About

Puentes was established to help create an equitable space that centers the experiences and needs of Latine graduate students across schools and disciplines at the University of Michigan.

Puentes was founded in the Summer of 2019 with the goal of creating a Latine graduate welcome program for all newly admitted Latine graduate students across all schools and departments at the University of Michigan. Puentes has since expanded to include socials, professional development, and networking opportunities, as well as wellness events for current Latine graduate students.

Meet our 2026 - 2027 Executive Board

Viviana Vélez Negrón, Co-President

Program: Ph.D. Student in the Combined Program in Education and Psychology

Hometown: Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico

Viviana is passionate about teaching and community outreach. She has a bachelor’s in Special Education with an emphasis in Deaf Education and a master’s in Early Childhood and Special Education. Her research interests are bilingualism, heritage language acquisition, and language and literacy development in linguistically-diverse learners. Outside of work, Viviana enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, exploring Michigan with her husband, and collaborating in diverse community initiatives.

Vanessa Quevedo Barrios, Co-President

Program: Ph.D. Student in Chemistry

Hometown: Mexico and Colorado

Vanessa is a PhD student in Chemistry specializing in method development and antibody-antigen characterization using mass spectrometry. She is from Mexico and Colorado. Vanessa completed her undergraduate studies at Williams College in Massachusetts, where she double-majored in Chemistry and Arabic. She became involved with Puentes because she was drawn to the supportive community it offers.

Frida Sandoval, Vice President

Program: DDS Student at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry

Hometown: Detroit, MI

Frida is a third-year dental student hoping to possibly specialize in oral & maxillofacial surgery. She completed a bachelor's in evolutionary anthropology at the University of Michigan and grew up in Southwest Detroit. As a dentist, she hopes to mitigate health disparities present in Black, Indigenous, and Latine communities. With Puentes, she hopes to provide mentorship and deepen the connection amongst all Latine students on campus. In her free time, Frida enjoys reading, going on walks, and trying new restaurants.

Eric Roman, Community Engagement and Partnerships

Program: Ph.D. Student in Mechanical Engineering

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Eric is a Ph.D. Student in Mechanical Engineering studying solid state batteries for use in electric vehicles. He earned his Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. With Puentes, Eric hopes to promote unity and mentorship among the Hispanic graduate community at Michigan. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, cooking, and dancing.

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