Hurricanes Football just gave the world its first real glimpse into how the team will look after reaching the national championship last season, and new QB1 Darian Mensah went nuclear in his Miami debut.
Recapping everything that happened at Miami’s Spring Game and diving into the best plays and performances of the day. Breaking down how each positional group looked over the spring window and giving early predictions on who will start at each spot next season.
Canes Men’s Hoops and Head Coach Jai Lucas are on the hunt for players to add out of the transfer portal, and they just landed their next cornerstone duo at Point Guard and Center. Evaluating Miami’s two newest signings in Acaden Lewis and Somto Cyril and how they will fit into Jai Lucas’s system next year.
The University of Miami track and field team returned to Gainesville this weekend for the Tom Jones Memorial, turning in a series of performances that reshaped the program’s record book.
The women’s team entered the meet ranked No. 23 in the USTFCCCA standings.
Action on the track began in the 200m, where Sean Watkins Jr. won the event in 20.88 seconds, the third-fastest time in school history. In the invitational section of the 200m, George Franks matched his personal best with a time of 20.92, fourth all-time at Miami.
In the distance events, Enrique Borrego clocked a personal-best 3:51.05 in the 1500m, moving into fifth place in program history.
In the field, Jocelyn Pringle recorded a personal-best throw of 62.68m in the women’s hammer, solidifying her No. 2 mark in school history. Freshman Adriana Kruzmane continued her strong debut season in the triple jump, reaching 13.43m to improve her hold on the third-best mark in program history.
Simultaneously at the Wake Forest Invitational, Hurricanes were still setting records.
Miami’s top performance of the weekend came from Maddie Scheier who broke her own school record in the 3000m steeplechase. She finished in 10:19.72, shaving more than 10 seconds off her previous mark set last season.
The Hurricanes will travel to Philadelphia next for the Penn Relays, which begins Thursday.
After more than three months removed from a devastating national championship loss, over 5,000 fans gathered at Cobb Stadium on Saturday morning for a first look at Miami football’s 2026 squad.
The annual spring game offered exactly that: a mix of evaluation and entertainment. Miami structured the day differently this year, using the first half for position drills, including passing, red zone and agility work, before transitioning into a live scrimmage in the second half.
Much of the attention centered on new quarterback Darian Mensah, a transfer from Duke. While he started slow, Mensah quickly settled in and showed why he’s expected to lead the Hurricanes this fall.
Mensah connected multiple times with familiar target Cooper Barkate, his former teammate at Duke. The duo picked up right where they left off, highlighted by a 29-yard touchdown to the back corner of the end zone. Mensah added a 33-yard touchdown pass to Daylyn Upshaw and a five-yard score to Cam Vaughn, another transfer addition.
Calm in the pocket and effective under pressure, Mensah extended plays and delivered accurate throws, flashing the kind of playmaking ability Miami fans have been eager to see.
With several returning starters such as wide receiver Malachi Toney and running back Mark Fletcher seeing limited action, opportunities opened for younger players to contribute. RB Jordan Lyle capitalized, breaking off multiple strong runs and showing quick footwork in the open field.
Behind Mensah, Miami showcased its quarterback depth. Judd Anderson, Luke Nickel and early enrollee Dereon Coleman all saw snaps, with Nickel making a strong case for the backup role. Coleman flashed potential but remains a longer-term development piece.
Photo Credit: @CanesFootball via IG // Miami quarterback Darian Mensah performs handshake with redshirt senior wideout Cooper Barkate during Miami’s Spring Game on April 18, 2026, at Cobb Stadium.
Defensively, Miami may have delivered the most impressive performance of the day.
Despite losing key contributors such as Ruben Bain and Akheem Mesidor to the NFL, the Hurricanes controlled the line of scrimmage and limited offensive production. Defensive lineman Damon Wilson, a transfer from Missouri, along with tackles Justin Scott and Jarquez Carter, consistently disrupted plays. Scott’s quickness stood out against the run, while Wilson applied steady pressure off the edge.
In the secondary, Boston College transfer Omar Thornton, along with JJ Dunnigan and Xavier Lucas, contributed to multiple stops with tight coverage and physical tackling.
The offensive line, featuring several new faces and only one returning starter, showed flashes but remains a work in progress. Freshman Jackson Cantwell has big shoes to fill with Sisi Mauigoa declaring for the NFL draft. At 6-foot-8, 330 pounds, Cantwell acted as a brick wall protecting his QB and winning the battle at the line. However, the second team offensive line had some struggles, with two bad snaps in a row.
