Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

What Is Your Plan for
Serving Latino Students?

Hispanic students will represent 22 percent of public highschool graduates by 2015, presenting both opportunities andchallenges for America’s colleges and universities. Learn
what schools, colleges, and outreach organizations are doing
to support the success of Latino students. This easy-to-use
reference includes:• Examples of successful programs and approaches tofostering student success at institutions nationwide• Interviews with educators involved with these initiatives• Strategic plans, tactics, and tips for serving this important
population• Additional resources“The schools that survive are going tobe the ones that achieve inclusive excellence.”—Elaine Meyer-Lee, Director, Center for Women’s InterCultural Leadershipand Assistant Professor of Education,
Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame

“Diversity is part of the mission of the university.”—Christine Yoshinaga-Itano, Vice Provost andAssociate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Equity,
University of Colorado, Boulder“Many institutions in many states are only going to
be able to sustain their current levels of traditionalage students if they are successful in increasing thenumber of Latino students enrolling.”—Don Hossler, Professor of Educational Leadership and
Policy Studies and Director of Projects on Academic Success,School of Education, Indiana University

www.collegeboard.com$19.95070342367

Resourcesfor Increasing
Latino Participation andSuccess in Higher Education

Profiles of successfulprograms at schools,­colleges, and outreachorganizations ­nationwide
that serve Latino students
Strategies and approaches
for enrollment managers,
student affairs professionals,
and other secondary andpostsecondary educators

Resources for Increasing Latino
Participation and Success in Higher
Education

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Educationi

The College Board: Connecting Students to College Success
The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college
success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 5,400 schools, colleges,
universities, and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves seven million students
and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,500 colleges through major programs and services in college
admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning. Among its best-known
programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, and the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®). The College
Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its
programs, services, activities, and concerns.
For further information, visit www.collegeboard.com.
© 2008 The College Board. All rights reserved. College Board, Admitted Student Questionnaire, Advanced
Placement Program, AP, ASQ, EPS, SAT, Student Search Service, SSS, and the acorn logo are registeredtrademarks of the College Board. connect to college success, Admitted Student Questionnaire PLUS, ASQ
PLUS, and Recruitment PLUS are trademarks owned by the College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registeredtrademark of the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation. All other products and services
may be trademarks of their respective owners. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.com.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund prepared selected material for informational purposes. The material is provided “asis” without any guaranty of completeness or accuracy.

ii

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Preface
While the population of Latinos in the United States is growing rapidly, exceeding rates of otherracial and ethnic groups, a corresponding increase is not reflected in Latino college enrollment
and completion rates. Yet we know that some institutions and efforts are extremely effective atserving this increasingly important student population. What are those colleges and universities
doing right? In this sourcebook we begin to document effective practices.
The idea for this publication grew out of an invitational meeting on Educating Latinos for the
Future of America, which the College Board convened in June 2006 in Washington, D.C. In
attendance were approximately 30 researchers, faculty, leaders from Latino organizations,policy experts, and enrollment managers from around the country. Based on therecommendations that came out of the meeting, the College Board formulated working groups
to complete several projects intended to provide information to help educators connect Latino
students to college success and opportunity. For example, a synthesis of research andrecommendations was compiled (Nevarez and Rico, 2007).
This publication, from the College Board’s advocacy office, is among the projects intended
to improve higher education practices—particularly those that relate to Latino students.
(Note: Throughout this publication, the term Latino is used except where the program or
research documented used Hispanic.)
In 2007, the College Board reached out to higher education administrators and others aroundthe country to compile this sourcebook. Resources for Increasing Latino Participation andSuccess in Higher Education captures some of the effective efforts to improve outreach,
recruitment, admissions, retention, and support of Latino and other students as they maketheir way to college and beyond.
The College Board wishes to thank all the contributors for their assistance in providing
information and interviews about their programs. In particular, Alejandra Rincón from the
Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) has offered a wealth of information about many of HSF’s
activities. The detailed accounts present useful models for others to follow in developing programs
to serve students.
Barbara Kram provided the editorial leadership and interviewed many of the educators whose
programs are highlighted in this publication. Significant content was also provided by
Marcela Muñiz and Adriana Flores-Ragade.
The content of each chapter is downloadable for free from www.collegeboard.com. The
sourcebook is a work in progress as we continue to identify, research, and document effective
programs and approaches. Let us know your suggestions of institutions, activities, policies,
practices, and programs that work by writing to rgernand@collegeboard.org.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

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Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Contents
1 Developing a Strategic Plan .................................................................... 1- Take Stock of Your Institution- Hispanics As a Percent of Total Public High School Graduates- Your Mission Will Guide Your Efforts: Excerpts from Mission and Vision Statements- Hispanic Postsecondary Enrollment in Two-Year and Four-Year Institutions- An Integrated Approach to Enrollment Management, Miami Dade College, Miami,
Florida- Professional Involvement: Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)- On Receiving a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) Grant, Los Medanos College,
Pittsburg, California- Tipsheet: Developing an Overall Strategic Plan
How to Begin at Your Institution
2 Effective Outreach Strategies .............................................................. 15- Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP), University of California- Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP), University of California,
Santa Barbara (UCSB)- Scholars’ Latino Initiative, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Middle School Programs, Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)- Middle School and High School Outreach Programs (HSF)- Parental Engagement: Tiger Woods Learning Center (HSF)- Peer Counseling Program (HSF)- University Alliance (HSF) and University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia- Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session, National Hispanic Institute (NHI)- Willamette Academy, Willamette University, Salem, Oregon- Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE)- Tipsheet: Connecting with Latino Parents and Families
Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida- Hispanic Mother–Daughter Program Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona- Educational Talent Search (Large Hispanic-Serving Public University)- Pre-Collegiate Development Program, University of Colorado at Boulder- Tipsheet: Approaches That Work

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Educationv

3 Effective High School Recruitment and Marketing ............................. 45- School Visits: Effective, Low-Cost Recruitment, Claremont McKenna College,
Claremont, California- Collegiate World Series (CWS), National Hispanic Institute- Dr. Antonia Pantoja Scholars Program, Florida State University- Building College Skills, Awareness, and Access- The Bronx Institute Latino Collegiate Society, Lehman College (CUNY),West Bronx, New York- Marketing Tips from the Trenches, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Connecticut- Spanish Web Portal, University of Michigan- Recruitment and Marketing Tools from the College Board
4 Effective Community College Transfer Programs............................... 56- Community College Transfer Initiative
Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts- Transfer Coordination Leads to Success, Collin County (Texas)
Community College District- Giving Students a Second Chance, Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, California
Puente Community College Program
5 Admissions Decision Making ................................................................ 67- An Individualized Approach- An Eye for Hardworking Students, Barnard College, New York, New York- Shifting from Admissions to an Enrollment Management Model, Saint Mary’s College,
Notre Dame, Indiana- Lack of Academic Preparation and Advising: Two Critical Barriers to Student Access- Tipsheet: Hidden Barriers to Latino Student Success- Targeted Yield Efforts to Boost Enrollment
6 Financial Aid ........................................................................................... 79- Strategies That Matter, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
- Scholarship Programs (HSF)- Scholarship Awards, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI)- Hispanic Youth Symposium, Hispanic College Fund- “Developing Professionals…One Degree at a Time,” Hispanic College Fund
- HACU Scholarship Programvi

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

7 Retention Programs............................................................................... 90- Campus Life Is Key to Retention, Armstrong Atlantic State University,
Savannah, Georgia- Learning Communities, Los Medanos College- Quality Principles Guide Academic and Diversity Programs, The Ohio State University- César E. Chávez Center for Higher Education (CECCHE), California State Polytechnic
University, Pomona, California- El Centro Student Services, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado- Harvard Financial Aid Initiative E-Mail Newsletter, Harvard College, Cambridge,
Massachusetts- Enlace Latino Achievement Program, Evergreen Valley College and San Jose State
University, San Jose, California- New Student Center, Miami Dade College, Kendall Campus, Miami, Florida- CU-LEAD Alliance and Scholarship, University of Colorado at Boulder- Partners for Academic Excellence (PAE), Stanford University, Stanford, California
8 Student Development Programs: Leadership/Career ....................... 108- Scholar Chapter Network, Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)- Florida Hispanic Latino Collegiate Forum, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida- Drawing Scientists from the Pipeline, University of California, Santa Cruz
- Policy Fellows, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI)
9 Professional Development Programs for Administrators, Faculty.... 118- Center for Women’s InterCultural Leadership, Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana- Tipsheet: Designing Professional Development Efforts Aimed at Multicultural Competence- Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Professions Capacity-Building Program- Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)
10 Serving Undocumented Students........................................................ 125- An Education Challenge- Undocumented Students (Excerpted from the College Counseling Sourcebook, Fourth
Edition, 2007, The College Board)
11 Institutional Research and Self-Studies............................................. 129- Market Analysis and Research with Geographic Information Systems (GIS)The Ohio State University

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1 Developing a Strategic Plan
With our blueprint for action, every program across the campus reports to us about
diversity in participation of their programs. They also have to develop programs, because
diversity is part of the mission of the university. If they are not attracting a diverse
student participation, it’s their job to develop programs that will attract and retain
students.
— Christine Yoshinaga-Itano, Vice Provost and Associate Vice Chancellor for
Diversity and Equity, University of Colorado at Boulder

Take Stock of Your Institution
The growth of the Latino student population has broad implications for colleges anduniversities in all parts of the United States. Hispanic students are the fastest growing
segment of the population in terms of public elementary and secondary school enrollment.1
Among public high school graduates, Hispanic students are the largest minority group,
projected to reach 21.6 percent of all public high school graduates by 2015.2
Geographically speaking, the largest Hispanic high school graduate populations are in theWestern, Southwestern, and Southern regions of the United States. Notably, the number of
Hispanic students earning diplomas is growing fastest in the South, where the pool of Hispanic
public high school graduates is projected to expand more than 73 percent between 2010 and 2015.
The second-fastest growing region is the Midwest, at 37.8 percent.3 The number of Hispanic highschool graduates is expected to increase through 2015 in all regions.4
Regardless of your location, the future influence and importance of the Latino population isclear. What is your institution’s plan to serve this essential demographic? While there aremany Latinos whose academic preparation and interests are similar to the majority ofstudents enrolled on college and university campuses, there are many others whosebackgrounds may cause them to approach higher education differently than do their peers.

1

U.S. Census 2005.
WICHE. Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates by State, Income, andRace/Ethnicity, 1988–2018.
3
Ibid.
4
Ibid.
2

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education1

Hispanics As a Percent of Total Public High School Graduates
State
2005
Projected 2015
New Mexico
46.1
54.2
California
36.3
45.7
Texas
35.3
44.9
Arizona
29.3
41.4
Nevada19.9
38.5
Florida19.8
32.3
Total United States
13.5
21.6
Source: WICHE. Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates byState, Income, and Race/Ethnicity 1988–2018.

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Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Know the Mission
The most important question to ask of your institutional leadership and colleagues is why
they want to improve Latino student success. What are the institutional benefits of serving
Latino students in particular?
The question may well arise out of your institution’s mission. What does your institution’s
mission statement say and what does it say about your institution? Other guiding tenets that
express an institution’s reason for being include a vision statement and statements of corevalues, goals, and objectives for the college or university. From these guiding principles
should flow all education programs and activities.
Y OUR M ISSION W ILL G U I D E Y OUR E FFORTS

Excerpts from Mission and Vision Statements
University of North
Carolina at Chapel
Hill

The Ohio State
University

Evergreen Valley
College

Barnard College

The mission of the University is to serve all the people of theState, and indeed the nation, as a center for scholarship andcreative endeavor. The University exists to teach students at alllevels in an environment of research, free inquiry, and personal
responsibility; to expand the body of knowledge; to improve thecondition of human life through service and publication; and toenrich our culture.
Purpose: To advance the well-being of the people of Ohio andthe global community through the creation and dissemination ofknowledge.
Core Values:• Pursue knowledge for its own sake.
• Ignite in our students a lifelong love of learning.
• Produce discoveries that make the world a better place.
• Celebrate and learn from our diversity.
• Open the world to our students.
With student learning as its primary focus, Evergreen Valley
College’s mission is to empower students to expand their humanpotential and to succeed in a global, multicultural society. The
College provides access to comprehensive and flexible postsecondary education to prepare students of all ages andbackgrounds for balanced and productive lives and to improve
the workforce and quality of life in our community.
Located in the cosmopolitan urban environment of New York
City, and committed to diversity in its student body, faculty andstaff, Barnard prepares its graduates to flourish in different
cultural surroundings in an increasingly interconnected world.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

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Excerpts from Mission and Vision Statements
University ofColorado at Boulder

Campus Diversity Plan: A Blueprint for Action
Diversity and Educational Mission
The Boulder campus is committed to achieving diversity andequity—not just because it’s the right thing to do forunderrepresented populations, but because it is fundamental to
our central educational mission. We strongly believe that all
students—minority and majority—benefit from an educationenriched by a diversity of ideas, thoughts, and perspectives.
Clearly, the quality of learning is enhanced by a campus climate
of inclusion, understanding, and appreciation of the full range ofhuman experience.

