Ashley Soto (‘20) has been a change agent since she stepped foot on campus. As an Afrolatinx, low-income, and first-generation student raised by a single mom, she quickly got immersed in her Organization Studies degree, going on to win the 2019 Delta Tau Lambda Sorority, Inc. National Neophyte of the Year award and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Spirit Award for her work supporting her communities. Graduating at the height of the pandemic didn’t slow her momentum as she accepted a job back in her hometown of Grand Rapids with the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She is returning to LSA to share her experiences and how she leveraged her LSA degrees to create change in her community.


About Ashley: Ashley Soto is a proud first-generation college graduate and holds a degree in Organizational Studies, Community Action, and Social Change from the University of Michigan. She has experience working in higher education and nonprofits, where she has utilized her lived experiences and leadership skills to develop and support pipeline programming for underrepresented communities. In her current role at the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Ashley provides professional development coaching designed for Latinx students across the state of Michigan. As a Lead Success Navigator for the Talent Development wing of the Chamber, Building Bridges Through Education (BBTE), Ashley heads the coordination of the nationally recognized BBTE Fellowship and works closely with community stakeholders to develop culturally relevant programming. Ashley was born and raised in West Michigan and is proud to call Grand Rapids, MI her home.

You should attend this session if you are:
- A U-M undergraduate LSA student
- Interested in working in nonprofits or student-facing roles
- Interested in creating a career pathway that is mission-led and service-focused


What you’ll gain by attending:
- Get inspired by Ashley’s U-M LSA experience and discover new ways to get engaged on campus and how to form community
- Learn about career possibilities with an organizational studies degree
- Make a powerful connection with an alum who can be advocate and support

RSVP NOW to be part of the conversation. The link to join this Alum Connection will be emailed to you after you RSVP

The LSA Opportunity Hub aims to deliver inclusive and accessible experiences and welcomes all LSA students to participate. This event will be hosted on Zoom (learn more about Zoom accessibility) and can be accessed by phone or computer. Presentation materials may be shared in advance if requested, and live captioning will be provided. To request other accommodations please contact LSA Hub Events at lsa.hubevents@umich.edu or 734-763-4674 so we can make arrangements.