According to the U.S. Department of Education, “a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) is defined as an institution of higher education that—(A) is an eligible institution; and (B) has an enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25 percent Hispanic students at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application.” While this definition nicely sums up the requirements a school must meet to become an HSI, being an HSI and truly serving the Hispanic community goes beyond statistics. And so we here at Hispanic Outlook are running an ongoing article series highlighting those schools that have achieved HSI status and how they are truly Hispanic-Serving Institutions.
Arizona State University-West
(ASU)
ASU’s West campus is home to the first undergraduate degree to be offered by Thunderbird School of Global Management and a noted Bachelor of Science in forensic science through New College. Coming this fall, the College of Public Service and Community Solutions will offer new programs at the West campus.
Website: https://campus.asu.edu/west
Azusa Pacific University
(APU)
APU offers a wide variety of associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs on campus, online and at six Southern California locations. The school’s Nancy Moore/Celebrate Azusa Citizens Scholarship Program awards $5,000 to APU freshmen who maintain a 2.7 GPA, take 12 units/semester (minimum) and devote 10 hours/week to community service.
Website: https://www.apu.edu/
College of the Mainland
(COM)
Located in Texas, COM embraces the diversity among its students, staff, faculty and administrators. Its Minority Male for Excellence (MM4E) program is designed to improve the recruitment and retention of African-American and Hispanic males at COM through activities including workshops, community engagement opportunities, and mentoring by faculty, staff, and peers.
Website: http://www.com.edu/
CUNY Hunter College
(Hunter)
Located in Manhattan, CUNY’s Hunter offers more than 170 areas of study. More than a third of its diverse student body are first-generation college students, and many go on to top professional and graduate programs, winning Fulbright scholarships, Mellon fellowships, and National Institutes of Health grants, as well as other notable distinguished honors.
Website: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/main/
Felician University
(Felician)
Located in New Jersey, Felician is an independent co-educational Catholic/Franciscan University founded in 1942 and sponsored by the Felician Sisters to educate a diverse population of students within the framework of a liberal arts tradition. The university’s study abroad and exchange program includes faculty-led trips to Barcelona and Seville, Spain.
Website: https://www.felician.edu/
Garden City Community College
(GCCC)
Founded in 1919, GCCC was one of the first community colleges in Kansas. Its student clubs/organizations include The Hispanic American Leadership Organization (HALO) whose goal is to nurture and encourage young Hispanic men and women to be leaders. HALO members take part in many activities, including GCCC Hispanic Student Day.
Website: https://www.gcccks.edu/
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
(NMT)
NMT’s academic programs cover a variety of engineering areas, as well as biology; communication, liberal arts, social sciences; earth & environmental sciences; information technology; management; physics; and psychology & education. Its organizations include the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, which is a professional group on campus with a student chapter.
Website: http://www.nmt.edu/
Palm Beach State College
(PBSC)
Founded in 1933 as Florida’s first public community college, PBSC has grown to five campuses and 49,000 students from more than 158 countries and offers more than 130 programs of study. Its 16 current scholarships include its “Finish4Free Get your AA at PBSC,” which awards recipients full tuition per semester.
Website: https://www.palmbeachstate.edu/
Springfield Technical Community College
(STCC)
Massachusetts’ STCC offers a variety of career programs including biotechnology, mechanical engineering technology, nursing and respiratory care. Its TRIO Student Support Services is part of its Student & Multicultural Affairs Division and assists students in adjusting to college and for transitioning to into a career or to a four-year college/university.
Website: https://www.stcc.edu/
University of Illinois at Chicago
(UIC)
With roots dating back to the 19th century, UIC today has grown to house 15 colleges and offer 86 bachelor’s programs. Its campus events include the Taste of UIC student organizations fundraiser, which showcases the cultural diversity of its student body through foods including empanadas, quesadillas and tres leches cake.
Website: https://www.uic.edu/