Start Where You Are
While each institution’s mission is different, strategic planning often entails the same criticaltasks. Start at home. Begin by taking a snapshot of your currently enrolled Latino students.
Who is on campus? Where did they come from? How did you recruit them? A great way tofind out is to conduct focus groups of Latino students at your institution, as well as alumni.
Ask them questions to find out their priorities and what they think your college oruniversity’s priorities should be. Why did the students choose your college? How happy are
they? What do they think of their college experience? What do they feel are your strengths
and weaknesses? Do their needs differ from other students’? What could you do to support
them better?
Ask the tough questions: Are any students in jeopardy of dropping out of the institution?
How can you prevent it? Are your offerings adequate, including academic programs,
counseling, student affairs, campus life, and other dimensions of the college experience?
Also ask the “soft” questions: What activities does the college have that are particularly
effective at recruiting and retaining Latino students? What are you doing that students like?
When you analyze your currently enrolled students, you may find that they were attracted tothe institution because of your general recruiting activities—things you do without targeting
Latino students. Perhaps a mailing to all students attracted them. On the other hand, it may bethat your targeted recruitment efforts make the difference—a focus on certain geographic
locations, inner-city schools with large Latino populations, or a direct-mail campaign forstudents with Latino backgrounds.
Just as we ask students to examine their academic strengths and weaknesses, so must higher
education institutions examine their administrative strengths and weaknesses. Create an
inventory of what you are doing and where your strengths lie. You will likely find particularpeople on staff who are effective recruiters—for Latinos and for all students. At the sametime, merely having one or two Spanish-speaking staff members may not be enough to serve
Latino students adequately. Take note of what works, as well as areas that need improvement
or reinforcement, to attract and retain more Latino students. This may be an exercise you
4Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

have already undertaken with respect to the student body at large. Some institutions havefound it useful to go through that same self-examination on a smaller scale for each group of
students served at their college or university.

Establish a Coordinating TeamA coordinating team can help organize and guide your programs for Latino students.
Moreover, it can foster institutional buy-in for the effort, help generate ideas, and informresource allocation.
Gather a group representing all the programs on campus that serve minority and Latino
students, as well as enrollment, academic, and student services in general. Many campuses
already have early outreach programs, educational opportunity services, student centers,
Upward Bound, or other well-established diversity efforts.
Your team will certainly include your staff in enrollment management and admissions
offices. From an admissions perspective, if you’re successful at gaining new Latino
applicants and enrollees, that will have a significant impact on other administrative offices
and on education services, most notably financial aid. In addition to the financial aid office, it
might be a good idea to include the bursar’s office on your coordinating team, as well as
representatives from your university’s foundation.
What’s more, the coordinating team should be not just a programmatic-level group, but also aleadership group that will play an advisory role. It should include institutional leadership
starting with the president’s office.
And don’t forget faculty. If you serve students who are underprepared for college or present
with English language challenges, they may need developmental support in English and othersubjects. That is why faculty and the provost’s office should be included when assembling
your coordinating team.
In addition, in today’s climate of challenges to various diversity programs, it’s wise to havelegal affairs on the team (see “Legal Considerations”).

Assess Available Resources—Internal and External
The notion of enrollment management has vastly improved the way colleges serve students
by coordinating the work of various administrative offices. Each internal office or advocacy
group at the institution represents a potential resource in a strategic plan to serve students—
admissions, financial aid, faculty, students themselves, and student services will all be part ofyour planning efforts.
In addition, many external resources are also available to aid your recruiting and outreachactivities. These include community leaders and programs that serve the Latino population.
The business community and its associations also have a vested interest in your plan because
they must ensure an educated and qualified workforce.
Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

5

Financial support may come from many places including foundations, private funders, local
businesses, and organizations that serve the Latino community.
Many vendors and services are out there to aid your enrollment management efforts
including data services to help target outreach to Latino students and families.
Also remember the feeder institutions. High schools with large Latino student populations
are an obvious focus for recruitment efforts. On the higher education level, most Latino
students enrolled in postsecondary education are at two-year colleges (see chart).5 This
represents not only fertile ground for cultivating minority students, but also a potential
resource to address higher education’s severe shortage of engineering, math, and sciencescholars. It’s not just an education issue but also an economic one. The growing Latino
student population also presents an untapped pool of talent to fill the jobs of tomorrow.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, among all occupations in the economy,
computer and health care occupations are expected to grow the fastest from 2004 to 2014;
health care occupations make up 12 of the 20 fastest-growing occupations.6 Since many
community colleges have allied health programs, those students might represent a group of
potential applicants to related academic programs at four-year institutions.

Source: Digest of Education Statistics 2005

5
6

6

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics 2005.
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2006–2007.
Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Start Pilot ProgramsOnce you have set up a coordinating team and identified some areas in which to concentrate
your efforts (such as geographical areas, specific feeder institutions, or by majors), it is time
to identify some promising practices to implement.
These will be guided by your expert team and supported by your careful research into
available internal and external resources. As with any project planning effort, you’ll need tocoordinate your budget, timeline, and evaluation of the program’s effectiveness. Many caseexamples in this sourcebook include details about those elements.
One important consideration is that your strategic plan for increasing Latino participation andsuccess should be a long-term plan. You will need to be patient, particularly when
conducting early outreach efforts to students who won’t be thinking about college for a few
years. When you survey students about why they enrolled, you may learn it was because ofan early outreach to their middle school. In this sense, many of the things we tell students
also apply to our efforts to serve them: They need to be prepared academically from the earlyyears of their education. Educators need to plan services to support their success with a longterm view and commitment, evaluate those programs, and refine them to improve theircontribution to Latino students and to all students on campus.

Legal Considerations*
In 2003, the Supreme Court7 struck down the University of Michigan’s undergraduate
admissions policy, which awarded points toward admission based on race and/or ethnicity.
However, the University of Michigan Law School policy was upheld.8 The law school
reviewed applicants individually with a focus on academic criteria and likely contributions to
the institution and to diversity enriching the education of all students. The policy required an
examination “beyond grades and test scores to other criteria that are important to the Law
School’s educational objectives.”9The Supreme Court decisions and subsequent ballot initiatives that prohibit the considerationof race/ethnicity at public institutions in Michigan, California, and other states leave
institutions wondering how to establish appropriate diversity policies and programs. The
issues are not confined to enrollment management but extend to academic and student affairs,
research, and many other areas.
Since institutions are anxious to bring more Latino students on campus and ensure theirretention, it is increasingly important to consult institutional legal counsel regarding policies,
programs, and activities.
Every institution and state is different. Nevertheless, the Supreme Court decisions establish
some informative precedents. Colleges and universities considering race/ethnicity in
7Gratz v. Bollinger.
Grutter v. Bollinger.
9
Admissions and Diversity After Michigan: The Next Generation of Legal and Policy Issues, The College
Board, 2006.
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7

programs and policies must meet the guidelines of strict scrutiny. Strict scrutiny is a legal
standard with two elements: First, there must be a compelling interest. For example, if an
institution has, as one element of its mission, the need to provide the educational benefits ofdiversity to all students, that educational priority may be a compelling interest (depending on
the evidence supporting the institution’s stated goals).
The second element of strict scrutiny is narrow tailoring. Practices must be carefully focusedand indispensable to educational goals. This means a “tight fit” between activities andobjectives to minimize the impact on non-Latino students and, as a general rule, to ensurethat non-Latino students have the benefit of similar programs. For example, if a college runs
a weekend event targeting Latino students and families, is it open to all students? Are similar
events providing the same benefits to other students or recruits?
It is also very important to conduct periodic reviews of programs and to end the programs
when goals are met. Ideally, the day will come when campus diversity goals are achieved andthe institution won’t need programs for Latino students, or any other particular students.
Until that time, many colleges and universities continue to implement effective outreach andrecruitment strategies, transfer programs, admissions policies, financial aid, and leadershipprograms in an effort to attract and retain Latino students.

*Please note: Many additional issues pertain to this topic. The College Board’s Access &Diversity Collaborative provides seminars and publications that address federal law andinstitutional diversity policies. For further reading, see Chapter 1 of Admissions andDiversity After Michigan: The Next Generation of Legal and Policy Issues, The College
Board, 2006. A PDF file of this publication and others produced by the Access &Diversity Collaborative can be downloaded fromwww.collegeboard.com/diversitycollaborative.

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An Integrated Approach to Enrollment Management
Miami Dade College, Miami, Florida
Serving Hispanic students is just like serving any other students, only more so. For instance,
parents are always important, but parents are especially important in outreach to the Hispanic
community, where they can be gatekeepers to college.
Miami Dade College makes a concerted effort to reach out to parents because many are notfamiliar with the mechanics of going to college in the United States. “Add to that, as you canimagine, a relatively large portion of our Hispanic students don’t come from an affluent
background, and you can see financial aid and other kinds of assistance are important even though
Miami Dade College is relatively inexpensive,” noted Rene Garcia, director of enrollment
management.
In addition, a large proportion of students at the institution are the first in their families tothink about college. This means that they need to be sold on the idea of postsecondary
education to begin with. “Given their financial situation, families struggle to decide whether
a student’s time might be better served after high school by going to work rather thanattending college,” said Garcia. “There is a need to communicate to the student and theparent that, even from a strictly business perspective, college gets a great return on yourinvestment.”
A D IVERSE L AT INO M IX

Garcia cautions that the Hispanic or Latino population represents diverse subgroups anddiverse markets for higher education. “Sometimes when we say ‘Hispanic’ we assume we are
dealing with a monolith, and that’s not the case,” he said.
Consider at least three dimensions of students who may be admitted and served (not tomention their geographic diversity): First are native-born students who are assimilated andessentially similar to most other recruits and enrollees. Second are adult students who had
been naturalized many years ago and are now integrated into the population. Third are
students who arrive relatively late in their childhood or teen years. “You almost have to deal
with those three groups separately. The first group is more traditional, ordinary students. The
other two are out of the ordinary. Especially for those who are more recent arrivals, you haveto tread very lightly on their immigration status,” he said.
For more recent arrivals, providing outreach and programs in Spanish is very helpful
regardless of whether the parents speak English. “Many times they have fluency in English
but are still looking for the cultural connection. Speaking Spanish can clinch the deal,”
Garcia said of attracting applicants. “Our experience has been that no matter how fluent theperson may be in English, you can never go wrong by trying to reach out and make thatconnection culturally or otherwise.”Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

9

E ARLY O UTREACH AND R ECRU IT M E NT N EE DE D

The earlier, the better is the rule for outreach and recruitment. Colleges can play a role ingetting students to think about and prepare for postsecondary education. Obviously, you want
students to take courses that will prepare them for college-level work while they are in highschool. “Sometimes that is difficult to do if they don’t see themselves in ninth or tenth grade
as being able to go to college, or don’t see it as worthwhile in the first place, making it muchharder for students once the light goes on when they are seniors and don’t want to be trapped
in dead-end jobs,” Garcia said. “Many students, not only Hispanics but perhaps minorities ingeneral, have a lot of negative thoughts about college and the ability for it to be an attainablegoal.” He suggests doing all you can to create a culture where students see college as a viableoption and a real possibility in terms of logistics and financing.
Miami Dade College reaches out to students and parents early with many programs such as
resource fairs and school presentations, as well as on-campus workshops and open houses in
multiple languages. “You have to come up with excuses so you have an opportunity toconnect with people. Bring them on campus, go out to the high schools, even to the middle
schools, and create the expectation that college is attainable. The earlier that happens and themore consistent the exposure to that culture of college as a possibility, the better.”Outreach is the right thing to do for your community, too. “It’s also enlightened self-interest
because a fair number of students very early—sometimes in middle school—already haveheard of the college that they may end up attending.”
Early planning is also a key to successful transfer efforts on the other end of the two-year college
continuum. Students need to know their major and what courses to take in advance to facilitatetransfer. At Miami Dade College, once students earn a certain set point of credits, they are invited
to special transfer advising sessions to get them on track for a four-year institution.
T EAR D O W N T HOSE S ILOS

Enrollment management is easy to describe in theory, but the practice is much harder since
recruitment and retention, student services, and academics ideally form a continuum. “There
has to be a conscious effort, at the risk of using a cliché, of tearing down those silos that
separate these areas,” Garcia said. “One of the most powerful retention tools is to allow thestudent to feel that he or she fits in. They must make a connection with their instructors andwith other students. It’s especially powerful if it happens outside the classroom.”That is a challenge at Miami Dade College, a commuter school of 50,000 students. The
institution’s New Student Center is establishing many of these connections even before
students arrive on campus, including outreach, orientation, advising, transfer orientation, andmany other services. (See separate write-up, page 104.)
Miami Dade College is rightly happy with its progress, as measured by the widely used
Community College Survey of Student Engagement, a tool developed at the University ofTexas at Austin. “We did very well, exceeding national benchmarks,” Garcia said. “We areproud of the results because we are a large institution and sometimes there is an inverse
relationship with size and the ability of students to make these connections.”
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Professional Involvement: Hispanic Association ofColleges and Universities (HACU)
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is the only national
association that represents Hispanic-Serving Institutions. HACU was established in 1986,
with a founding membership of 18 colleges and universities. Today, HACU represents morethan 400 institutions committed to Hispanic higher education success in 35 states, Puerto
Rico, and 10 countries in Latin America, along with Portugal and Spain.
Approximately 45 million Hispanics live in the United States and Puerto Rico. While
HACU’s U.S. member institutions represent only 10 percent of all higher education
institutions nationwide, they enroll approximately two-thirds of all Hispanic college students.
In the fall of 2006, HACU’s members enrolled more than 4.8 million students, of which morethan 1.2 million or 25 percent identified themselves as Hispanic.
HACU’S mission as champions of Hispanic success in higher education is to:• Promote the development of member colleges and universities;• Improve access to and the quality of postsecondary educational opportunities for
Hispanic students; and• Meet the needs of business, industry, and government through the development andsharing of resources, information, and expertise.
Membership Categories and Affiliations
•
•

•
•
•
•

Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)—a nonprofit, accredited college, university, or
system in the United States or Puerto Rico, where total Hispanic enrollment
constitutes a minimum of 25 percent of the total enrollment.
Associate Member Institution—a nonprofit, accredited college, university, or
system in the United States or Puerto Rico, where total Hispanic enrollment
constitutes at least 10 percent of the total enrollment, or a minimum of 1,000 Hispanic
students enrolled.
Partner Institution—a non-profit, accredited, degree-granting institution that iscommitted to increasing Hispanic success in higher education but does not meet
Hispanic enrollment guidelines for other national membership categories.
International Member Institution—an institution of higher education abroad that
documents that it is a legally constituted entity authorized to operate in its country
according to the rules and regulations required by its government.
Hispanic-Serving School District—(new affiliate category), a school district where
total Hispanic enrollment constitutes a minimum of 25 percent of the total enrollment.
Faculty and Staff Caucus—Caucus membership is individual and includes faculty
and staff from HACU member institutions.

