Collegiate Organizations that Support Hispanic Students

Given the familiar obstacles encountered by Hispanics in higher education, many colleges and universities have made efforts to help serve this very large population. Either individually or inter-collegiately, colleges and universities partner with federal agencies and corporate sponsors to develop programs to promote Hispanic student success in higher education. Among the many forms of assistance provided by these organizations are financial support and career development programs.

Hispanic Serving Institutions

The U.S. Department of Education has identified Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) as colleges or universities in which at least 25 percent of the full-time undergraduates are Hispanic.  A school must be designated as an HSI to apply for federal Title V grants that were created to expand educational opportunities for Hispanic and other underrepresented populations, and to support postsecondary institutions that serve a large percentage of Hispanic and low-income students.  In September of 2023, the Biden Administration announced an award of $40 million intended to benefit 2 million Hispanic students and the institutions preparing them for the future.  The grants will enable HSIs to expand and enhance the academic offerings, faculty and program quality, and institutional stability.

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics there were 516 HSIs in 2021, approximately 80 percent of which were in Florida, Illinois, New Mexico, New York California, Texas, and Puerto Rico.  A majority are in urban areas of California, Texas, and Puerto Rico.   This website contains a list of HSIs in each of the 50 states and District of Columbia.   Almost half of students enrolled in HSIs (46 percent) are Hispanic. Of the roughly 2 million Hispanics attending an HSI in 2021, approximately 94 percent were enrolled in a public institution.  Two- year institutions attracted 39 percent of the students.  Throughout the 2020-21 academic year, Associate degrees were awarded by HSIs to approximately 173,000 Hispanic students; 154,000 received a Bachelor’s degree.

The extent to which HSIs are helpful to Hispanic students is revealed by CollegeNet’s Social Mobility Index (SMI).   The SMI evaluates approximately 1,400 four-year colleges and universities with respect to the extent to which they educate economically disadvantaged students (with family incomes below the national median).  Nine out of the top ten colleges and universities ranked on the SMI were HSIs.  Niche (a well-known college profiling company) has ranked the best serving Hispanic institutions as of 2024.   Schools in the top ten are largely campuses of major state university systems.

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities

Founded in 1986, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is an intercollegiate organization consisting of more than 500 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success.  Although only 17 percent of all higher education institutions in the U.S. are HACU members, two-thirds of all Hispanic college students nationwide are enrolled in these schools.

HACU considers itself to be a strong national voice that informs the public and legislators about the importance of increased support for Hispanics in higher education.  For example, HACU persuaded Congress in 1992 to recognize and, later, appropriate federal funds to colleges and universities with large Hispanic enrollments, subsequently known as Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI).  A majority of HSIs are represented by HACU.  Beginning in 1995 with HSI grants totaling $12 million, funding has increased substantially to more than $143 million in 2020.

The goals of HACU involve supporting the development of member colleges and universities, and expanding access to and content of postsecondary educational opportunities for Hispanic students. To this end, HACU coordinates and manages projects funded by federal agencies, corporations, and foundations to support students, faculty and administrators in member organizations. HACU student services take many forms. HACU’s National Internship Program is the nation’s largest internship program for Hispanic students. The HACU ¡Adelante! Leadership Institute offers workshops concerned with leadership and professional development.  The Institute also offers opportunities for students, employers, and graduate schools’ representatives to exchange ideas and strengthen their professional network. The HACU Leader-in-Residence program enables students at their home institution to receive a sponsorship to participate in the Student Track component of the HACU Annual Conference, known as the ¡Adelante! Leadership Institute. 

The goals of HACU programs entail leadership development among academic administrators, deans, professional staff, and students.  The Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo is designed to increase diverse representation in executive and senior-level positions in higher education.  Faculty, staff, and administrators at any stage of their careers attending the Latino Higher Education Leadership Institute may participate in forums focused on strategies for moving up the faculty and administrative ladders in higher education.  Among the student programs are STEM initiatives designed to increase participation in STEM education and careers.  Career readiness courses connect students with occupations such as online digital programming and climate change that promise long-term employment benefits.