CATIE students celebrate Student Council handover ceremony

• The new student representatives for the 2025–2026 term take on the leadership of the academic community with commitment

In an atmosphere of formality and enthusiasm, CATIE’s Graduate School (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) held the official Student Council handover ceremony on May 21.

The event was presided over by the Dean of the Graduate School, Alfredo Zamarripa, who delivered a welcome speech and highlighted the importance of student participation as a cornerstone of university life. The activity was also attended by members of the outgoing Student Council, led by Lasmit Cerón (President), along with Mariaclara López (Vice President), Joshua Baeza (Secretary), Rachel Medrano (Treasurer), and Lesly Urbina (Culture and Relations Representative).

The central moment of the ceremony was the swearing-in of the new Student Council, led by Dean Zamarripa, who conducted the formal act in which each new member pledged their commitment to the CATIE student community.

The 2025–2026 Student Council is composed of:

• Caridad Lizeth Martínez, President
• Olivier Fernando González, Vice President
• Dalina Loreyna Pérez, General Secretary
• Jennifer González, Treasurer
• Betzy Jhazmin Muñoz, Academic Affairs Representative
• Jacqueline Liliana Vargas, Professional Affairs Representative
• Julieta Carmen Alazraki, Culture and Relations Representative
• Orlen Renan Benítez, Sports and Recreation Representative
• Alex David Mejía, Student Life Representative
• Camil Ly Valentin, Environmental Representative
• Emilia Dominique Soria, Communications Representative
• Jose Pablo Martínez, Auditor

After the swearing-in, the new president, Caridad Lizeth Martínez, delivered a speech reaffirming the new team's commitment to the well-being and active representation of students before the Graduate School and the broader institutional community.

The event symbolized not only a transition in leadership but also the continuity of the spirit of collaboration, diversity, and representation that characterizes CATIE’s student body.