For information about membership and student services, and the many other HACU
programs and efforts, visit www.hacu.net.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

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On Receiving a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) Grant
Los Medanos College, Pittsburg, California
Getting an HSI grant can be transformational for an institution, in and of itself. We haveasked ourselves: What does it mean to be an Hispanic-Serving Institution? Many strategic
conversations have taken place around this question. There has been a big shift in thinking,causing people to consider how to serve all students. Are we really transforming acommunity college and the community around us?
Our $2.75 million HSI grant funds two staff people and a bilingual counselor for ESL, as
well as a new ESL instructor. Also, a computer center is under development, and we are
redoing the tutoring center. Funds also support staff development, speakers, and workshops
in year two of our five-year grant.
One thing that has made a difference is bringing more Latino staff to campus. We hope thishas a ripple effect, addressing undocumented students and language issues. This is a very
important part of transformation.
We are trying to create a network of Hispanic-Serving Institutions in the Bay Area and would
like to hear from others interested in the same endeavor.
— Rosa Armendariz, Hispanic-Serving Institution Activity Director, Los MedanosCollege; Pittsburg, California; rarmendariz@losmedanos.edu
Tipsheet: Developing an Overall Strategic Plan
How to Begin at Your Institution
Although each institution’s mission is different, strategicplanning often entails the same key steps:• Conduct surveys or focus groups with currently enrolled ß Your team will include
Latino students to identify what works and what doesn’t. colleagues from• Establish a coordinating team at the institution to guideenrollment management,
your plans and programs.
faculty, student services• Create an inventory of programs, activities, andand programs, alumni,
resources currently available.
the foundation, the• Tap resources, both internal and external, to boost
president’s office, andyour efforts.
legal counsel.
• Conduct pilot programs recommended by your team.
• Evaluate results on an ongoing basis to refine programs
and conclude them when goals are reached.

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Resources
The College Board hosts seminars on access and diversity and publishes a number of helpful
books and policy papers to help colleges examine legal and policy issues related torecruitment, outreach and retention, and financial aid, among many other topics. The
following is a list of some helpful literature from the College Board and other publishers.
Admissions and Diversity After Michigan: The Next Generation of Legal and Policy Issues,
The College Board, 2006.
Federal Law and Recruitment, Outreach, and Retention: A Framework for Evaluating
Diversity-Related Programs, The College Board, 2005.
Federal Law and Financial Aid: A Framework for Evaluating Diversity-Related Programs,
The College Board, 2005.
Echoes of Bakke: A Fractured Supreme Court Invalidates Two Race-Conscious K–12
Student Assignment Plans But Affirms the Compelling Interest in the Educational Benefits in
Diversity, The College Board, 2007.
From Federal Law to State Voter Initiatives: Preserving Higher Education’s Authority to
Achieve the Educational, Economic, Civic, and Security Benefits Associated with a Diverse
Student Body, The College Board, 2007.
Researching the Educational Benefits of Diversity (Research Report No. 2005-4), The
College Board, 2005.
Latino Education: A Synthesis of Recurring Recommendations and Solutions in P–16
Education, The College Board, 2007.
Academe’s Hispanic Future, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Nov. 28, 2003.
Choosing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs): A Closer Look at Latino Students’ College
Choices, Excelencia in Education, August 2007, www.edexcelencia.org. Also visit this Web
site for Examples of Excelencia, the annual compendium of research on what works inserving Latino students.
American Association of State Colleges and Universities. (2007) Hispanic Student Success inState Colleges and Universities: Creating Supportive Spaces on Our Campuses. AASCU:
Washington, DC.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

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Kinzie, J.; Palmer, M.; Hayek, J.; Hossler, D; Jacob, S. & Cummings, H. (2004, September).
Fifty Years of College Choice: Social, Political and Institutional Influences on the DecisionMaking Process. Vol.5, number 3. Indianapolis, IN: The Lumina Foundation.
Hossler, D., Schmit, J., & Vesper, N. (1998). Going to college: How social, economic, andeducational factors influence the decisions students make. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins
University Press.

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Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

2 Effective Outreach Strategies
Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP)
University of California: Expanding the Pool of College Applicants
Overview: EAOP, the University of California’s largest academic preparation program, ispart of Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships (SAPEP). The mission of
the partnerships is to raise student achievement and close achievement gaps. The approach is
to increase the number of educationally disadvantaged students who have the opportunity toachieve a postsecondary education and/or who are prepared to matriculate at the Universityof California (UC). EAOP contributes to that mission by designing and providing services
that foster students’ academic development and by delivering those services throughintensive cohort services and in partnership with other academic preparation programs,
schools, other higher education institutions, and community/industry partners. EAOP in its
current form has served middle and high school students since 1978. Through its provencombination of services, EAOP has made college a reality for thousands of students inschools with low college-going rates.
Objectives: To maintain its place in the global economy, California desperately needs an
educated workforce. EAOP plays a crucial role in preparing California’s youth atunderserved schools for postsecondary education. The program helps students to complete all
University of California (UC)/California State University (CSU) eligibility requirements,from math to science to English to history. EAOP helps them satisfy the testing requirements,choose the system and campus that’s right for them, and apply for college and financial aid.
Unfortunately, due to the severe challenges of California’s education system, too many
students in low-income neighborhoods are not receiving the guidance needed to successfully
prepare for college. EAOP also has a proven record of success in this area. Data show that
EAOP students surpass students statewide in terms of course work and exam completion, UC
and CSU eligibility, college enrollment, and college persistence.
Activities: EAOP services include academic advising, academic enrichment, entrance exams,
and college knowledge.
• Academic Advising: EAOP specializes in individual and group academic advisingthat helps students complete the “A-to-G” college-preparatory courses required for
UC/CSU admission (see below).
• Academic Enrichment: EAOP students improve basic skills, master advanced highschool curricula, and have the opportunity to engage in the intellectual life of theuniversity through study and research.
• Entrance Exams: SAT® and ACT preparation workshops and in-depth classes
familiarize students with test formats, study strategies, and test-taking tips, andprovide extensive practice with verbal and mathematics questions.
• College Knowledge: Students and parents learn about financial aid and scholarships,
how to fill out college applications, and how to write effective personal statements.
Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

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They tour campuses, attend workshops, go on field trips, and learn about California’s
postsecondary education options.
Audience Served: EAOP serves approximately 40,000 students in 309 middle and highschools, including students with low family incomes, students who are among the first
generation in their families to attend college, and/or students who attend schools with low
college-going rates. For example, 71 percent of EAOP schools are in communities withmedian family incomes of less than $50,000, compared with about 47 percent of high schools
statewide; 79 percent of EAOP students attend high schools with an Academic Performance
Index (API) of 1–6. (The API measures the academic performance and growth of schools inthe state of California on a variety of academic measures. Each statewide score ranges from 1
to 10. A score of 10 means that the school’s API fell into the top 10 percent. The schools
ranked 1–6 are in the bottom 60 percent of schools in the state.)
Staffing: EAOP offices are located and staffed on each of the 10 UC campuses, withsatellites in rural areas of the state and a systemwide office in Oakland.
Timing and duration: Students can enroll in EAOP as early as middle school and may
participate in the program through high school graduation.
Cost: The total cost per student is $204 per year.
Funding Sources: The majority of EAOP funding comes from the California statelegislature. Additional funding sources include grants and partnerships with businesses andcommunity organizations.
Evaluation Plan: Each year, EAOP campus programs provide a detailed report documenting
their services and students. These data are then evaluated for outcomes in “A to G”
completion (see UCSB example below), test-taking, grade point average, and college-going,
among other criteria. EAOP reports its outcomes annually to the California state legislature
as part of the Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships (SAPEP) Report to
the governor and legislature. These data are reported in the aggregate, and the program
adheres to strict standards of student confidentiality.
Evaluation Results: Research shows that EAOP students are more prepared for college thannon-EAOP students, by far. EAOP students surpass students statewide in terms of course
work and exam completion, UC eligibility, college enrollment, and college persistence.
• Course work: EAOP students are twice as likely to complete the courses required for
UC and CSU admission as their non-EAOP counterparts, 72 percent compared to 34
percent.
• Eligibility: The UC eligibility rate for EAOP students is more than twice that ofstudents statewide, 34 percent for EAOP students compared to 14.4 percent statewide.
• College Entrance Exams: EAOP students took the SAT or ACT at more than twice
the rate of non-EAOP students at California’s most challenged schools (API 1–2): 61
percent of EAOP participants compared to 29 percent of non-EAOP participants.
Taking the required college entrance exams is often the last hurdle students face inbecoming eligible for UC and CSU.
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Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

•
•

•

College Enrollment: 72 percent of EAOP students attend college the first year after
high school graduation.
Opportunity: More than three-quarters of the EAOP graduates enrolled as freshmen
at UC attended high schools with an API of 1–5. In contrast, three-quarters of allother freshmen at UC attended high schools with an API of 6–10. Twenty-five
percent of underrepresented freshmen at UC participated in EAOP.
College Success: The persistence rates of EAOP alumni at UC are equal to or better
than their campus counterparts.

Implementation: EAOP employs two service models: cohort (individual students) and school
partnership (whole schools). The EAOP cohort model emphasizes continued and increasingly
advanced academic preparation, enabling individual students to succeed in challenging courses
and achieve their academic goals. Partnerships with schools, districts, and other academic
preparation programs enable integration of school and student-centered activities, resulting indeeper impact for EAOP participants and whole school populations. Both models provide
academic enrichment, “A-to-G” advising, test preparation and college knowledge support for
students, families, and educators. Academic enrichment and test preparation include basic skill
reinforcement, mastery of concepts, and engagement in scholarly discourse. Within all service
categories, social supports are built in to support families through the college-preparation
process, and to help engage students in a community of scholars.
Quotes:• “Without EAOP, getting into college would have been far more difficult. EAOP gaveme the tools to compete with students who went to better-performing high schools
than mine. My success is directly linked to the help I received from EAOP.”— Student, UC Berkeley Class of 1995 (B.S.), M.S. 1997
• “EAOP informed me that college was more than just school. It was also the key to a
successful life. Without EAOP, I honestly believe that I would not be here at the
University of California, Riverside. I might be working a full-time job that would notoffer future advancement. EAOP was my shining light that guided me to a successful
life.” — Student, UC Riverside Class of 2006
• “I don’t know where my life would have been without EAOP. My EAOP advisers wererole models, supporters, and mentors. They made me work hard and didn’t take any
excuses. They encouraged me to always excel.” — Student, UC Berkeley Class of 2006
Further Readings:• University of California Student Academic Preparation and Educational
Partnerships: A Report to the Legislature on Student Academic Preparation and
Educational Partnerships for the 2005–2006 Academic Year. (2007)• Noah Bookman, Goldman School of Public Policy, The Early Academic Outreach
Program: Making the Biggest Difference at Schools in the Middle. A statewide
analysis of EAOP in differing schooling environments. (2005)• Denise Quigley, National Center of Research and Evaluation, Standards, and Student
Testing, The Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) and Its Impact on HighSchool Students’ Completion of the University of California’s Preparatory
Coursework. (2002)
Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education17

Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP)
University of California
Santa Barbara (UCSB)Program Start Date: 1970s
Each UC campus has an EAOP program. (See the statewide
Overview:

Objectives:

Students Served:
Staffing:

program profile above.) EAOP provides services, programs,
activities, and events throughout the year at multiple high schools
and middle schools. Although components differ somewhat aroundthe state, there is a common core of practices and accountability
measures. EAOPs provide academic services, college preparation,
test prep, parent outreach, and professional development efforts.
Generally, shape a college-going culture across entire schools.
Increase higher education participation and college-going rates.
Specifically, broaden the pool of economically disadvantaged
students enrolling in and succeeding in college-preparatory “A-toG” courses (see below) and gaining admission to college.
Approximately 7,000 through the UCSB program at 20 middle
schools and 20 high schools. The effort is aimed at low-performing
schools to get programs where they are needed most.
UCSB has a staff of 12 including nine site coordinators on location
at the middle schools and high schools.

Timing:

Programs are provided during the academic year and summers.

Cost:

The current operating budget is approximately $800,000.