For many in attendance, however, the spring game was about more than just performance. It served as a rare opportunity for families and fans to connect with the program in a more personal setting, celebrating players beyond what they show on the field.
“It’s him fulfilling his dream and doing what he wants to do,” said the grandmother of wide receiver Milan Parris. “He’s my oldest grandson, and I’m just over the moon. I’m extremely proud of him.”
While the defense may have controlled much of the action, the day ultimately served as an early glimpse into a team balancing new talent, developing depth and high expectations.
With nearly five months until the season opener against Stanford on Sept. 4, Miami leaves the spring with promise and plenty to still refine.
The Miami Hurricanes golf team concluded the ACC Women’s Golf Championship at the number 10 spot with a team score of nine-over-par through three rounds.
The Canes started the tournament with a first round score of six-over-par, then they came out swinging in the second round– shooting four-under-par. That was the second-best team score of the round.
Overall, they finished the first day at the eighth place spot.
Miami finished the first two rounds ahead of four of their nationally ranked opponents: Florida State who came in ranked 17th, Virginia at 33rd, Virginia Tech at 39 and California at 48.
Senior Stella Jelinek paved the path to the top ten finish for Miami. She tied for 31st place at one-over-par. Barbora Bujakova closed the tournament tied for 45th place at three over par.
Ashleen Kaur and Rebekah Gardner both tied for 53rd place at six over par and Cloe Amion Villarino placed 66th with 13 over par.
No. 15 Miami delivered one of its strongest collective performances of the season Saturday, April 18.
UM finished third overall at the inaugural Orlando Invitational in a field stacked with ranked competition.
The Hurricanes posted three third-place finishes in Grand Finals races and totaled 35 points, trailing only No. 11 UCF (48) and No. 14 Duke (36). Miami also outperformed its initial seeding of fourth, a reflection of the program’s steady progress this spring.
“This was a fast and competitive regatta from top to bottom,” head coach James Mulcahy said. “I think we demonstrated that we are a much-improved team this spring and we are proud of how each crew attacked their races.”
Miami’s 1V8 continued to set the tone.
One day after breaking a program record in qualifying, the crew returned with a 6:28.6 finish in the Grand Final, securing third place and crossing ahead of No. 13 Alabama and No. 24 Oklahoma.
The 2V8 added another key result, placing third with a time of 6:45.4 and finishing in front of both No. 19 Penn and No. 14 Duke — a significant showing against top-20 competition.
In the 2V4, Miami posted a 7:27.5, finishing third while edging Duke and Oklahoma and closing in on UCF at the line in one of the tighter races of the day.
Across the regatta, Miami consistently positioned itself among the top boats, competing in a championship-style format that required crews to qualify through heats before returning for finals less than 24 hours later — a structure designed to mirror postseason racing.
“A strength of this team is that they work very diligently to improve from race to race,” Mulcahy continued. “Sometimes that leads to better results, and sometimes we falter. Today, we didn’t quite execute everything we wanted to, but we were fortunate to finish third overall and beat our initial seeding of fourth.”
Although it’s not the finish the Canes were aspiring for, this upward trajectory shows that this team is ready to move up in the ranks.
With the ACC Championships approaching, the weekend served as both a benchmark and a test of depth, recovery, and execution under pressure.
After a 4-3 win against No. 12 Wake Forest on Thursday, the Miami women’s tennis team (14-7, 8-4 ACC) was fired up and ready to take on fifth-seeded Duke (18-6, 10-2 ACC) in the ACC championship quarter finals on Friday.
With both teams seeded fifth and a recent match in the regular season, the crowd at Cary Tennis Park was anticipating a tough match.
Both teams battled it out for the doubles point, but Miami came out on top.
On court three, Miami’s Daria Volosova and Maria Vargas fell to Duke’s Liv Hovde and Aspen Schuman 6-2.
These pairs faced off against each other in the last match of the regular season with a similar outcome of 6-1.
Miami turned the tables on court two after beating No. 71 Claire An and Eleana Yu 6-4.
The last game against Duke may have been a foreshadowing for court three, but certainly not on the top court.
In the last game on April 12, Miami’s Raquel Gonzalez and Dominika Podhajecka fell 6-2 to Shavit Kimchi and Irina Balus. However in the quarterfinals, Gonzalez and Podhajecka battled it out and barely secured a 7-6 win.
