New Mexico Higher Education Department Secretary Stephanie Rodriguez will participate in a panel hosted by the Hunt Institute titled “Postsecondary Pathways: Supporting Hispanic Serving Institutions” on Thursday, June 10 at 11 a.m. MST via Zoom.
“Being a Hispanic-Serving Institution means taking action to support these students in being successful within and beyond college,” Rodriguez said. “In New Mexico, we are doing this by increasing college access and affordability with scholarship programs and putting resources in place to achieve equitable educational environments for all. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution graduate and thought partner in higher education, I look forward to sharing our state’s perspective with national policymakers.”
Rodriguez will join President of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Dr. Antonio Flores and Deborah Santiago, CEO of Excelencia in Education.
The U.S. Department of Education defines Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) as colleges and universities with 25 percent or more enrolled Hispanic students who have successfully completed an application process with the Department. The designation also enables institutions to compete for federal grant programs aimed at supporting Hispanic students and programs at HSIs.
In New Mexico, 20 colleges and universities are designated as HSIs, enrolling the majority of the state’s college students. Nationwide, 48 percent of Hispanic students are the first in their families to attend college and are more likely to come from families with lower median household income.
“New Mexico plays an important role in the landscape of Hispanic-Serving Institutions,” Hunt Institute Director of Higher Education James Mikolowsky said. “People want to know more about how they can serve students in their own states, and we look forward to hearing Secretary Rodriguez’s perspective.”
The Hunt Institute is a national nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that seeks to provide unbiased research, technical expertise, and learning opportunities that equip and empower educators and policymakers to drive equitable reforms and become champions for education.
Participants can click here to register for the live event or stream the event via the Hunt Institute’s Facebook page. A recording will also be available following the event.