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Center Provides Support for Recent Campus Events with Brent Wilkes '88

The Rockefeller Center provides support to a limited number of events that Dartmouth student organizations host.  A recent campus visit from Brent Wilkes '88 allowed an opportunity for two student groups to hold relevant events to take advantage of the speaker's expertise.  Below you will find summaries of both events, written by students representing those campus organizations. 
On Saturday, October 23, the Dartmouth Political Union held a debate about illegal immigration.  Brent Wilkes ’88, National Executive Director of the League of United Latin American Citizens, came as the guest speaker. The Union debated the resolution “Pass the Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act (The ‘DREAM Act’)”.  The bill would offer citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants who meet criteria such as an educational requirement and military service.

Wilkes spoke in support of the resolution, arguing for the economic and social benefits as well as the bipartisan nature of the bill. Some students spoke in opposition, questioning the wisdom of weakening restrictions on illegal immigrants. Others spoke in affirmation, identifying the negative consequences of not naturalizing those already here. It was a lively debate with around 45 students attending. 

-- Nathan Gusdorf '12, Dartmouth Political Union

Noche Dorada Keynote: “Immigration and Advocacy in the US”
The event was well attended and highly successful. There were over 250 people in attendance, and these attendees consisted of faculty, administrators, students, visiting guests, and community members. Brent Wilkes' '88 address was everything we'd hoped for: very inspiring and relatable to the Dartmouth experience. He not only gave history around immigration law and reform, but he related his work to his Dartmouth education and gave a call to action for others students to use their education to change the world we live in.

After dinner was over, an unprecedented number of people stayed to watch the performances and dance (around 100 people). The live salsa band played until around 11pm when we finally closed down the affair.  It was a wonderful evening.

-- Angelo Carino Jr '11, Lambda Upsilon Lambda