This ultimately gave Miami the point going into the singles matches.
Duke certainly didn’t lose their momentum after losing the doubles point. It was able to control the match, taking the first three singles points.
No. 14 Balus took the top court over No. 42 Gonzalez 6-4, 6-0. This was followed by a Kimchi win over Volosova and a Hovde win over Ogunwale.
Miami was not ready to give up yet, and sophomore Sebastianna Scilipoti kept them in the game after tallying a point for a 6-4, 6-3 two set win over An.
The last two courts were left, with much anticipation.
After a hard-fought battle, Duke’s No. 48 Schuman clinched the win after a three set match going 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. No. 112 Podhajecka and No. 124 Yu were tied when their match was abandoned.
The final score was 4-2 Blue Devils, knocking the Canes out of the ACC championship.
The team will wait for the decision at the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, April 27, which determines if and where their season will continue.
Junior Xinyi Nong hits a high forehand back at her Kennesaw State University opponent at Neil Schiff Tennis Center on Wednesday, February 12, 2025. Photo Credit: Lorelei DiSanto @loreleis_lens, Staff Photographer//
The eighth-seeded University of Miami men’s tennis team fell to the ninth-seeded Duke Blue Devils 4-0 in the second round of the ACC Tournament on Thursday at the Cary Tennis Park in Cary, N.C.
From the jump, the Hurricanes struggled to gain any sort of momentum in doubles.
On court one, Duke’s Alexander Visser and Gerard Planelles Ripoll overpowered Jules Garot and Nacho Serra Sanchez 6-1. The Blue Devils clinched the doubles point shortly after as No. 3 Pedro Rodenas and Cooper Williams took down Jakub Kroslak and Mehdi Sadoaui 6-3.
Singles started off looking more promising for UM. No. 1 Antonio Prat, No. 4 Rafael Segado, and No. 5 Mehdi Sadaoui all put up strong first set performances.
No. 3 Kroslak and No. 6 Garot both lost their first sets in hard fought battles.
The Blue Devils only needed three singles victories, and that is what they got. Williams put up a dominant performance on court two, beating Serra Sanchez 6-1, 6-3.
Kroslak and Garot were not able to recover. Kroslak fell 7-5, 6-4 to Ripoll. Garot lost 7-6(3), 6-4 to Saahith Jayaraman of Duke to clinch the match and advance the Devils to the next round.
This was a disappointing opening round performance from the Hurricanes(14-11, 5-7 ACC), who will await their postseason fate at the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, April 27 in head coach Alex Santos’ last season in Coral Gables.
In the U.S., nature is only protected when humans have something to gain or lose. Rarely because nature itself is harmed. Nature itself has no voice or protection in a court of law.
The growing global movement for legal environmental status for nature is what this country needs. Nature should have the right not to be exploited. Nature deserves protection, not only when humans are being harmed.
The Rights of Nature is an idea rooted in ancient Indigenous and modern philosophy, holding that nature has its own legal rights without relying on property, human health or human business interests for protection under the law.
If the Rights of Nature framework were ever adopted in the U.S., lawmakers would first have to recognize an ecosystem as having legal rights. Once these rights are established, anyone can take legal action on behalf of an ecosystem that has been damaged or destroyed.
For example, a community member in the U.S. could file a lawsuit against a construction company for destroying a forest recognized as having legal rights. Even if the person doesn’t own the land, they can go to court arguing for the forest’s rights, but only if Rights of Nature were ever adopted.
The concept is not a utopian theory. Real legal systems around the world are protecting the Earth, but the U.S. is still falling behind them.
Various countries in Latin America have taken the initiative to recognize nature as a legal subject. In 2008, Ecuador led the shift by becoming the first country in the world to include the rights of nature in its Constitution. Bolivia used the “Rights of Mother Earth” framework in its national legislation focused on harmony with nature, and Panama followed.
In the U.S., pollution is urgent to people when it threatens drinking water, but not when river ecology is being destroyed. This anthropocentric approach has been used for decades and explains why Earth’s health continues to decline. The current system has failed nature, and so have we by staying silent. The root of change requires significant cooperation between lawmakers, courts, local communities and environmental advocates.
Indigenous traditions typically view nature with respect and responsibility, and aim to conserve it. Many communities in these countries have understood that humans belong to nature, not the other way around. The idea of Mother-Earth is one not of ownership but of belonging and interdependence.