Activities:

Components include early academic outreach, higher education
awareness for students and parents, and professional developmentof teachers and counselors. During the school year, college
readiness seminars teach students about the college-going processincluding requirements, financial aid, and the state university
systems, as well as careers and majors. The program also includes
college visits and academic services such as test-preparation andstudy skills workshops. Other offerings include summer programs,
academies, and intensive academic experiences. One highlight at
UCSB is the summer algebra academy. More than 500 risingeighth-graders participate to expose themselves to algebra, agatekeeper course. The model approach teaches basic algebra skills
to enable students to pass with a B or better. The schools decide
what essential algebra skills the student must have, and that informs
the curriculum of a summer course. The model includes student
assistants who are college-bound or already enrolled in college toprovide a mentoring component and peer tutoring. Parent
academies meet once a month and cover how to create a learning
environment in the home, how to advocate for students, financial
aid information, and details about how the education system works.
State of California university system

Funding Sources:

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Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP)
University of California
Santa Barbara (UCSB)
Evaluation Criteria:

Challenges:

Quote:

Numbers of students who complete the University of California’s“A-to-G” college-preparatory requirements. (Course workrequirements include at least two years of history/social science,four years of English, three years of mathematics, two years oflaboratory science, two years of a language other than English, one
year of visual and performing arts, and one year of collegepreparatory electives.) Other program evaluation criteria include
completion rates of tenth-grade algebra, three-year postsecondarytransfer rate, numbers of students who register for the SAT or ACT,
and other criteria.
No stable funding. Funding was cut in half after Proposition 209
was passed and affirmative action eliminated. Many programs had
to cut their middle school components despite the importance ofearly academic intervention to prepare students for college.
However, three of UCSB EAOP’s high school sites have costsharing agreements with the districts that pay half the salary of thestaff person, allowing EAOP to free up some of its budget for
programming.
“The idea is to put the students on a level playing field in terms ofacademics so we don’t have to worry about affirmative action
having been removed from the process.”—Britt Ortiz, Director of Early Academic Outreach, UC Santa
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Scholars’ Latino Initiative
University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill
The Scholars’ Latino Initiative (SLI) is a program that matches undergraduates and highschool students to provide mentoring, college-prep programs, skills development, culturalenrichment, and opportunities for public service. The mission of SLI is to encourage andeducate the next generations of Latino leadership in North Carolina.
To that end, SLI:
• Imparts skill sets that prepare Latino high school students for Advanced Placement
Program® (AP®) courses and exams as well as college entrance exams (SAT and
ACT).
• Promotes the values and virtues of community service to develop qualities ofleadership and citizenship, as well as opportunities for sustained public service during
students’ high school years. Public service helps students become responsible citizens
and compelling candidates for college admissions and aid.
• Benefits students of all races in undersourced communities, increasing their
enthusiasm for higher education with programs designed and implemented by college
undergraduates.
Upon completion of a rigorous application and interview process, eight UNC sophomores are
selected from several scholarship programs at UNC at Chapel Hill, including the Johnston,
Carolina, Pogue, Morehead, and Robertson scholars. The SLI program director and acommittee of current undergraduate mentors make the choices after interviews. Eight highschool sophomores are selected by a panel of their teachers at Jordan Matthews High School(JMHS) in Siler City, North Carolina. The successful candidates are then paired—UNC with
JMHS—and work together for three years. As they do, the faculty coordinator and membersof the SLI board of directors collaborate to locate funds for the JMHS students’ continuing
education.
The Scholars’ Latino Initiative is the first comprehensive college-preparatory program toaddress the needs of foreign-born and first-generation Latino/a students in the public highschools where resources have been sorely tested by recent, rapid demographic changes.
Undergraduate mentors, along with university faculty and staff, inspire the high schoolparticipants to realize their goal of higher education.
For further information, visit www.unc.edu/sli.

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Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Middle School Programs
Overview: As part of its mission to double the rate of college-going Hispanics from 9 to 18
percent by 2010, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) seeks to collaborate with otherorganizations and offer quality programming that educates and empowers students across thenation. Through these collaborations, HSF improves the quality and quantity of its outreachefforts. For example, in January 2006, HSF partnered with the Tiger Woods Learning Center(TWLC, see below) to provide the highest quality educational, social, and community
experience to students and families taking part in the TWLC. At the center, students learn
about the importance of a college education in a safe and welcoming environment withcomputers and resource materials. The middle school programs include weekly workshops
for fifth- to eighth-graders.
In 2006, the middle school program increased its outreach potential when two leaders ineducational advocacy, the Boys & Girls Club of America (BGCA) and the Goldman Sachs
Foundation (GSF), teamed up with HSF to provide interactive workshops to middle school
Latino youth at various Boys & Girls Club sites. The weekly one-hour workshops offer
topics ranging from the importance of college and enrolling in a college-track curriculum
while in high school, to testing, financial aid, and selecting the best-fitting school. Students
also learn about potential roadblocks faced during high school, and attend workshops thatempower them to achieve their dreams and follow their inner “compass.”
In accordance with research that has shown the important role parents play in the academic
achievement of their children, HSF/BGCA also offers bilingual sessions for the middle
school participants’ parents, entitled PASOS. During these sessions, parents come to better
understand the U.S. education system, testing, financial aid, and helping their children with
their studies.
The Georgia pilot program, sponsored by the Goizueta Foundation, operates in 10 Boys
& Girls Clubs in different parts of Georgia. It features the weekly workshops for middle
school students plus the PASOS bilingual programs for parents. Students learn about thedifferent college environments, financial aid, and standardized testing.
(Note: Staffing, timing, cost, and other operational details vary by program.)
Objective: To dramatically increase the number of Latino youth who are college ready,enroll in college, and ultimately receive their degrees.
Audience Served: Latino middle school students and their parents, approximately 3,000
annually.
Funding Sources: The effort is funded by various grants. For example, a grant from theGoldman Sachs Foundation includes funding for three-year pilot programs at clubs in
Chicago and San Antonio, under the banner of the HSF/BGCA/Goldman Sachs Foundation
Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

21

Alliance. A two-year grant from the Goizueta Foundation supports the Georgia pilot
program. The Tiger Woods Learning Center programming is funded by multiple grants.

Middle School and High School Outreach Programs
Overview: In addition to those efforts outlined above, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)
has several outreach programs and publications that provide the community with directaccess to information and tools necessary to navigate college application and financial aid
processes. Since 2002, the HSF outreach team has delivered privately funded Town Hall
Meetings and Steps for Success Saturdays to students and parents across the country. In
addition to increasing awareness about financial aid opportunities and the importance of acollege education, these programs provide mentorship, support, and inspiration for HSF
Scholars and Latino students and their families. Parents are the primary recipients of theletter of invitation to these events.

Activities:
T O W N H ALL M EET I N GS ( T H M ) : The meetings are bilingual multimedia sessions wherestudents and families gain inspiration and information about the value and affordability of acollege education. These two-hour evening programs cover the essentials of college
preparation and financial aid. Participants are provided with supplemental materials in
English and Spanish to help them follow through with college planning at home. The
material guides parents and students through the college-prep curriculum, the financial aid
process, the steps involved in applying for scholarships, the expected family contribution(EFC), and also includes answers to frequently asked questions related to admissions andfinancial aid.
S TEPS FOR S UCCESS S ATURDAYS (S4 S) : A full day of hands-on specialized instruction, S4S

offer a range of college-preparation workshops for high school students and their parents.
This unique approach utilizes community volunteers as college-prep coaches and has acustomized track of concurrent workshops for students in each grade level, with parent
workshops in Spanish. The curriculum covers intensive how-to instruction for the SAT or
ACT, explanations of the financial aid process, guidance in writing a personal statement for acollege application and scholarships, and tips on finding a college well suited to the student’s
educational background and interests.
P ARENTAL E N GAGE M E NT P RO GRAM : (S EE T I G ER W OODS L EARN I N G C E NTER , BELO W .)Objectives: HSF outreach programs are designed to increase the high school graduation andcollege acceptance rates of Latinos by bringing college preparation to the community. The
HSF outreach team provides direct services to improve Latino awareness of the educational
process with middle and high school students. These programs and services have the longterm effect of reaching scores of families with support and information about important
pathways to lifelong achievement.

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Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

At the middle school level, parents become actively engaged in learning how to ensure that theirchildren are developing good study habits and setting goals for the future. This involves
understanding the importance of education, becoming aware of college-preparatory curricula,encouraging extracurricular activities, becoming aware of the availability of tutoring,understanding the importance of building a relationship with teachers and counselors, and theimportance of reading. Parental involvement helps to reinforce the idea that college is an
important family goal and lends support to students’ aspirations.
For high school students, preparing and planning for college is the central message. Thismeans learning about making the right choices regarding the college-preparatory curriculum,
the importance of maintaining a high GPA and test scores in admissions and scholarship
applications, and the significance of letters of recommendation. Each of these elements is
explained and clearly mapped out year by year to enhance students’ understanding of how toincrease their potential for success.
Audience Served: The target populations for HSF outreach efforts are Latino middle andhigh school students and their parents in six primary regions—California, Texas, New York,
Illinois, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. The following table provides the number ofindividuals served through HSF THM and S4S outreach activities.
Number of Participants

Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
District of Columbia
FloridaGeorgia
Illinois
Kentucky
Massachusetts
MarylandMichigan
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
South Carolina
Texas
Washington
Wisconsin
TOTAL

1999– 2000– 2001– 2002– 2003– 2004– 2005–
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
2006
TOTAL
240
407
647
70
150 1,170 1,837 2,994 10,669 3,224
20,114
86
33
119
323
323
500
500
110
150
316
405
1200
2,181
430
750 1,085 3,256 3,575 5,257
14,35360200
150
515 1,100 1,213
3,238
50
50
2,170
2,170
300
300
84
84
35
750
170
955
120
207
327
175
305
455 2,712 1,199
4,846
60
60
800
800
300
125
425
600
50
650
210
150
300
400
812 4,892
883
7,647
400
400
500
500
426
730 2,705 4,655 9,473 2,9310 13,390
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The outreach function is staffed by 2.5 full-time equivalent employees at HSF headquarters
in San Francisco. There are correspondingly 1.5 staff members in each of the six regions.
Volunteers and members of the Scholar Chapter Network (see separate write-up) also
provide a key component of service delivery for all events.
Timing: Events are produced throughout the academic year, September through May. The
summer months are focused on program review and analysis, continued preparation, andprogram evaluation.
Cost: The cost of each offering varies from region to region and by type of event.
Funding: Outreach programs are primarily funded by corporate sponsors. Sponsorship is
event- and market-based according to donor interest.
Outside Involvement: Programs presented by the HSF outreach team are supported by theparticipating middle and high schools in each region.
Evaluation: Surveys designed to measure parental involvement and college aspiration ofparticipating students are issued at the close of each event. The questionnaire varies
according to class level of those in attendance. Responses reflect how well participantsacquired information about how to prepare for college in general, and in particular in theknowledge areas of:• Transition from middle school to high school• Preparing and paying for college• Preparing for the PLAN, PSAT/NMSQT®, SAT, and/or ACT• College and university profiles• Preparation for college• Writing personal statements• Community college transfer
Postevent attainment is measured by surveys for all event participants using a scale of (1) not
prepared; (2) no more prepared; (3) more prepared; (4) very well prepared; or (5) notindicated. Results from these surveys show a preponderance of the responses are in the24

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

“more prepared” and “very well prepared” categories year over year. Here is a representative
result for a Steps for Success Saturday:
Steps for Success Saturday Evaluation Survey
Results
Increase in Knowledge% Parents
Not prepared0
No more prepared
0More prepared
33
Very well prepared64
Not indicated3100
Not prepared0.0
No more prepared
3.8
More prepared
39.6
Very well prepared
34.0
Not indicated
22.6
100.0

Parental Engagement: Tiger Woods Learning Center
Overview: Studies show that parental engagement is a key factor in keeping Latino students
on track. The goal of the Parental Engagement Program (PEP) is to create positive systemicchange for Latino students and parents in the U.S. public school system. The guiding
principle of the program is to enhance communication between parents and teachers andincrease the information flow between these two groups in order to effect greater student
success. The program is a full complement of outreach and on-site enrichment activities andworkshops for fifth- through twelfth-grade students and their families. The program consistsof a series of bilingual workshops covering topics on financial aid, scholarships, the U.S.
education system, and connecting with school personnel. The Hispanic Scholarship Fund hasformed a unique partnership with the Tiger Woods Learning Center (TWLC) to deliver PEP.
Located in Anaheim, California, the center houses an HSF staff member who acts as aconsistent resource to the learning center community, with a focus on Latino families inOrange County.
Objective: HSF conducts these programs to increase awareness about educational
opportunities and to make available the information and resources necessary to achieve
higher education for Latino students.
Audience Served: The specific audience is Orange County fifth- through twelfth-gradestudents and their parents. From April 2006 through March 2007, 7,000 individuals havebeen served. Since its inception in September 2005, more than 10,000 individuals haveparticipated.
Staffing: One full-time employee is supported by Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholars from
California State College at Fullerton, who serve as Counseling Fellows. Already successResources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

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stories, the scholars provide mentoring and inspiration to students participating in thecenter’s curriculum.
Timing and Duration: Programming is presented on a full-year academic cycle and withinappropriate class-level time frames for educational planning, preparation, and application
processes.
Cost: Varies per grant.
Funding: Multiple sources.
Evaluation: A range of event-specific surveys and questionnaires are utilized to measureprogram effectiveness. For example, surveys designed to measure parental involvement andcollege aspiration of participating students are issued at the close of each Town Hall Meetingand Steps for Success events that take place at the TWLC. In another unique instance of
productive partnership, a research team from UC Irvine is currently assisting in the further
development of a comprehensive evaluation plan for these programs.

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Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Peer Counseling Program
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Overview: The Peer Counseling Program is a partnership between high schools,
universities, and community colleges to address the lack of information regarding thecollege admissions process for Latino youth and their families. The program hires andtrains current university students from nearby HSF Scholar Chapters to serve as peer
counselors to Latino youth, thereby building upon the mentoring capacity of students
participating in the Scholar Chapter Network. (Scholar Chapters are student organizations
established by HSF to promote academic success and professional preparation among
Latino college students while encouraging them to serve as role models and leaders intheir communities.) One of the hallmarks of Scholar Chapter activities has been outreachto younger Latino students in local communities to inform and encourage them to aspire toand prepare for college. The Peer Counseling Program was founded as an outgrowth of the
Scholar Chapter Network, and as such, it has the mutually reinforcing mentoring benefitof demystifying the college admissions process for Latino families while engaging Scholar
Chapter university students in leadership and advising activities.
In 2006, the Peer Counseling Program established itself at eight Scholar Chapters:• University of California, Los Angeles• University of Miami• Georgia State University• Georgia Institute of Technology• Kennesaw State University• Texas A&M University• University of Houston-Downtown• University of Texas at San Antonio
Preparations are also under way to establish an additional Peer Counseling Program at the
University of Georgia.
The eight Scholar Chapter campuses support Peer Counseling activities in partnership withhigh school and community college counseling programs for a period of two years,
specifically targeting a cohort of younger Latino students generally in grades 9–11. All PeerCounselor activities are jointly supervised by HSF and partner schools.
Objectives: All of the activities of the Peer Counseling Program contribute to the Hispanic
Scholarship Fund goals of:• Educating Latino high school students about the importance of staying in school andgraduating, and providing them with a range of higher education options, including
explaining the differences between community colleges and four-year institutions.
• Increasing the number of Latino high school students enrolling in four-year
institutions directly from high school.
• Increasing the number of Latino community college students transferring to four-year
institutions.
• Increasing the retention rates of Latino college students.
Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

27

•

Increasing the number of Latino students graduating with baccalaureate degrees.

