Leslie Dunstan

Thania Gaido

When I first met with Executive Officer Víctor Mora in the summer of 2004, I was ecstatic to become a part of the ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? staff and of the Latin@ community here at Ohio State. As the Associate Editor, I was able to write and edit profiles and articles, take photographs, manage our Trivia Game feature, and attend such entertaining and colorful events as Fiesta in the Fall and a “¿Y Tú Quién Eres?” luncheon at the Faculty Club with Latin@s from all over the country.

I firmly believe in the importance of educating those around us, and my experience at ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? has enabled me to do this in ways I could not have imagined. In my regular job as a Facility Manager at the Department of Recreational Sports, I was able to share Latin@ culture with my fellow employees, who had a rainbow of backgrounds but some of whom knew little about Latin@s and had questions. In particular, our Spring ’05 issue (my personal favorite) was a great tool for educating the people around me about the difference between the names Latin@ and Hispanic and the fantastic diversity that exists within this community, among other things. I was even honored with that department’s diversity award because of my experience with and contributions to ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? Perhaps, though, I will most fondly remember the enthusiastic greeting I was always given by the department’s director, Mr. J. Michael Dunn, every time he saw me at work: a cheerful, “Leslie…¿Qué Pasa?”

This past summer was an amazing experience for me because after our former Editor Ligia Lundine was awarded a fellowship and had to leave the magazine, I took over as Interim Editor. In preparing for the release of our Autumn ’05 issue in October, which we decided to release a whole month ahead of time this year (a first for the publication), it was a hectic time to get all of the articles prepared, make contact with, and take photos of numerous people. Nonetheless, it was a rewarding experience, and I look forward to seeing all of our contributors’ hard work, combined with the efforts of the ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? staff, in creating this exciting and informative issue, which explores new beginnings, transitions, and adaptation.

In addition to hearing from first-year Latin@ students who share their candid thoughts and expectations for college, Professor Pat Enciso introduces us to three new Latin@ faculty members in the Latino/a Studies Program and in the departments of English and History. This issue also features many sources and resources thanks to the contributions of Ernesto Escoto from Counseling and Consultation Services, Ana Berríos from Career Connection, and Amy Barnes from First Year Experience, not to mention the inclusion of the Hispanic/Latin@ Contact List, which includes faculty, staff, and students, and your guide to OSU Hispanic/Latin@ organizations.

This issue also features three interesting profiles. Dr. Fernando Lisboa Teixeira enlightens us about his expertise in electromagnetics, and recently graduated senior Carlos Castro describes how OSU prepared him for the next chapter in his life, which will be attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Graduate student Cynthia P. Fraga also gives us insights into the organization she helped found at OSU, Maestros Aprendiendo Todo Del Español (MATE).

In addition, in “Su Opinión,” Professor José Castro points out issues of importance to the university as a whole and stresses the importance of Hispanic/Latin@ faculty and staff to participate in the survey sponsored by the Organization of Hispanic Faculty and Staff (OHFS) this autumn. This survey will strive to assess the issues of importance to Hispanic/Latin@ faculty and staff at OSU and will help the OHFS and the Hispanic Oversight Committee prepare an agenda to support the university’s Diversity Action Plan. ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? will collaborate fully in this effort.

I have had a wonderful experience working in this publication, and I will never forget the wonderful people who have taught me so much. Thank you to Víctor Mora, Ligia Lundine, and Lucas Araujo for all their help and support. My year at this publication and working for Ohio State has given me invaluable work experience that I know I will take with me to all future jobs, and I have full confidence that ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? will continue to grow as a fuerte y apasionada voz for Latin@s everywhere.
Leslie Dunstan, outgoing Interim Editor



Before recently becoming the new Editor of this publication, I have read ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? over the past six years, and now that I have the opportunity to collaborate, I am eager to maintain the traditions and expectations that ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? offers to its readers. I encourage students, faculty, and staff to contact me with ideas for articles and welcome suggestions to continue to improve our publication.
Thania Gaido, Editor, gaido.2@osu.edu