“Living up to the Designation” – Hispanic Serving Institutions

As of 2016, the Latino population in the United States has reached nearly 58 million people.  Latinos now account for 18% of the population and are the second-largest racial or ethnic group in the United States. We have dedicated today’s show to talk about those colleges and universities that are serving Hispanic students.  Known as Hispanic Serving Institutions, we explore what they are, how they are working, and what more they can be doing to live up to their mission. Our first guest today is Beatriz Ceja-Williams, Division Director at the U.S. Department of Education, who leads the Department’s Division focused on Hispanic Serving Institutions.  We are also joined by Dr. Gina Garcia, assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh, who studies equity and diversity within higher education. Finally, Deborah Santiago, co-founder, and CEO of Excelencia in Education, joins us to discuss her organization’s efforts to accelerate Latino student success in higher education.