Students involved with the Peer Counseling Program are matched with a trained HSF PeerCounselor. Students meet individually with their Peer Counselor at least twice a month todiscuss preparation for college. Group meetings are also offered on specific collegepreparation topics that focus on specific objectives:• Maintaining a good GPA• Meeting academic requirements• SAT or ACT preparation• Choosing the right college• Filling out college applications• Applying for financial aid• Applying for scholarships• Writing personal statements• Choosing a major or career• Making campus visits
All students who participate in these activities become fully prepared to apply to a four-yearcollege or university.
Activities:
High School Peer Counseling Program: HSF recruits and trains four to six university
students from the HSF Scholar Chapter campus to serve as counselors/mentors to Latino
students at local area high schools. Each Peer Counselor meets individually with a cohort of
20 to 25 students on a regular basis at their high school during the academic years to discuss
their academic and personal preparation for admission to a four-year college. This outreachactivity is also extended in group format to students and their parents.
Community College Transfer Initiative: HSF recruits and trains two to three university
students from the HSF Scholar Chapter campus to serve as counselors/mentors to Latino
students at a local community college. Each Peer Counselor meets individually with a cohortof 20 to 25 students regularly at the community college during the academic year to discuss
their academic and personal preparation for transfer to a four-year university. The peer
counselors will also work together to offer group workshops on college readiness to thelarger student population at the community college.
HSF Scholar Chapters: Scholar Chapter members support the Peer Counseling Program byproviding outreach programming such as college readiness workshops and college tours to
the students in the program as well as the general high school/community college student
population. Scholar Chapter programming at the university is also available to the PeerCounselors in order to promote positive retention rates and increased graduation rates of
Latino students.
Audience Served: In addition to those students in the Scholar Chapter Network who act ascounselors and mentors, the Peer Counseling Program works with ninth- through eleventhgrade high school students and those who are in their first year of community college.
Parents of Latino youth are also an integral component of the program’s outreach services.
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Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

The number of students served in its first year of implementation as of March 15, 2007,
follows:
HSF Peer Counseling Program Participation
2006–2007
2006–2007
Total
High School
Community College Participants
271
61
332
Staffing: The Peer Counseling Program is administered centrally by one full-time equivalent
employee (FTE) who directs and coordinates program operations in all regions. There is one
FTE in Georgia who also covers activities in Florida, and one FTE in Texas. Regional staff
members work directly with administrators at each school site.
Timing and Duration: The Peer Counseling Program operates on a full-year cycle guided
by the academic year calendar. Peer Counselor recruitment, application, and selection takes
place in April and May. The Peer Counseling Program training is conducted in the summer
and covers the details of the college application and admissions processes, such asenrollment, transfer, and relevant legislative issues affecting Latino access and success inhigher education (i.e., state and federal laws providing or prohibiting undocumented
students’ access to higher education and issues related to affirmative action, among others).
Cost: Costs at each site range from $20,000 to $50,000, which include Peer Counselor
stipends, training, and programs/workshops. Additional funding supports various
administrative costs, such as staff, supplies, evaluation tools, and ongoing curriculum
development. Each Peer Counselor receives a $5,000 stipend for the academic year, paid infour installments based on satisfactorily meeting job requirements that include working
approximately 12 to 15 hours per week and meeting with the students a minimum of once
every two weeks.
Funding Sources: Two donors fund the operation of the Peer Counseling Program. The
program director provides routine reporting to each sponsor on all facets of program
implementation and evaluation.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

29

Outside Involvement: The Peer Counseling Program cultivates strong working relationships
with high school and community college academic counselors. This collaboration is an
important aspect of identifying and supporting program participants and accomplishingmutual goals.
Evaluation Plan: Ten metrics evaluate the effectiveness of program activity, applied in thefollowing ways:• Intake, midterm, and exit surveys are conducted with Peer Counselors and student
participants.
• Student progress notes and activity logs are maintained by Peer Counselors to
document contact hours and level of attainment.
• Peer Counselors are involved in focus groups to determine best practices for engaging
institutional support at each site and to measure achievement of personal goals.
• Each Peer Counselor undergoes a performance evaluation. Year-end assessments are
conducted by regional staff.
• All program participants complete a persistence survey to determine their level ofengagement, college preparation, and progress to matriculation at a four-year college.
The comprehensive evaluations of program design help to identify, review, and refine thefactors that promote student persistence; determine the effectiveness of transitional supportand retention mechanisms; and measure the impact of peer relationships on college success.

30

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Hispanic Scholarship Fund and University of Georgia
University Alliance
Athens, Georgia
Program Start Date:

2006

Overview:

University Alliance (UA) is a new Hispanic Scholarship Fundinitiative in the form of a five-year pilot at two state universities
aimed at strengthening the high school-to-university pipeline.
During its first academic year, the UA was formally established at
the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, and is undergoing
review at a second flagship campus. The goal is to develop
supporting relationships within the university community to
improve the enrollment and retention of Latino students andincrease their college graduation rate. The University Alliance taps
HSF’s expertise in funding, retention, and mentoring to increase
college participation and completion.
In Georgia, outreach targets several high schools in the generalarea northwest of the University of Georgia. Needs assessments
were conducted in each of the service areas and, based upon theseresults, the University Alliance works strategically to fill thosegaps with programs and interventions. This is accomplished byaligning efforts with existing university programs and staff inorder to fortify and strengthen those activities. Components
include individual student as well as parent outreach coordinatedwith admissions staff at venues such as college fairs, high schoolpresentations, and sessions on financial aid opportunities and theimportance of a college education. A main working principle ofUniversity Alliance programming is to go beyond initial
generalized outreach to provide continuous individualized support,
counseling, and guidance to students during their senior year.
Assistance is provided to students and their families withadmissions, financial aid, and scholarship applications.
A key approach fosters parental engagement beyond traditional
recruitment and yield activities, transforming
the process from student-based to family-based recruitment.
During these modified events, parents meet with university
administrators and faculty, attend individual sessions to review
their children’s financial aid packages, and have the opportunity tomeet with parents of Latino students already enrolled at
the university.

Objectives:

The primary objective is to increase the recruitment, retention, andgraduation of Latino students, in line with HSF’s mission to
double the rate of college attainment among this population. The
program leverages different resources to augment funding foroutreach activities and scholarships and to increase Latino
admissions prospects at the participating institutions. Besides

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

31

funding for first-year students, the University Alliance provides
scholarships to current undergraduates—a crucial resource forincreasing the number of Latino applicants and supporting
retention through graduation.

Audience Served:

In Georgia, a total of 14 high schools in the area northwestof the University have been selected based on percentage of Latino
population as well as academic factors including graduation rates,
number of AP courses offered, and Latino participation in suchcourses, among others. To give a sense of scale, during fall 2006
and the beginning of spring 2007, the combination of various
outreach and recruitment techniques in Georgia reached a total of
1,868 students.

Staffing:

There is one full-time employee centrally at the Hispanic Scholarship
Fund who provides program direction and oversight. Assistance isalso provided by the Scholarship Department at HSF. There is one
full-time employee as well as one contractor on each campus to workon outreach and K–12 relationship building. The University Alliancestaff is complemented by HSF’s existing staff, who provide
programming services in the areas of student engagement and peer
counseling.

Timing:The University Alliance operates on an academic-year cycle.
Outreach and dissemination of information about the college
application process is provided in the fall, with a focus on financial
aid and scholarship application procedures in the spring. This fiveyear pilot awarded its first cohort of scholarship recipients in thefall 2007. Scholarship and outreach funding will be provided toeach university for four consecutive years.

Cost:

In general, resource allocation for each university
is as follows:
Needs Assessment: $10,000
Outreach activities: $100,000–$120,000 per year for four years
Scholarships: $200,000 per year for four years

Funding Sources:

The University Alliance is funded by a grant from the
Lilly Endowment Inc.

Involvement of Other This is an inherent strength of the University Alliance, which seeks
to develop long-term productive relationships by working jointly
Offices, Entities
and collaboratively to augment the Latino college experience. The
effort engages a full range of constituencies such as university
administrative personnel, high school counselors, faculty, students,
and their parents.
At the University of Georgia, a campus manager works directly with
Admissions, Financial Aid, and Student Services. For instance, thecampus manager works closely with admissions personnel as they
conduct outreach activities directed at recruitment of eligible Latino
students within state high schools. The work of University Alliance is
32

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

also facilitated by the Office of the Vice President for Public Service
and Outreach at the institution.
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund has Scholar Chapters at the
University of Georgia to promote leadership and community
involvement. A Peer Counseling program provides additional
support to one of the high schools near the university that has asignificant proportion of Latino students among its enrollment. In
addition, a centralized University Alliance adviser works withfreshmen to systematically monitor and track the progress ofprogram students.
Regarding retention, the University Alliance works closely with
UGA’s Academic Enhancement Services to encourage UA
scholars to utilize campus resource programs, especially the bridge
to college programs and freshman courses that are offered to assist
first-year students with their academic and social transition.

Evaluation:

The University Alliance developed an assessment tool to tailor
outreach and campus programs to the needs of Latino students andprovide adequate support to participating universities. A final
longitudinal evaluation to measure the outcomes of the partnership,lessons learned, and best practices in the recruitment, retention, andgraduation of Latino undergraduates will be conducted to determine
the impact of the University Alliance. Specifically, the questions
posed for systematic study are:• What outreach strategies yield a higher number of Latino
applicants?
• What recruitment strategies yield a higher number of enrolled
Latino students?
• What financial aid strategies contribute to higher matriculation
rates?
• What programs and support structures increase retention among
Latinos?
Paradigms for collecting and analyzing benchmark data that
address these questions utilizing relevant sample and comparisongroups have been designed and implemented.

More Information:www.hsf.net

This material was prepared by Hispanic Scholarship Fund and is for informational purposes only. The material
is provided “as is” without any guarantees of completeness or accuracy.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

33

Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session
National Hispanic Institute (NHI)
Maxwell, Texas
Program Start Date: 1983
The Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session (LDZ) is a widely
Overview:

Objectives:

Audience Served:

Staffing:

recognized high school leadership program in a legislative format. It
provides a forum for debate and early leadership development. The
overall challenge of the LDZ is for the students to envision
themselves as part of the future leadership of a twenty-first-century
Latino community, according to NHI. The forum takes place oncollege and university campuses for 8 to 10 days during which
students embark on a journey of self-discovery, connecting withother Latinos from high schools nationally and internationally.
After attending the LDZ, students benefit from:• Increased confidence and aptitude for building collaborative
relationships in group settings• Greater dedication to personal excellence and continued
studies at national and international levels• A cultural connection that broadens the students’perspective, is global in its makeup, and is lifelong in its
impactApproximately 900 high school sophomores and juniors in fiveprograms. Admissions requirements are in place for NHI programs.
Students meet these criteria:• Must submit the appropriate application with parent andcounselor signatures, along with a student photo and list ofaccomplishments• Submit most recent transcript• Possess a GPA of 88 on a 100-point scale• Be enrolled in a college-bound or honors curriculum
NHI is composed of 12 full-time staff. LDZ alumni also return ascounselors for the program when they are high school juniors or
seniors.

Timing:An 8- to 10-day program.

Cost:

Tuition applies. For the Domestic LDZ program: $635. For the 10day LDZ Las Americas program in Mexico: $825. Does not include
transportation.
Applicants are required to pay tuition for the training and services theyreceive. However, the general costs of LDZ are nearly double theamount charged to students as tuition. NHI works diligently with partner
host colleges and universities to help underwrite these remaining costs
and keep program tuitions affordable. Some institutions offer
scholarships to LDZ students who subsequently enroll.
Students submit open-ended evaluation letters about their LDZ
experience and what they gained. NHI had also conducted a formal

Funding Sources:

Evaluation:

34

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Implementation
Challenges:

Quote:

About the National
Hispanic InstituteMore Information:

review, surveying participants to measure program impact. Results
were favorable for all measures. Across NHI programs in brief, 98
percent of students go to college, 90 percent graduate from college,
and 65 to 70 percent go on to earn a graduate degree.
The organization is observing a deterioration in the quality andcaliber of students on the secondary level. As an entrepreneurial
nonprofit, there are many free programs that compete for students.
NHI is working to engage parents in understanding the significanceof the NHI experience and its benefits. In addition, many colleges
are going through budgetary cutbacks, so their ability to hostprograms on their campuses becomes more difficult. Nevertheless,
NHI has a great impact.
“After participating in the LDZ program, many students seethemselves being connected to a peer group that they didn’t know
existed, i.e., Latino honors students (since many of them are the only
or one of few Latino honors students at their high schools). They
also feel as if college is more attainable, reporting that they neverrealized how many colleges would be interested in them. They
realize they are marketable to colleges….The LDZ program also
seems to clarify for students that higher education is the mostimportant decision that they will make.”—Gloria de León, Executive Vice President, National Hispanic
Institute
The National Hispanic Institute is a not-for-profit organization witha mission to expand the base of leadership in the Latino community.
Founded in 1979 by Ernesto Nieto, the NHI provides community
intervention programs that have touched the lives of more than
45,000 young Latinos in the country. Other programs of the NHI
include the Young Leaders Conference, Collegiate World Series(see article), the Mexico Language Program, the Student Support
Services, the John F. Lopez Community Service Fellowship, theCommunity Leadership Councils, and Collegiate Leadership
Network. The College Register and the Graduate Consortium, andmemberships of undergraduate and graduate institutions, work
closely with NHI for Latino student outreach.
www.nhi-net.org