A mother is not something to extract from endlessly. She is someone to respect, protect and remain accountable to. This perspective has driven the expansion of the Rights of Nature movement. It’s not solely political — it’s moral.
According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, Florida’s nature features more than 80 distinct ecosystems, including the Everglades wetlands, extensive mangrove forests, hundreds of crystal-clear freshwater springs and the ocean.
Orange County, Fla., residents recognized this, too. In 2020, 89% of voters approved the Right to Clean Water Initiative, recognizing legal rights for local rivers and streams. The following year, advocates filed the first nature-enforcement case in the United States under a rights-of-nature law. These were small wins that were very temporary.
Florida later restricted local governments from granting legal rights to natural environments unless they are recognized by state law or the state constitution. In a state with such diverse ecosystems, treating nature as unworthy of its own protection is disappointing.
Critics of the movement argue that ecosystems cannot literally speak or act for themselves. They fear uncertainty about representation and how courts will weigh violations of nature. Other concerns arise from the recognition of legal rights to nature and how that could expand litigation into excessive interpretation. The concerns raised are valid concerns, but they are not unique to the Rights of Nature movement.
The law already recognizes many entities that cannot speak for themselves. Corporations can hold rights, and representatives regularly act in court on behalf of children or incapacitated adults.
This issue is of utmost importance to every American. Whether it is the oceans they swim in, the mountains they climb or the forest trails they hike, human life depends on these ecosystems.
The anthropocentric approach has been used for decades and explains why Earth’s health continues to decline. The current system has failed nature, and by staying silent, we have too. The root of change requires significant cooperation.
As climate pressures intensify and environmental harm becomes harder to ignore, will nature ever have the right to protect itself from exploitation?
Olympia Theater has stood in the heart of Miami for 100 years. The small red carpet placed in front of the building, however, was a new, temporary addition for the Miami Film Festival.
Adorned with lights and a blue backdrop, the bustling crowds waited for actor and producer Bob Odenkirk’s arrival on Saturday, April 11.
Whether a red carpet is laid out for dozens of celebrities to strut across or for just one, the chaos remains the same. Lights, cameras, press, fans who aren’t always supposed to be there. It’s intense, but Odenkirk arrived calm, collected and confident.
Odenkirk attended the Miami Film Festival to promote the release of his new film, “Normal.”
Odenkirk holding the Precious Gem Award he received.
The film follows Odenkirk’s character, Sheriff Ulysses. The story is told through a simultaneously dark and comical lens and has a combination of thrill, horror and comedy. This gives it a “Final Destination” feel, Odenkirk said.
Without giving away too much, Odenkirk revealed Ulysses is a “very smart fellow, but he’s lived a lot of life,” as a man in his early 60s. He finds relatability in his character, noting how Ulysses “is an older guy,” which he appreciates, as he says he is used to playing characters 20 years younger than himself.
This allowed him to channel his own personality when it came to understanding his character, from the way Ulysses uses his life experiences to guide him, to the way he hesitates to trust his own instincts.
The movie, shot in 35 mm film, was screened for attendees. Director Ben Wheatley made the choice to shoot the film this way instead of a typical digital format, like most movies in this generation are.
Odenkirk emphasized, “it really is an old style film,” he said. It feels like something “that you would have seen made in the early 1980s or the ’70s, even.”
The graininess, saturated, high-contrast colors and overall retro, rustic feeling the movie deserves— as an ode to older cinematography, can only be produced by a film camera.
He added, “it really needs to be seen in the theater” for the optimal viewing experience.
After a handful of other interviews he treated with attentiveness, patience and natural charm, Odenkirk finally made his way to my side of the red carpet.
From playing the title character in the “Breaking Bad” spin-off “Better Call Saul” to having multi-episode cameos as Uncle Lee on “The Bear” to Sheriff Ulysses in “Normal,” Odenkirk’s TV and filmography consists of countless successes.
When asked which of these characters’ stressful worlds he would rather live in, Odenkirk immediately, undoubtedly chose his character in “Normal.”
“I like the guy I play in this film. He’s actually a nice guy, and he’s funny too,” he said. “‘The Bear’ is too tense. Yeah that guy is out of his mind, and ‘Breaking Bad’ is scary.”
Before Odenkirk stepped off the red carpet, I had the chance to ask him one more question: “What are you most excited for fans to see in your new movie?”
