J Felix Columna Palestino

- Assisted in the distribution of our chapters essay by reading and grading scholarship accordingly

- Most active member In Spring 2026

- Worked with a four person team to create a solution for UI Health that improved how Latino communities access care in Chicago, earning first place in the ALPFA Spring 26 Case Competition.

- Collaborated with fellow student ambassadors in a photoshoot with Larry Gies to create promotional content and marketing materials for the incoming class - Consulted with the marketing team on recruitment efforts, providing student feedback on draft emails to ensure outreach is effective and relatable for prospective admits - Supported community service initiatives by assisting in community food drives

- Helped guests find items quickly in a high-traffic store and regularly signed people up for Target Circle and Red Cards. - Handled drive up and order pickup orders on a tight schedule while keeping shelves stocked and organized in a smaller store layout. - Switched between cashiering, stocking, and helping guests depending on where the store was busiest at the moment.

-Led a team of 10+ student leaders and coordinated weekly meetings, planning agendas and monitoring progress - Supported a TRIO program serving 4 partner high schools, coordinating communication and outreach across all campuses - Managed engagement and participation for 100+ TRIO students across the three schools, tracking attendance and improving retention - Worked directly with advisors and staff to strengthen relationships among students from all three schools, improving cross-school collaboration - Organized and aided in holiday events and community-building activities that brought students together for cultural celebrations, themed gatherings, and end-of-semester support events

- Planned and executed recruitment strategies across 3 local high schools, increasing TRIO student interest and program visibility - Used Excel spreadsheets to track student participation, attendance, and engagement trends, helping identify students at risk of disengagement for 125+ students - Developed retention plans that boosted workshop and event attendance by 15–20% through follow-up communication and personalized outreach - Coordinated formal and informal recruitment events, including program presentations, school visits, and informational sessions for new students

- Oversaw 6 high school Key Clubs across Illinois, supporting a combined membership of more than 350+ students with 35+ board leaders and 15+ total divisional events - Communicated 100+ district updates, deadlines, and initiatives to advisors and officers through newsletters, email outreach, and division-wide announcements. - Represented Division 25/27 at district events and conventions by giving speeches, running workshops, and coordinating divisional participation. - Organized and promoted division-wide service events and fundraisers supporting causes such as UNICEF and the Children’s Miracle Network.

- Assisted with the filming and documentation of new construction projects at UIUC, capturing footage used in HR marketing materials and university updates - Managed Excel spreadsheets tracking onboarding and status changes for 220+ new employees, ensuring accuracy across HR processes - Participated in weekly AI-integration meetings, contributing ideas on how automation could enhance HR marketing - Supported team projects by contributing to planning discussions, brainstorming sessions, and creative direction. - Assisted in producing and updating employee training videos by fixing subtitle errors, improving video clarity, and exploring ways to integrate AI tools to automate editing tasks and enhance overall training content quality

- Supported outreach efforts for 50+ community members, including adults and families, by sharing trauma-recovery resources related to substance abuse, grief, violence exposure, housing instability, and mental-health crises - Assisted in coordinating 5+ healing-centered community wellness events across Champaign-Urbana, helping facilitate spaces focused on emotional resilience, connection, and support - Helped create and lead healing workshops on stress management, coping skills, emotional regulation, and crisis awareness for groups of 20–30 community participants - Completed training through Youth Healing Solutions, gaining foundational knowledge in psychological first aid, trauma-informed care, emotional processing, and the basics of human behavior and stress responses

- Delivered bilingual customer service to 120–150 customers per shift, maintaining fast, accurate order fulfillment and a welcoming environment for Spanish-speaking families - Prepared and presented traditional Latino desserts (paletas, mangonadas, aguas frescas), contributing to an estimated 20% increase in repeat customer visits through consistent quality and customer engagement - Reached out to two local bilingual elementary schools to help introduce students to Latino cultural traditions and support culturally focused events - Strengthened community engagement by increasing participation in local cultural events and expanding the shop’s visibility within bilingual school communities