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

35

Willamette Academy
Willamette University, Salem, Oregon
Overview: Willamette Academy enrolls at-risk and minority seventh-grade students from the
Salem-Keizer community into a free and supplemental five-year academic program. The
academy provides year-round teaching, tutoring, and activities to prepare students for theacademic rigor of a college education. Enrolled students must demonstrate academic
potential and the desire to attend a four-year institution, while their parents must express acommitment of support and involvement. About 70 percent of the students in this programare Latino.
Objective: The goal is to graduate all academy students from a four-year institution of higher
learning. To boost the likelihood of success, the College Achievement Plan (CAP) gives
students who meet specified requirements assurance of admission to Willamette University
and a financial aid package that meets 100 percent of their federally calculated financial
need.
Program Components: Year-round academic enrichment and tutoring; a summer residential
program with instruction in science, technology, math, creative writing, visual arts, andcommunications skills; and parents’ group programs to show ways for parents to support
their children as they prepare for college.
Staffing: A staff of seven includes an executive director, two additional full-timeadministrators, and four part-time curriculum or teaching positions. In addition, WillametteAcademy has a formal and mutually beneficial partnership with the local Salem-Keizer
school district. Local teachers recommend students for enrollment in the Academy, serve as
instructors, and evaluate student performance.
Cost: Approximately $3,000 per student, per year.
Funding: Sustained through corporate and foundation grants and private donations,
including a significant endowment gift made by Willamette University alumni.
More Information: www.willamette.edu/cla/academy

36

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE)
PIQE
San Diego, California (Headquarters)
Program Start Date: 1987
The Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) is a statewide
Overview:

Objectives:

Audience Served:

research-based and comprehensive parent involvement program in
California. PIQE offers a nine-week series of classes on parent
involvement, a four-month “Coaches” follow-up program and a sixhour teacher workshop on parent involvement.
The objective is to encourage and support low-income, ethnicallydiverse parents of elementary, middle, and high school students totake a participatory role in assisting their children to:nCreate a home learning environmentnNavigate the school systemnCollaborate with teachers, counselors, and principalsnEncourage college attendancenSupport a child’s emotional and social development
PIQE serves parents from low-income, ethnically diverse
communities. Overall participation is higher among Latino
immigrants, but the program has seen increased participation
among second- and third-generation Latinos and among English
speakers. The Oakland office serves seven counties in the San
Francisco Bay Area. PIQE classes have been taught in 14 different
languages. Beyond the Oakland-based PIQE program, there are also
11 regional PIQE offices in California, and one new office in
Phoenix, Arizona. Another three to five offices are expected toopen in Phoenix, along with offices in Texas. Since its inception,
PIQE has graduated more than 350,000 from its nine-week classes,
75,000 from the follow-up program, and more than 750 teachers
from the six-hour workshops.

Staffing:

PIQE has five full-time staffers in the Oakland regional office, threeprogram associates who coordinate the school programs, two
support staff members, and an executive director. Also, the Oakland
office has 35 facilitators for the workshops.

Timing:A nine-week series of courses for parents with meetings in themornings and evenings. The trimester system has courses in fall
(September–November), winter (January–March) and spring(April–June). The program does its best to operate within the
structure of the school calendar. Schools are signed on a firstcome, first-served basis.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education37

Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE)
PIQE
San Diego, California (Headquarters)
Cost:

Approximately $16,000 to $25,000 for the entire nine-weekprogram. The contract covers parent recruitment, facilitation, andprogram materials. Once parents are on-site, PIQE maintains
participation, provides facilitators, and all teaching materials for theduration of the program.

Funding Sources:

Schools can’t afford the cost of the program, so there is a 1:1
matching program. Schools pay a portion of costs, and PIQE raises
funds to offset the remainder of costs through private foundations.
The California State University also supports the program throughthe CSU–PIQE partnership.
An evaluation was conducted by San Diego State University in2004 and the program is exploring a systematic review process. The
SDSU study suggests that “[PIQE] is making a difference in school
persistence, reducing the dropout rate, and in increasing college
participation.”
One challenge is capacity, since the program cannot always meetdemand despite growing from 10 schools per season to 20. A
summer session is under consideration. Getting information tounderserved communities is crucial. In the San Francisco Bay Area
courses are primarily offered in English and Spanish. (Courses havealso been offered in Cantonese. The PIQE curriculum has beentranslated into 14 languages but needs facilitators who speak thoselanguages.)“The CSU partnership with PIQE is significant since it adds tomany other efforts to help improve the public school system.
Improving the state’s public K–12 schools is critical to the
future of California and quality of the Cal State system, since
we expect that many of those students ultimately enroll at a
CSU campus.”—Charles B. Reed, Chancellor, California State University
PIQE works with other states to help them replicate the program.
Contact Patricia Mayer at the PIQE Corporate Office, by phone at
858 483-4499 or by e-mail at pmayer@piqe.org. Visit
www.piqe.org for further information about the organization and its
programs.

Evaluation:

Implementation
Challenges:

Quote:

More Information:

38

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Tipsheet: Connecting with Latino Parents and Families
Florida State University
Office of Multicultural Affairs
n

n

n

n
n
n

n
n

n

Understand your local Latino population/community
to know where your Latino students are coming from.
Make campus visits work more economically andlogistically to Latino parents.
Increase outreach to Latino families in low-SES
communities.
Understand your Latino students on campus.
Translate materials (brochures, Web sites, etc.).
Assign Latino faculty/staff/administrators atcollege/university events (understanding of culturalcontext).
Incorporate traditional Latino cultural values.
Take advantage of orientation programs and college
visits to share how the institution partners withparents.
Conduct assessment with Latino parents, families, andstudents.

ß “When referring to Latino
culture, there is no such thingas ‘one Latino culture.’ Given
the array of countries of originthat Latinos identify with,
culture is internalized andexpressed differently fromperson to person, family tofamily, and community tocommunity. “(Torres, 2004)

Hispanic Mother–Daughter Program (HMDP)
Arizona State University (ASU)
Tempe, Arizona
Program Start Date: 1984
HMDP selects mother–daughter pairs including seventh-grade
Overview:

Objectives:

Eligibility
Requirements:

Latina students from community schools with partnerships with theuniversity. Participants attend workshops and events on ASU’scampus from eighth grade through high school. Students in the
program also receive one-on-one visits from HMDP advisers attheir high schools. (HMDP is part of a series of programs called
Access ASU.)• To raise educational and career aspirations of Hispanic
women.
• To increase the number of first-generation Hispanic women
who complete a bachelor’s degree, by directly involving
mothers in the educational process of their daughters.
• Attend school within one of the participating districts in the
program• First-generation university-bound• Performing at seventh-grade level in English and mathResources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

39

Hispanic Mother–Daughter Program (HMDP)
Arizona State University (ASU)
Tempe, ArizonaStudents must be proficient in the English language
2.75 GPA or above in English/language arts, math, science,and social studies
Each year, 100 mother–daughter teams are selected. Because there issome attrition, about 250 participate at the high school level.
A program director; an eighth-grade program adviser; two highschool program advisers, one for each community area (East Valleyand Phoenix). Program advisers conduct monthly visits withstudents, mentor them, and keep them on track. An administrative
assistant is also on staff.
An ongoing series of workshops and activities starts in eighth
grade. If the student attends ASU, HMDP monthly programming
continues.
HMDP operates on a yearly budget of $363,885. This includes
salaries for five staff members, 20 tuition scholarships,
administrative fees, and day-to-day operations.
A combination of funding from the university and private donors
and corporations. Also, the schools fund the eighth-grade programadviser position. ASU allots 20 tuition scholarships each year to
HMDP students that enroll at ASU.
••

Numbers
Served:Staffing:

Timing:Costs:
Funding
Sources:

OutsideInvolvement:

Evaluation:

Challenges:

Key to Success:More Information:

40

Advisory board members from partnering districts help by
providing space, disseminating information, and encouraging
student participation. At the university, many departments offer
information at the monthly workshops, such as staff from financial
aid, the scholarship office, career services, etc.
Participants give feedback on workshops at the end of the year.
Recruitment and retention are tracked and areas for improvement
identified and pursued. Although there is a small amount of attrition
between eighth and twelfth grade, among the seniors that remain,
HMDP has a 100-percent high school graduation rate, and 100
percent of students continue to some form of postsecondary
education.
There is a high demand for the program. Latino families are moving
out farther into areas not served right now. More funding is needed
to expand program reach. Also, retention is improving, which also
requires more funding, so fund-raising is a focus. Consistency ofprivate donations and corporate gifts is always a question. Also,
Proposition 300 requires undocumented students to pay out-of-state
tuition. This presents a challenge to secure college funding for the
undocumented HMDP students. One goal is to establish ascholarship fund in addition to what the university provides.
Parent support all the way through.
http://www.asu.edu/enroll/hmdp/index.html

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Educational Talent Search(Large Hispanic-Serving Public University)
Program Start Date: 2006–2007
Educational Talent Search, one of eight federally funded TRIO
Overview:

Objectives:

Audience Served:

ProgramComponents:

Staffing:
Timing:Cost:
Funding Source:
OutsideInvolvement:
Evaluation:

programs, is a guidance counseling program for junior high andhigh school students from disadvantaged backgrounds to encouragethem to enroll in college. This program identifies and assists
individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential
to succeed in higher education; and provides academic, career, andfinancial counseling. Talent Search also serves high school
dropouts by encouraging them to reenter the education system andcomplete their education.
The purpose of the Talent Search program is to identify qualified
students with potential for education at the postsecondary level andencourage them to complete secondary school and pursue
postsecondary education.
Approximately 600 seventh- to twelfth-graders per year at threehigh schools and three feeder middle schools. Pursuant to federal
guidelines, two-thirds of participants must be both low-income andfirst-generation college-going students.
Three or four advising sessions during the academic year for eachparticipant (includes individual and group advising sessions).
Topics include a FAFSA workshop in English and Spanish. For
juniors or seniors in high school, contact is intensified to ensure that
their paperwork is being done for admissions, financial aid, etc. For
middle schoolers, the advising is geared toward career exploration,
campus visits, providing other types of inventory testing, career
surveys, and study skill inventories. Educational Talent Search
includes a two-week summer reading, writing, and technology
commuter camp on the university campus for the rising tenthgraders. One part of the camp prepares students for the National
TRIO ThinkQuest competition.
Five full-time staff: a secretary, a director, and three coordinators.
Groups meet weekly during two academic quarters.
$366 per student, per year
U.S. Department of Education
The program collaborates with the middle schools and high schools,
and coordinators are housed at the schools except for one day per
week at the university. Coordinators must follow school protocols,
including a full background check.
The program will review transcripts from target schools, exam
scores, and attendance records. The program and staff are evaluatedby participants. Summative and formative evaluations will show
where students are with meeting objectives. Coordinators complete

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

41

Educational Talent Search(Large Hispanic-Serving Public University)

Challenges:

42

updates and evaluations to track seniors and address issues
identified.
Building the new relationships at the schools is an essential
challenge. On the university level, this is a new grant, and it has
been difficult to integrate into the institution’s bureaucracy andauthorization process.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Pre-Collegiate Development Program
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado accepts the idea that its early outreach program is effectively
preparing many students for admission into other institutions. Its Pre-Collegiate
Development Program (PCDP) is in place at 79 middle schools and high schools in the stateand is open to all first-generation college-going students, both minority and nonminority.
“We don’t just prepare them for the University of Colorado, although we would love to havethem come here,” said Christine Yoshinaga-Itano, vice provost and associate vice chancellor
for diversity and equity at UC Boulder. “Part of the reason that we don’t get all of theparticipating students into the University of Colorado is that they get targeted by universities
all over the United States, which is great for them. Fortunately for us, a lot of them don’t liketo leave home. We do get a fair number who stay here.”
PCDP is an institutionally funded academic enhancement program designed to motivate andprepare underserved students in pursuit of their higher education goals. Program components
and benefits include:• Academic advising throughout high school to better prepare for college• Opportunities to learn about new subjects and acquire better study skills• Tools to improve interpersonal and leadership skills• Preparatory assistance for college entrance exams• Assistance with college admissions and financial aid applications• Resources for student/counselor liaison/parent advisory groups• Referrals to community and campus resources• Required five-week Summer Residential Program for eligible students who havecompleted their junior year in high school
The extraordinary success of the program is clear in its 100-percent high school graduation
rate among participants in recent years. This is particularly notable considering that many of
the PCDP programs are in metro Denver inner-city schools, where the high school graduation
rate for Latino students is below 50 percent.
“Our success rate is really pretty amazing,” Yoshinaga-Itano said. “The program is
successful because it requires that the whole family participate and commit to Saturday
programs for students and summer programs at the university. There’s a lot of guidance tothe families about what their children need to do if the goal is to get into college.”
PCDP also serves a vital purpose for the university, filling a pipeline with students fromdiverse backgrounds. That pipeline is restricted by challenges of dropout rates and low
numbers of minority students in college-preparatory courses. “This completely limits thenumber of students who are even capable of applying for admission. It’s a community issue.
It’s more than just the university. So we are really proud of the pre-collegiate program. We
Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

43

wish we had more money to expand the program because its success has been reallyphenomenal,” she said.

The University of Colorado at Boulder has a well-defined campus diversity plan
incorporating a detailed blueprint for action. Each program plays a vital role infulfilling the institution’s stated goals. For example, the Pre-Collegiate Development
Program (PCDP) is designed to increase the pipeline and therefore the number ofstudents who meet the qualifications for admission to the university. “PCDP is an
important element in ensuring a more diverse and highly qualified applicant pool,”said Christine Yoshinaga-Itano, vice provost and associate vice chancellor for
diversity and equity.

Tipsheet: Approaches That Work

Common Themes Among Successful Programs
Many institutional practices are aimed at meeting the
education needs of Latino high school and college
students. The practices that have been shown to generate
successful outcomes typically:n
Reach out to students early in their educational
careers;n
Involve multiple stakeholders such as parents andcounselors;n
Are ongoing interventions;nCultivate a college-going culture within theschool and community environment; andn
Are coordinated through an array of institutional
actors and organizations.