”The way that it mixes different genres – it’s got comedy in it, it’s got action, it’s got a little bit of a horror film at times,” Odenkirk said. “I think it’s a tone that I haven’t played yet.”
And with that, Odenkirk shook a few more hands, answered a couple more questions and headed inside Olympia Theater for a conversational Q and A with fans.
Miami’s defense showed its true colors as their offense lulled in a mid-April midweek matchup against the South Florida Bulls.
The 4-2 loss comes off the heels of an impactful series win against Wake Forest, cementing Miami as sixth in the ACC, shocking both the team, and the 3,446 that bore witness.
Notable contributors, despite the loss, were Jake Ogden, who went 2-4 with a double, Alex Sosa and Max Galvin, who both drove in a run with RBI singles.
The Canes had a rocky start to the game, with the Bulls knocking one in before recording an out — Two errant throws subsequently led to runs scored, and Miami faced a 2-0 deficit before getting a chance at the plate.
This is not new for the Hurricanes, whose 49 errors coming into their Wednesday matchup rank just below Duke, who leads the ACC with 50. The three of this game only add to concern for the growing total.
After the sloppy frame, Ogden led the charge in return by roping a ball to left for a leadoff double. Sosa continued the rally in a 3-2 count, adding his own extra-base-hit to the stat-sheet when he looped a ball past the Bulls left fielder for an RBI triple.
David Lebowitz, Photo Editor/ Junior Catcher Alex Sosa sprints toward third base on April 12, 2026.
With two outs in the first, and still down one, left fielder Max Galvin stroked a ball back up the middle for an RBI single, tying the game at two-a-piece.
A quiet second brought USF back up to the plate, where first baseman Joey Brenczewski would smoke a 1-1 pitch over the right field wall, giving South Florida back the lead.
Another scoreless inning brought the Canes up to bat in the fifth, still down one. Besides a two-out bunt single from Ogden, Miami could not seem to put it together at the plate.
With two outs in the bottom half of the sixth, USF made their first pitching change, replacing Dominic Pontbriant for Landen Yorek.
Pontbriant kept the Canes at bay after the first, pitching four full scoreless innings of his 5.2 inning total — his day ended at 87 pitches, having tallied five strikeouts and only allowed one walk and four hits.
Following USF’s lead, Miami replaced TJ Coats with lefty reliever Jake Dorn to kick off the seventh.
Coats, after six full innings, was one bright spot on Miami’s day. Despite allowing seven hits, Coats heaved three scoreless to end his day, and only allowed one walk, continually giving the Canes a chance to succeed after some early struggles.
Dorn entered a tough spot, and faltered. Under a close deficit, he plunked two batters, with one ultimately being USF’s fourth run scored, bringing their lead to two.
A single from catcher Alonzo Alvarez rang in another call to the bullpen for USF — which ultimately resulted in a fielder’s choice for the final out of the inning.
Dorn was replaced by Sebastian Santos-Olson in the eighth, who returned to the trend of scoreless innings, giving the Canes another opportunity to come through.
With the Bulls’ fourth pitcher of the game taking the mound, and the top of the lineup due, Miami once again stumbled at the plate, going three-and-out aside for a walk from Alex Sosa.
Despite a walk and a single from first baseman Brylan West and Galvin, respectively, it was too little too late. A lineout to the shifted USF shortstop off the bat of Alvarez led to an easy double play, putting emphasis on Miami’s woes for the evening.
The Canes look to regain their footing in Palo Alto, Calif., as they take on the Stanford Cardinal in a three-game series beginning Friday, April 17 at 9 p.m. EST.
David Lebowitz, Photo Editor/ Junior Catcher Alex Sosa and Senior Lyndon Glidewell celebrate after defeating Wake Forest on April 12, 2026.
Factory Town did not treat Miami Music Week like a finish line. After five straight nights of packed programming across its stages, the venue is moving directly into a spring calendar that continues its momentum.
From international techno institutions to Race Weekend blowouts and artist-led takeovers, Factory Town is making a strong case for one of Miami’s most essential music spaces long after the Music Week crowds leave.
First up is an event from the team behind III Points on Saturday, April 18 — a more laid-back and loose spin on a night out. It runs from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. at Factory Town, which suits the energy: communal, unhurried, with music, games, flowers, a skating rink and a mix of local artists and DJs giving you plenty of reasons to keep moving through the space.
