El Centro de la Raza's Student Success Leaders (SSLs) and Program Assistants (PAs) are a cohort of undergraduate student employees who take lead with daily activities and operations within El Centro. The goal of the academy is to expose students to a professional work environment that presents the opportunity to learn and acquire crucial skills which are transferrable to life after graduation. Through the Student Professional Development Academy, students will leave El Centro not only equipped with the knowledge learned from their program of studies, but also with hands-on experience and tangible skills for post-graduation endeavors.