Resource:
Council for Opportunity in Education (TRIO Programs), www.coenet.us

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3 Effective High School Recruitment
and Marketing
School Visits: Effective, Low-Cost Recruitment
Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, California
Admissions officers can’t go everywhere to recruit talented students. Claremont McKenna
College fills the gaps by targeting high schools with underrepresented students and bringing
them a taste of the liberal arts institution.
One focus is on juniors in AP classes at public schools in low-income areas. The college runs
a one-day event for about 50 students in order to help them understand how they can pay forcollege and to familiarize them with the admissions process. College faculty also participate.
It’s an effective, low-cost approach to reach more schools. (Mailings and food are the largest
expenses, at about $400, plus about 10–15 hours of staff time.)

Collegiate World Series (CWS)
National Hispanic Institute (NHI)
Maxwell, Texas
Program Start Date: 1993
The Collegiate World Series is a four- to six-day residential
Overview:

Objectives:

program hosted on college campuses. Teams of students areorganized with college admissions counselors from more than 100
universities, who serve as coaches and advisers. Winning teams andall-stars are honored at an awards ceremony. It’s a little bit of theWorld Series combined with the NFL draft, because students
compete to be “drafted” to the school of their choice and tonegotiate the best financial package possible. Moreover, students
have a unique opportunity to meet with peers and coaches and givethought to their futures as community leaders. On the higher edside, college admissions representatives interact with NHI
participants. The educators spend a weekend with college-boundjuniors to go over the college admissions process and market their
institutions.
CWS is designed to help students make informed decisions aboutcollege, and about life direction. The program “builds successbehaviors for students to excel in the college admission process andin college life, both academically and socially, while engaging

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education45

Collegiate World Series (CWS)
National Hispanic Institute (NHI)
Maxwell, Texas

Audience Served:

Staffing:[them] to reflect on the cultural, moral, social, and personal values
that inform their identity and life goals,” according to NHI.
Students can use the experience to chart a strategic path that utilizes
academic and social resources available through college. Program
benefits include personal relationships and effective negotiatingskills gained from meeting admissions officers from top colleges
and universities and from training.
College-bound high school juniors on a first-come, first-served
basis. Students must be in a college-bound or honors curriculum
and must apply to the program and provide transcripts. The
programs take place at about 14 sites annually (universities andindependent school districts) and serve approximately 110 students
per program.
NHI is composed of 12 full-time staff. For the CWS, 5 to 10
admissions officers from colleges and universities serve as coaches
for the student participants. Alumni of NHI programs who areundergraduates participate in the CWS programs as mentors.

Timing:

The residential CWS program lasts from four to six days. NHI also
conducts contract CWS programs with school districts that want toprovide students with a crash course on the admissions process.

Cost:Students pay $435 tuition to attend the program. The general costsof the CWS are nearly double that amount.
NHI works diligently along with partner host colleges anduniversities to help underwrite the costs and keep program tuitions
affordable.
Evaluation elements include program surveys; staff discussion andassessment; and student tracking after high school graduation.
Across NHI programs, in brief, 98 percent of NHI students go tocollege, 90 percent graduate from college, and 65 to 70 percent earna graduate degree. Colleges have reported that the program is agreat complement to college fairs and an opportunity to target
recruitment and spend quality time with prospective college
students.
Many colleges are undergoing budget cuts, limiting their ability tohost programs on their campuses. Nevertheless, the NHI CWS
continues to have a great impact on students while benefitingcolleges and universities.
The National Hispanic Institute is a not-for-profit organization witha mission to expand the base of leadership in the Latino
community. Founded in 1979 by Ernesto Nieto, the NHI provides
community intervention programs that have touched the lives ofmore than 45,000 young Latinos in the country. Other programs of
the NHI include the Young Leaders Conference, the Lorenzo deFunding Sources:
Evaluation:

Implementation
Challenges:
About the National
Hispanic Institute46

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Collegiate World Series (CWS)
National Hispanic Institute (NHI)
Maxwell, Texas

More Information:

Zavala Youth Legislative Session (see article), the Mexico
Language Program, Student Support Services, the John F. Lopez
Community Service Fellowship, the Community LeadershipCouncils, and the Collegiate Leadership Network. The College
Register and the Graduate Consortium, and memberships ofundergraduate and graduate institutions, work closely with NHI for
Latino student outreach.
www.nhi-net.org

Dr. Antonia Pantoja Scholars Program
Florida State University (FSU)
Tallahassee, Florida
Program Start Date: 2002
Students are invited to spend a day at FSU to learn about theOverview:

Objectives:
Audience Served:

university, including admissions, financial aid, a college fair, andother areas of campus life. During their visit, each student ismentored by an outstanding FSU student leader and will receive
individual attention for his or her needs, participate in workshops,
listen to a variety of guest speakers, and take a tour of the FSU
campus. This is a one-day program held once a year, a joint
program of the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Hispanic
Latino Student Union at Florida State University. Latino highschool students (sophomores, juniors, and seniors) from the three
counties surrounding FSU are invited to participate. Letters are sentout to local high schools in the three targeted counties where
counselors are asked to nominate students for the program.
To increase and support the enrollment of Hispanic/Latino students
in higher education by reaching out to sophomores, juniors, andseniors from high schools in Leon, Gadsden, and Wakulla counties.
Local high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors living in thethree counties surrounding the university; 75 students each year.

Staffing:

All six staff members of the FSU Office of Multicultural Affairs,plus 41 student volunteers.

Timing:Once a year, one-day program, 8 a.m.–3 p.m.

Cost:

Participation is free for students. The cost to the organizers is about$1,500 to cover lunch and gift bags for students (university
giveaways).
FSU Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Hispanic Latino
Student Union.

Funding Sources:

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47

Dr. Antonia Pantoja Scholars Program
Florida State University (FSU)
Tallahassee, Florida
Special Permissions:
Implementation
Challenges:

Quote:

48

Letter sent out to entire university faculty and staff to excuse
undergraduate student mentors from class for the program.
It is sometimes tough to recruit undergraduate students to serve as
mentors because of the time commitment. However, once they learn
about the program and are on board, they are terrific. An additional
motivation for the undergraduates is that they get community
service hours noted on their transcript for their service, which isvery popular and viewed positively. Students want their future
potential employers to know that they’ve been engaged incommunity service during their undergraduate years.
“We want to get the students thinking about going to college, notnecessarily FSU, but thinking about two- or four-year colleges andinforming them of the possibilities for college.”—Juan Guardia, Ph.D., Director, Office of Multicultural Affairs,
Florida State University

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Building College Skills, Awareness, and Access
The Bronx Institute Latino Collegiate Society
Lehman College (CUNY), West Bronx, New YorkThe Latino Collegiate Society provides low-income Latino students with a strong foundationfor educational success by giving them the skills and knowledge to complete high school andenter selective colleges throughout the nation. Program activities support and strengthen
academic rigor, guide students through the admissions process, and help them obtainscholarships and financial aid to attend college.
The goal of the program is to provide and engage its participants in accelerated and rigorouscourse work, and to increase academic achievement, graduation rates, and access to higher
education. Services and programs include or address:• New York State Regents exam preparation• PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, and ACT test preparation• Accelerated curriculum and Advanced Placement Program courses• Cultural enrichment and identity• Academic counseling and college awareness• Building a college-going culture among Latino students• Increasing parental knowledge and involvement in student academic achievement,
development, and postsecondary educational opportunities
Program activities are designed to raise expectations and academic achievement and build astrong sense of community among participants in a supportive environment. The effort isgeared toward overcoming challenges including families’ lack of familiarity with college andtheir reluctance about some of the college opportunities available to their children,
particularly at distant colleges.
Since 2002, the Latino Collegiate Society services have been offered after school in fall andspring, on Saturdays, and five weeks during the summer breaks.
The Latino Collegiate Society draws upon the resources of Lehman College and the Bronx
Institute to supplement project activities. Volunteers, recent high school graduates, and priorparticipants of Latino Collegiate Society share their experiences and work as mentors, tutors,
and workshop facilitators throughout this initiative. Partner organizations include Fordham
University, Harvard University, the Experiment in International Living, EXPLO Summer
Programs at Yale University, Goldman Sachs’s Next Generation Venture Fund, Center for
Talented Youth at Johns Hopkins University, the College Board, and Peterson’s Learning.
Furthermore, The Bronx Institute has relationships with the following organizations: theCommission of Independent Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, National
Council of La Raza, the New York Public Library, New York State Association for College
Admission Counseling, Sallie Mae Foundation, and The First Tee—Metropolitan New York
Professional Golf Association.
Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

49

The Latino Collegiate Society uses several outcome measures and evaluation techniques toevaluate project activities with respect to program goals; parent and student surveys, program
activity evaluations, attendance records, and academic performance. The objective is toassess project activities and to ensure that they are of high quality, and that participation in
the activities results in high retention rates and improvements in participants’ attitudes,
behaviors, academic performance, persistence in high school, and aspirations for college.
Students receive preparation for standardized tests, tutoring in specific academic areas ofchallenge, and writing to prepare for college applications and admissions essays. Enrichment
programs include filmmaking, photography, art, youth entrepreneurship, journalism, creative
writing, and college campus and trip residential programs.
Students in the first cohort were accepted at a wide range of colleges, from selective private
institutions to state and city colleges with substantial scholarship and financial aid packages.

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Marketing Tips from the Trenches
Sacred Heart University
Fairfield, Connecticut
For this private, four-year institution, Hispanic students
represented an underserved education market, so
administrators undertook a recruitment plan. Learn fromtheir experience, which resulted in these tips for othercolleges:• Hire a consultant: You probably can’t do marketingand outreach effectively by yourself. It is hard to findan expert in Hispanic marketing who also specializes
in education. However, if you go with a qualified
firm that knows the Hispanic community, that’s agreat start.
• Look at your market: You should choose amarketing firm with targeted phone and mailinglists—one that is able to conduct bilingual
community outreach to get a snapshot of yourmarket, whether it is local or nationwide.
• Identify your “target”: Be specific about thestudents you want to attract. Sacred Heart University
aims for second-generation students whose parents
value education.
• Conduct telephone research: Hearing a voice andengaging in a conversation lends a valuable personalconnection and should be one of the marketing firm’s
priorities.
• Add internal research to the mix: Make sure theconsultant runs internal focus groups of Hispanic
employees at all levels from the dean’s office to thegrounds crews. Groups should blend people fromdifferent jobs, without combining workers in thesame group with their managers. Make sureemployees get lunch and are paid for their time infocus groups.
• Things to ask about: Work with your consultant tofine-tune your research and focus group questions.
Topics should include asking which newspapers andTV and radio stations people rely on for information.
Also ask what people’s barriers are to attending yourinstitution.
• Get a marketing plan that fits your budget: Be up
front with the consultant about your budget range soß“We tried to do it on our own andquickly realized we didn’t knowwhat we were doing. We thought
we could translate ads we alreadyran into Spanish but we couldn’t
get experts to agree on diction
between dialects,” said Mary Lou
DeRosa, director, University
College Initiatives.

ß“We tapped our employees as awindow into the community.”ß “Our Hispanic employees would
receive free tuition, but many havetold us they work three jobs andcannot pursue education. Theysay that college is ‘not for me but
for my kids ,’ ” DeRosa said.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

51

•

•
•

•
•

•
•

•

•

52

that efforts can be designed workably.
Find local partners: In addition to your traditional
marketing efforts, tap local Hispanic councils andorganizations. For example, Sacred Heart University
participates on the Hispanic Advisory Council ofGreater Stamford, as well as a local merchants
association.
Don’t forget “feeders”: Build relationships withlocal high schools and community colleges to
conduct outreach.
Bring students onto your campus: In marketing
terms, find ways to demonstrate your product byinviting prospective students to try it. Let visitors
experience sporting events, theater, even the learning
centers or library and other campus facilities,
offerings, and events.
Consider a variety of outlets: If you have an
advertising budget, use a multimedia mix of radio,
print, and direct mail.
Leverage your advertising: If you advertise in a
publication, chances are you can build a relationshipon the editorial side of the house and contributecontent or pitch stories about people and events on
campus.
Do “blended” marketing that combines English
and Spanish language advertising and content.
Find niche resources: As a Catholic institution,
Sacred Heart University is able to tap central
dioceses’ communications personnel to help with
Spanish media lists and other information. Be sure to
take advantage of the benefits of your institution’s
affiliations or membership in education associations.
Take lots of photos: Although professional
photographers are needed for splashy magazines, you
can help your chances of getting more modest stories
published by providing photos.
Take these same steps for each group you wish to
attract to your institution.