On Saturday, April 25, Time Warp Miami takes over at 9 p.m. and the energy shifts completely.This one’s for the techno heads — Adiel, Hector Oaks, Ben Klock, Marcel Dettmann, SPFDJ, Honey Dijon, Klangkuenstler, Richie Hawtin, Chlär, Boys Noize.
It’s a heavy, underground lineup and it hits differently on the same grounds that just hosted a skating rink and flower stands. Time Warp has long been one of the most respected names in global techno, so having its Miami edition at Factory Town says a lot about how far the venue’s reputation now reaches.
Then comes Race Weekend, which has quietly become Miami’s next mini-Music Week. As Formula 1 brings another wave of travelers, luxury events and nightlife programming to the city, Factory Town will host a three-night run with Zedd, Cassian, Dreya V at the Infinity Room.
Mestiza presents Sacro at the Chainroom on Friday, May 1. Rampa, Jaden Thompson and Rimaye on Saturday, May 2 and Martin Garrix and Miss Monique at the Infinity Room and Slugg presents Getbusy at the Charinroom on Sunday, May 3.
It is a fitting trio for a weekend where sports spectacle, global nightlife and dance music all blur together.
The month continues with two artist-led nights that show the venue can still carry real gravity outside major citywide weekends. Mau P presents Baddest Behaviour comes Friday, May 15, with an open-to-close takeover that should fit perfectly inside Factory Town’s larger rooms.
The next night, I HATE MODELS presents Disco Inferno brings a harder, darker edge back to the venue on Saturday, May 16. After his standout Music Week set, seeing him return to Factory Town feels like an easy yes.
What makes this run important is not just the names on the calendar, but the range. The III Points-affiliated event shows the venue’s playful local side. Time Warp brings international underground prestige.
Race Weekend delivers scale. Mau P and I HATE MODELS offer focused artist worlds. Together, they show that Factory Town is not simply a seasonal attraction.
If Music Week proved Factory Town can anchor Miami at its busiest, this spring calendar proves the venue does not need the city’s biggest week to feel essential. Tickets for upcoming events are available through Factory Town and DICE.
Since its revival in spring 2024 with only two founding members, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc. (LTA) has quickly grown, nearly doubling its size to 15 active sisters at the New Member Presentation on April 3, 2026.
Founded in 1975 as a Latina Academic Sorority, LTA was intended to be one of a kind, a Latin sisterhood rooted in unity, love, respect and community.
While it is Latina by tradition, it is not exclusive by definition. Members come from diverse backgrounds, unified by values of inclusivity, unity and respect. Anyone who aligns with these principles is welcome, regardless of ethnicity or background.
The recent pledge class, Line 23, presented in Spring 2026, was the largest class since being reinstated, welcoming seven new sisters. This growth represents the sorority’s influence and presence on campus.
They work towards becoming known as an organization focused beyond social aspects, focusing on education, community service and empowerment for women at UM.
The new members, many of whom are first-generation college students, reflect LTA’s commitment to empowering Latina women.
“The girls [in Line 23] are very ambitious,” said Perla Hernandez Vasquez, a line 22 member. “They’re all girls that really make us proud because they’ve truly embodied what it means to be a Lambda lady.”
Active members and alumni are committed to help these young women succeed academically, personally and professionally.
The re-establishment of LTA Beta Sigma at UM was led by Deani Sanchez, whose leadership and vision laid the groundwork for the sorority’s revival on campus. Since then, each line has contributed to the strength of their values, sisterhood, and campus engagement. Karolina Morales Sierra, a Line 23 member, was drawn to the sorority for its dedication to philanthropy and community service.
“I saw how close the girls on campus were,” she said. “Not only are they Latinas, they do community service and their values really aligned with my values.”
Lambda Theta Alpha new member showcase celebration at the Rock Plaza on April 3, 2026. Zulema Zavala // Photo Credit.
What’s next?
With the chapter growing each semester, LTA plans to build on this momentum by developing political advocacy initiatives and deepening community impact, ensuring that growth is sustainable. Focusing on their philanthropy through events like Myeloma Awareness Week and the St Jude Children Hospital.
With an untraditional recruitment process, LTA seeks women who bring diverse interests and commitments.
“Figure yourself out first. Do what you’re passionate about and advocate for the things you care about.” Hernandez Vasquez said. “When you’re ready, we’ll be here to support you and help you grow — not to engulf you but to add value to your life.”
Vazquez encourages girls to observe, interact and approach the chapter at tabling events or any member with questions.
