How Alpha Pi Sigma supports Latina students on campus
By Rachel Prior, May 5, 2026
While much of the campus is still empty Monday mornings, members of Alpha Pi Sigma gather at the Bronco Student Center for their weekly chapter meeting.
Between updates from the national board and upcoming chapter activities, members weave the focus of the meeting between organizational updates and personal check-ins, discussing work, family, friends and upcoming exams.
Founded in 1990, Alpha Pi Sigma is a multicultural sorority working to empower Latina women in higher education. The organization is academically driven and focuses on community, professional development, leadership and fundraising for scholarships, particularly for first-generation students.
For Brianna Rivera, a senior psychology student and president of the Cal Poly Pomona chapter of APS, this community has given her a sense of belonging, something she didn’t feel on campus before she joined.
“I don’t see a lot of people that look like me,” Rivera said. “… There was a sense of imposter syndrome, like, do I even belong here? A lot of us are first-gen. We don’t have backgrounds or really any experience with corporate America or any sort of higher education.”
Rivera said the organization pushes members to take academics seriously and start preparing early for the workforce and life after graduation.
Jayda Lozoya, a third-year English literature student serves as the “Sunshine Chair,” a position in sororities tasked with boosting group morale, fostering positivity and helping members build connections with one another. She said the focus on academics is what drew her to the sorority.
“APS prioritizes academics and being professional first and foremost,” Lozoya said.
Lozoya said APS encouraged her to stay disciplined in school and motivated her to pursue leadership roles within the organization.
Lisette Guerra, a third-year criminology student and general member of APS who joined in fall 2025, said she was originally against joining a sorority.
She already worked on campus in orientation services and the music department, but said she wanted to join a community outside of her jobs that connected to her culture and academic goals.
During her first semester, she earned straight A’s and credits the sorority’s emphasis on academics for motivating and keeping her accountable.
Guerra, Lozoya and Rivera defined their sisterhood through similar upbringings, culture, family values and struggles. They connect over experiences being first-generation college students, expectations at home, becoming independent and learning to balance responsibilities and fun.
Guerra said shared experiences make it easier for her to take risks. When tabling events and working fundraisers for APS, she no longer feels alone.
“I feel … safer to get out of my comfort zone because everyone around me … has the same struggles and upbringings,” Guerra said. “It helps me loosen up and be like, no, it’s OK. Everyone is just like me.”
While APS has created a strong sense of community for its members, Rivera believes the school could do more to support Latino students on campus.
According to enrollment data from the California State University system, CPP is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, meaning it is a school where least 25% of full-time undergraduate students are Hispanic and at least half of degree-seeking students are low-income.
“I don’t think Cal Poly has really earned that title,” Rivera said.
Rivera points to the lack of campus-wide cultural programs and a reduction in funding for cultural centers.
“We have one cultural event a year, and that’s Dia de los Muertos,” Rivera said, “And even our cultural centers… are receiving less and less funding.”
For her, representation means more than demographics; it also means steady support to her community from the school.
Rivera said organizations like APS exist because students feel the need to create the spaces the university does not provide them.
As president, Rivera coordinates with the national board and handles chapter planning. She explains being a good leader means setting boundaries and separating personal opinions from organizational decisions.
Rivera said this role has prepared her for future professional environments.
“It really put me out there and now within both my personal and my college lives,” Lozoya said. “I strive to be more a part of my community and … take on those leadership roles as well.”
Outside of personal development, the chapter raises funds for the Adelitas Scholarship, which supports high school and transfer students. APS organizes events and tables on campus to promote and raise money for the scholarship, aiming to make higher education more accessible to women of color.
“Most of us didn’t have opportunities like this growing up,” Guerra said. “So being able to create them for others means a lot.”
Alpha Pi Sigma stays active on campus throughout the academic year, regularly hosting events and fundraisers. More information about the organization and upcoming events can be found on its Instagram page, @cppalphapisigma.
Feature image courtesy of CPP Alpha Pi Sigma Beta Chapter
