UF’s Hispanic-Latino Engagement Center will open a new location Wednesday.
“La Salita” will be an expansion of La Casita, which was established in 1994. La Casita is on West University Avenue, but its new engagement center will be on the second floor of the Reitz Union. Casita is Spanish for “little house,” while salita is Spanish for “little living room.”
After Wednesday, UF will be the only institution in the country to have two spaces for Latino students, said Ralphy Lopez, one of the ambassadors overseeing the grand opening.
“It’s a living-room-style atmosphere where we will host discussions and people can come in and do their homework,” the 21-year-old said. “The 38 ambassadors we have will matriculate from La Casita to La Salita.”
Alexandra Rodriguez, a UF advertising sophomore, said she has been planning the grand opening since Fall.
“There will be two students performing a spoken word — which is like free-form poetry — the cutting of the ribbon and a representative from the Hispanic alumni association,” the 20-year-old said.
Nadia Mourad, a UF microbiology and cell science sophomore, said she has been going to La Casita to study since her freshman year.
“It’s better than the library: less people and free coffee,” the 20-year-old said. “I look forward to seeing the new space. I hope it has the same aura and is as comfortable.”
Students sit in the Hispanic-Latino Engagement Center on the second floor of the Reitz Union on Monday. “La Salita” will have its grand opening on Wednesday at noon.
