year’s officers for the organization were Nadia De Leon, Fabian Bernal, Johana Lopez, Jose Barahona, Gustavo Barahona, Betsy Ilaja, Natalia Barahona, Mauricio Flores, Oscar Izurieta, Elio Pajares, Jonathan Castro and Michael Yang.
New president Johana Lopez of Ipiales, Colombia, a graduate student in administrative dynamics and a graduate assistant at the Center for Leadership Excellence, outlined new goals and objectives for the organization in her acceptance speech. She will continue her graduate studies at WKU for another semester to complete certificates in Leadership Studies and Organizational Communication.

Dr. Butterfield gave the medals to the graduating members: Fabián Bernal, Fabián Novoa, Alejandro Sabogal, Johana López, Nelson Atehortua and Nadia De Leon. The Richard Salisbury LASA Book Scholarships were awarded to Betsy Ilaja and Natalia Barahona.

Nadia De Leon, an interdisciplinary arts education major with emphasis in dance and graduate of the Honors Program, will leave in June for the University of Miami as Dance Fitness Instructor, having completed a thesis on “Belly Dance as a Means of Dance Therapy for Survivors of Sexual Assault.” De Leon was also president of the WKU International Club.

Nelson Atehortua, Master of Public Health student, awarded the nationwide competitive “Graduate Diversity Fellowship” and will pursue a doctoral degree at Texas A&M University. Atehortua had been previously awarded as Outstanding Graduate Student by the Department of Public Health in the College of Health and Human Services Awards Banquet.

Students joining the executive board as new officers for the next academic year are Marina Moran, Juan Gutierrez, Cristina Prado and Julio Sanchez. 

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For information, contact Student Activities at (270) 745-2459.

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