Indiana Latino Institute Summit Prepares Youth for Careers
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — The Indiana Latino Institute (ILI) recently concluded its successful 2025 Annual Education Summit & College & Career Fair, a statewide initiative that connected over 3,000 students with a broad network of educational and professional opportunities.
The summit series, which was held in three cities—South Bend, Fishers, and Evansville—brought together students from 88 schools to engage with more than 110 employers and institutions.
Andrew Peñalva, Acting President & CEO of ILI, highlighted the mission driving the event, calling the summits the organization’s signature series.
“Our mission, you know, we exist really to promote and increase educational attainment and workforce preparedness in young people across the state,” said Peñalva. “We see education as a… the most powerful tool to create economic mobility and stronger communities.”
From Cafeteria to Statewide Initiative
Peñalva noted the dramatic growth of the initiative, which has been running for 14 years. What began as a small, single event in an Indianapolis school cafeteria with about a hundred students has since expanded into a robust, three-city series.
The summits are specifically designed to bridge the gap for underserved youth. “These Education Summits,” Peñalva explained, “are designed to put resources directly in front of students, especially those who may be first generation or unsure of the path to college.”
At the fairs, students participated in workshops, learned about scholarships and financial aid, and connected directly with colleges and employers to explore career pipelines available in Indiana.
Focus on Workforce and Community
Beyond the annual summit, Peñalva emphasized that ILI’s services—which are offered completely free of charge—center on educational attainment and workforce preparedness.
The organization also offers a two-year Leadership Circle development program for young professionals and is actively addressing a critical workforce need with a new initiative.
“A full scholarship that will cover the cost of people to become certified medical interpreters so that we can start… making sure that Spanish speakers are getting the same level of care when they go into these medical offices,” Peñalva announced, addressing the critical shortage of bilingual interpreters in hospitals.
For professionals and business owners looking to engage, ILI seeks partners for its internship program to host college students and invites community leaders to join the Leadership Circle.
Upcoming Legislative Breakfast
Peñalva also announced a major upcoming event: the 2026 Legislative Breakfast on February 5th at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis.
“This is an event that we put on every year where we kind of share our legislative agenda and priorities for the year, but it’s also a bipartisan event,” he said, noting that leadership from both the Republican and Democrat parties will participate in a panel discussion. Tickets for the event are currently on sale.
Students interested in ILI’s programs can find more information and application materials on the organization’s website, indianalatinoinstitute.org.
