News Release

Pacific Students elect first Latino Student President in nearly 30 years

(April 28, 2008) -

University of the Pacific students elected what is believed to be its first Latin American student body president in nearly three decades last month.

In early March, Edwin Lindo, a 21-year-old junior, was elected president of Pacific's student government, the Associated Students of University of the Pacific. The last Latin American student known to serve as student body president at Pacific was Martin Burt during the 1979-1980 school year, said Ines Ruiz-Huston, Pacific's Hispanic community outreach coordinator.

Lindo, a San Francisco native, is majoring in International Business with a minor in Pre-Law. He is expected to graduate in May 2009 and plans to attend law school with ambitions of practicing International Civil Rights Law. He said he eventually would like to practice in the World Court.

"Learning that I am the first Latin-American to be elected ASUOP President at the University of the Pacific was exciting, considering we are one of the oldest Universities on the West Coast," Lindo said. "I see this accomplishment as a small contribution to the advancement of people from disadvantaged backgrounds, proving, in a very small way that with a positive vision pulling us, and a strong background pushing us forward, more dreams can become reality."

Latinos make up10 percent of the University's 3,470 undergraduate students on its Stockton campus. Overall, Pacific has more than 6,200 students on all three of its campuses (Stockton, San Francisco and Sacramento) with more than 4,600 attending the university's main campus in Stockton.