Name: Deni Avelar
Major/Minors: International Relation/Spanish and Economic Policy
Classification: Senior
Hometown: Mexico City
Deni Avelar is a creator of legacies, currently acting as president of the Hispanic Student Association and Kappa Delta Chi at UWF. Deni has lived in Mexico City for 10 years as well as Destin, FL more recently.
In her free time, Deni loves to have fun with friends or introduce people to her favorite taco shack behind the Shell gas station on Davis Hwy., El Asador.
If you are involved in Greek Life, you may have recently noticed a new name on the list of organizations: Kappa Delta Chi.
Kappa Delta Chi is a Latina-based multicultural service sorority. Deni is the president of Kappa Delta Chi Colony at UWF and is responsible for bringing together the seven charter members of this new sorority. Deni brought Kappa Delta Chi, also nicknamed “KDChi,” to campus to provide an opportunity for women who felt as though they did not belong to the currently existing sororities.
Why bring KDChi to UWF? Her answer: “UWF did not have a latin sorority, so I wanted to change that.”
Caption: Deni at Beach Bash her freshman year.
The Hispanic Student Association is a student organization on campus that promotes Hispanic heritage as well as creates a community for students of Hispanic origins and those interested in Hispanic culture. The organization prioritizes creating a family atmosphere for Hispanic students by hosting events such as a Family Thanksgiving and going on mini cultural trips to Texas.
With their most recent successes, the club plans to expand this upcoming year and making their annual Thanksgiving dinner an event for all students at UWF, including anyone who may not have the chance to go home to enjoy Thanksgiving with their families.
Looking back, Deni actually didn’t want to join HSA at first. Now, she sits as the president of the organization. In reflection, Deni states that HSA was one of the “best decisions” she made at UWF, finding some of her closest friends there.
Caption: Deni and her Dutch roommate, LouLou.
The underlying theme behind Deni’s influence on campus has been to increase awareness and acceptance for students of diversified backgrounds. She sees diversity as an enhancement to the college atmosphere. She strives to bridge the connection between Florida natives and international students through her work with the UWF Global Quarter.
Her favorite quote is “The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly” by Jim Rohn. It’s her favorite because this quote highlights the qualities that she finds important in a good leader, which shows that she values a well-rounded leader able to gauge whatever situation they find themselves in.