Annual Events

The Asian Student Welcome and Bienvenidos Latinx Student Welcome are held each fall as you arrive to campus....

This event serves to welcome all of our Asian-identifying students, including incoming and returning students, for the upcoming academic year. At the welcome, students have an opportunity to network with other students, community partners, and University personnel in an atmosphere full of culture, music, fun, and free food!

"Bienvenidos" means "welcome" in Spanish. This is an event to welcome all Latinx-identifying students, including incoming first-years, transfer students, and current students back to campus. This event will connect students to resources available to them on and off campus, while providing an opportunity to meet other students.

Ethnic Programs and Services organizes its annual WorldFest week late February - early March to create spaces in which students, staff, and faculty of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds can express, share, advocate for, and celebrate their cultural and ethnic heritage at the University of Cincinnati. Various student organizations, offices, and community partners come together and showcase their events during this week.

To recognize and reward students at the University of Cincinnati who have demonstrated leadership, passion and dedication towards serving the University of Cincinnati and the Greater Cincinnati Latino community. The scholarship will be awarded to three students who embody the legacy of Rafael Rennella.

Rafael Rennella was a student leader at the University of Cincinnati (UC). He came to Cincinnati from Argentina in 1979 and eventually earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering at UC in 1994. Rafael left a legacy of service and accomplishment. Always true to his ethnic roots, Rafael founded the group, Hispanic Engineers, at the University of Cincinnati, devoted long hours to the Emerging Ethnic Engineers program and helped found Latinos en Acción, a student organization active in political and social causes on campus. He served as president of the student organization, Latinos en Acción (LEA) in 1994-1995. Upon graduating from UC, Rafael began working with Procter & Gamble as a systems analyst. Rafael’s life and labor were cut short at the age of 26 when he died of an asthma attack in 1995. Shortly thereafter, students, staff, faculty, alumni and P&G employees organized to develop a plan to raise $25,000 towards an endowment goal. The Rafael Rennella Scholarship was created in 2000. 

• Must have a minimum of a 2.50 GPA.
• Must be a full-time matriculated undergraduate student currently enrolled at the University of Cincinnati.
• Must demonstrate involvement or commitment in the Latino Community and/or for the enhancement of the Latino student experience.
• Current president of LEA and/or past recipients of the Rafael Rennella scholarship are ineligible to apply for the scholarship.
• Students transferring from any of the UC satellite campuses (Blue Ash or Clermont) are encouraged to apply.
• Open to all undergraduate UC students, regardless of legal status.

All applications will be reviewed by a selection committee who will be comprised of diverse faculty, staff, and past Rafael Rennella Scholarship Recipients. 

Applicants will be evaluated on three primary criteria:

• Demonstrated commitment to serving the University of Cincinnati and the Greater Cincinnati Latino community.
• Current and Future leadership potential.
• Academic achievement at the University of Cincinnati.