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The Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latino Studies (CLACLS) has announced the winners of its inaugural Undergraduate Community Project Award.

This first edition of the award – created to encourage student projects that engage Latin America, the Caribbean, and Latino communities in the United States through applied, creative, and community-centered work – drew 14 proposals submitted by students representing 12 majors across five colleges. 

Following a review process conducted by an interdisciplinary committee, the following students were selected: 

• First Place - Ben Schaffer, Mechanical Engineering, Riccio College of Engineering 
  Project: Biogas heating system to sustainably warm one of the Nuestras Raíces organization’s greenhouses
   
• Second Place - Marco Figueroa, Communications, College of Social & Behavioral Sciences
  Project: Experimental Narrative – “El No Vidente de la Salsa”
   
• Third Place - Autumn Liguori-Bills, Public Health Sciences and Spanish, School of Public Health and Health Sciences
  Project: Infant co-sleeping practices among Puerto Rican caregivers 

“This award highlights the tremendous creativity, community commitment and multidisciplinary perspectives that undergraduates bring to projects connected to Latin America, the Caribbean, and Latino communities in the United States,” says CLACLS Director Patricia Gubitosi. 

Award certificates were presented on Thursday, Dec. 11, during La Peña de CLACLS, a community dinner reception held at the Old Chapel. Schaffer, Figueroa and Liguori-Bills each also received monetary awards as part of the recognition.

In the spring, CLACLS plans to also launch a call for nominations for its new Undergraduate Research Award.