ß “Hispanic students are not justfrom Puerto Rico or Mexico. They
come from Ecuador, Guatemala,Spain—-a variety of cultures, eachunique unto itself,” DeRosa said.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Spanish Web Portal
Portal en Español
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
www.umich.edu/ES
Which university in the United States has the largest
Spanish language presence on the Internet? It’s the
University of Michigan, with three Web sites and morethan 600 pages.
“The Portal en Español [Spanish Web portal] started
in 2004 as a modest project in the Midwest—perhaps not
a very logical spot for a Spanish language Web site,”
said Vivianne Schnitzer, who coordinates much of thecontent. “The University of Michigan has a very
sophisticated communications office and is a leader indiversity,” she noted.
The Spanish Web portal contains rich content aboutadmissions and academics for students and prospects, aswell as health information and other university news forß “Spanish is not a foreign
language in this country,” said
Vivianne Schnitzer, University ofMichigan.

students and families. The sites also disseminate press
releases, radio feeds with scripts, and podcasts toSpanish language media outlets nationwide and aroundthe world. The content includes research updates fromthe university. About 25 marketing and communications
professionals as well as health writers at the university
contribute content. Schnitzer, a journalist by training,translates and shapes the stories for the Latino audience.
Some material is recorded into audio feeds for news
releases, read by students or faculty, and accompanied byscripts that local radio broadcasters can use to insert theirown voiceover narration.
Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

53

“Our audience is the entire Latino population,” shesaid. “We want to provide content that is original, nottranslated three times and distorted, but that comes
directly from the source and is accurate.”
The institution has a comprehensive media list for
Spanish language outlets including everything from tiny
local newspapers to big broadcast concerns.
The media effort results in many placements withattribution to the university, which gets its name out toLatino readers and listeners. Taken together, the Web
and media efforts market the institution to Latino
families and students and build a reputation for theß The University of Michigan isseeking institutional partners tocreate a nonprofit consortium of
Spanish language news andresearch content providers. The
Project is called Servicio
Universitario de Noticias en
Español (SUNES). Contact
Vivianne Schnitzer,
vsh@umich.edu.

university as a primary source for content in Spanish.
“When you speak the language of the family or theparents, they feel safe,” she said. “The university doesn’t
become this outside, faraway, cold place. But it becomesa place that is similar to home.”
Visit the University of Michigan’s Web sites:
Portal en Español
www.umich.edu/ESNews Service in Spanish
www.ns.umich.edu/Es/index.php
University of Michigan Health System (in Spanish)
www.med.umich.edu/espanol/
Actualidad Médica, Podcast en Español (University ofMichigan Health System (UMHS) Podcast in Spanish)
www.med.umich.edu/podcast/EnEspanol/
Servicio de Noticias de Radio (Radio News service in
Spanish UMHS)
www.med.umich.edu/podcast/EnEspanol/SNR/

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Recruitment and Marketing Tools from the College Board
Student Search Service® (SSS®)
Student Search Service® (SSS®) is one of many tools that the College Board offers to help
ensure ethnic diversity or satisfy other enrollment directives at your institution.
More Information: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/higher-ed/recruitment/sss

Enrollment Planning Service (EPS®)
The Enrollment Planning Service (EPS®) provides institutions with a look at the student
marketplace, as well as at their positions within that marketplace.
More Information: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/higher-ed/recruitment/eps

Descriptor PLUS
Descriptor PLUS is a geodemographic-based tagging service that provides, using only
minimum information (zip code and high school), descriptive profiles of prospective
students.
More Information: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/higher-ed/recruitment/descriptorplus

Admitted Student Questionnaire® (ASQ®)
Admitted Student Questionnaire PLUS™ (ASQ PLUS™)
ASQ® and ASQ PLUS™ ask admitted students to tell you what they really think of yourprograms, recruitment literature, financial aid packages, competition, and more. ASQ
and ASQ PLUS can help address diversity efforts through the evaluation of responses fromstudents of ethnic backgrounds; feedback can be implemented in the form of communicationor cultural-related changes on campus.
More Information: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/higher-ed/recruitment/asq

Recruitment PLUS™
Recruitment PLUS™ is a comprehensive solution created to coordinate all your admissions
and enrollment activities. Designed specifically for admissions offices by former admissions
officers, this solution empowers enrollment management professionals by leveraging internaland external data to drive personalized, customized communication with students from ethnic
backgrounds.
More Information: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/higher-ed/recruitment/recruitmentplus

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education55

4 Effective Community College
Transfer Programs
Community College Transfer Initiative
Mount Holyoke College (MHC)
South Hadley, Massachusetts
In 2006, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation provided a$779,000 grant to Mount Holyoke College as part of anationwide effort to support programs aimed at highachieving, low-income community college students. The
foundation, along with Mount Holyoke College andseveral other public and private colleges and universities,
has invested $27 million in an effort to help community
college students to earn bachelor’s degrees fromselective four-year institutions.
Not everyone realizes it, but Mount Holyoke College

ß MHC is a small private women’s

has a history and mission of providing access to thecollege that has always had

highest quality academic experience for low-income andaccess as part of its mission.

nontraditional students. This priority dates back to 1837,
when the institution was founded by chemist andeducator Mary Lyon.
“She founded this college for women of modest
means,” said Jane Brown, vice president for enrollment
and college relations. “Her message that all womenshould have access to education has continued to thisday, and it’s what makes the partnership between us andthe community college a natural alignment for us.”
Mount Holyoke College has had an ongoing

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association with local community colleges in the area formany years. Through the grant, the institution canaugment its community college outreach, using a
multidimensional approach combining academics,
counseling, mentoring, and other support.
“We live in an area that has a large Latino population,
and we have been looking for ways to break into that
community with respect to helping students seethemselves at selective institutions like a Mount
Holyoke,” Brown said.
Program components of the Community College
Transfer Initiative supported by the grant include a
noncredit course called math transitions, offered eachsemester on Mount Holyoke College’s campus by a team

ß MHC reports that nontraditionalage students and community
college transfer students are
getting younger.

of MHC professors. Students from Holyoke Community
College and other community colleges come to MHC togain academically while also experiencing what it’s liketo be on campus.
“It helps students not only to understand the level ofrigor of quantitative skills that they’re going to need to
be prepared for Mount Holyoke transfer, but also to getthem on campus in a nonthreatening environment
working with our professors. It becomes one of their firstlinks to Mount Holyoke and other selective institutions,”
Brown said. “Many [community college students] say, as
they were growing up and going to high school, they
could never have imagined themselves at a Mount
Holyoke. It just didn’t look like a place for them. So we
wanted to construct a set of activities that would help
introduce them to seeing themselves and finding a place
here.”
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57

Another important component of the Community
College Transfer Initiative is the community learning
courses. These are interdisciplinary courses for credit
taught at the community college to help students prepare
for the academic transition to the four-year institution.
A portion of the grant also goes toward the salary ofan academic adviser who is a Holyoke Community
College staff member. The adviser identifies andsupports students who are interested in attending a
selective four-year institution like Mount Holyoke. “Thisis very intense, one-on-one, high-touch work to pushstudents through that pipeline,” Brown said.
A peer mentoring program is another part of theeffort. MHC’s currently enrolled students from
community colleges reach back to assist others along thetransfer path.
The grant also provides for the practical things that
too often stand in students’ way, such as funds fortransportation to the math transitions class or anadmissions event on campus, meals on campus, andfunds to help with child care.
“We’ve had a steady stream [of community college
transfer students], but clearly that stream is starting towiden to a more substantial river at this point and wehope to sustain this flow,” Brown said.
A sophisticated evaluation and tracking effort will bedone by researchers supported through the foundation.
So far, in all programmatic areas, the MHC Community
College Transfer Initiative has touched about 500
students in an effort to propel the college even further
toward its age-old mission. The funds have also helped

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MHC increase its community outreach to two-year
institutions by 40 percent. This outreach includes travel
to 38 community college campuses as well as peer-topeer admissions programs on campus.
Notably, as part of its participation in the four-year
grant, MHC has committed to earmarking its own
resources to sustain the community college effort in thelong term. For any of the students from the program who
are admitted and enroll, Mount Holyoke College willfund their financial aid to full eligibility. “It is so
fundamental and so perfectly aligned to our mission that
we are willing to continue to make this commitment,”
Brown said.
The other colleges and universities participating in theJack Kent Cooke Foundation program are Amherst
College, Bucknell University, Cornell University, theUniversity of California: Berkeley, the University ofMichigan, Ann Arbor, the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, and the University of Southern California.

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Transfer Coordination Leads to Success
Collin County (Texas) Community College District
Collin County Community College District, just north of Dallas County, is an affluent andrapidly growing area of the country with considerable high-tech industry. The enrollment of
20,000 includes about one-third minority students evenly split among Hispanic, African
American, and Asian populations. Now known as Collin College, its Web site is in English,
Spanish, and Chinese. Collin College’s transfer rate is an impressive 40 percent.
As part of its commitment to transfer students, Collin College has partnered with various
colleges and universities to establish articulation agreements, special preadmissionagreements, and degree plans/transfer guides that link students to their baccalaureate degreegranting institutions. Not only do these partnerships allow courses to transfer from one
institution to another without misrepresentation or loss of credit, they foster student
confidence and success. In fact, Collin College doesn’t seem to mind that participating
students often prematurely refer to themselves as attending the upper division partners, which
include The University of Texas at Dallas, University of North Texas, Southern Methodist
University (SMU), Baylor, Texas Tech, and others.
“The dual admission or partnership agreements with our key transfer institutions allow
students to be simultaneously admitted to Collin College and the four-year institution,” said
Dr. Toni P. Jenkins, executive vice-president, Collin College. “Students can sign up for thisand are sometimes given ID cards and student privileges for the university library andfootball games.”
While the level of commitment varies among the partner institutions, all are recruiting,offering transfer scholarships, and encouraging students with benefits that include early
admission. “The idea is for students to identify their ultimate goal early and get on track,”
Jenkins said. “We are trying to help students understand that the earlier they can make thesedecisions, the better we are able to help them financially.”
While students must compete for the scholarships, it is notable that the University of Texas at
Dallas (UTD) sets aside funds specifically for Collin College transferees. SMU also provides
significant financial awards. In addition, a major private donor, Texas Instruments, supports ascience and technology program in which students are recruited out of high school, into thecommunity college for two years, then to UTD.
“The universities like it because they can get the cream of the crop of our students. They aretrying to get the best, and they realize that students who do well in community college andcomplete the core are more likely to be successful at the university.”
While not specifically designed for Latino students, the program serves the diverse local
population well. For full details, go to http://transferu.ccccd.edu/.

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Giving Students a Second Chance
Foothill College
Los Altos Hills, California
Part of the Foothill-De Anza Community College
District in Silicon Valley, Foothill College is one of thelargest community colleges in the Bay Area and in thestate, with approximately 18,000 students, about 11.7
percent Hispanic.

ß Out of 109 community collegesin California, Foothill College
ranks first in successful transfer
course completion (2005).

The transfer process often begins in students’ second
year at the institution, which has transfer/admissionagreements with several public four-year universities in
the UC and CSU systems and many private institutions.
The transfer/admission agreement is essentially acontract between the two-year and four-year institution
and the student, who signs up a year before he or she isplanning to transfer. If students meet the requirements,
they gain admission at the upper-division school.
Counseling is a critical component to the process sothat students understand the course and GPA
requirements, deadlines, forms, and processes.
“We do have a really extensive counseling department.
That is a key to transfers. Students should try to see acounselor twice each quarter because the system is reallycomplex and ever-changing,” said Alexandra Duran,ß Foothill College celebrates
diversity on campus. It is amulticultural institution committed
to meeting students’ evolving
educational, economic, andcultural needs. Its vision is toprovide educational opportunity
for all who can benefit from the
instruction and support services
offered.

outreach and retention specialist and community liaison. “It
could be difficult for a student to read our catalog, ourcurriculum, then read the university’s catalog andunderstand the prerequisites and requirements. Counselors
evaluate what the requirements are for that university, often
in a specific major, then explain which of our courses are

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education61

needed, and start making the translation between one
college and the other.”
The second critical component to the success of thetransfer program is pure academics. Here again, Foothill
College excels by design, beginning with the executive
team at the institution. Each of its four vice presidents is
responsible not only for his or her department (research,technology, educational resources, student development)
but also for instruction. “They share the instruction

ß Foothill College is famous for its

component, and work together to develop and maintainbiohealth education and dental

our college’s outstanding instructional vision,” Duranhygienist program.

said.
Academic offerings begin with basic skills courses toget students up to speed and ready for college-level workin English and math. They then progress into thecollege’s degree requirements.
In addition to the transfer agreements, the college also
has articulation agreements to evaluate course offeringsin terms of their equivalence and comparability to theuniversities.’ Foothill College maintains articulationagreements with nearly every University of California
and California State University campus, as well as withnumerous independent (private) and/or out-of-stateß Information about Foothillinstitutions. Articulation agreements are made on a

College’s transfer programs:

course-by-course basis and don’t present an offer ofindex.shtml

www.foothill.edu/transfer/admission as do the transfer/admission agreements.

ßInformation about California

Nevertheless, articulation agreements provide yet

www.assist.org/web-

another opportunity for students to leverage theirarticulation (public):
assist/welcome.html

community college experience.
“When they are ready to transfer, the universities
don’t look at high school GPAs or SAT scores anymore.

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They look at those students as an adult in college
already,” Duran said. “So that’s a complete second
chance—you start with a clean record again. Whatever
GPA you build here at Foothill, that’s the GPA theuniversity will look at. So I always tell students, if you
were not ready when you were in high school, thecommunity college will get you there. This is yoursecond chance.”

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63

Puente Community College Program
California Community Colleges
The Puente Project is an academic preparation program whose mission is to increase thenumber of educationally disadvantaged students who enroll in four-year colleges anduniversities, earn college degrees, and return to the community as mentors and leaders of
future generations.
“We focus on getting our students to transfer within two to three years,” said Julia Vergara,
Puente’s Community College Program coordinator. “There might be a case where the student
has been in community college for three years and has been lost in the system, and then finds
Puente and gets focused.” The Puente Club at each community college is a good place tocatch students who are no longer in Puente classes but still part of the program, she noted.
Puente serves students in 56 community colleges (and 35 high schools) throughout
California. Puente’s model combines an academically challenging curriculum with a crossfunctional support network of specially trained teachers and counselors, along with parents,
families, and members of the local community. Puente, which means “bridge” in Spanish,
started in 1981 as a community college program and, based on its success, the high school
program was created. Economically disadvantaged students are the focus, but Puente is open
to all students and reflects the local makeup of the community college.
T EACHI N G , C OU NSELI N G , AN D M E NTORI N G

Puente trains teams of school and college faculty to implement a proprietary program ofrigorous instruction, focused academic counseling, and mentoring by community members.
Its academic component is fully integrated into the (school or) college’s existing curriculum
and graduation requirements, as opposed to an after-school, weekend, or add-on program.
Students take a one-year English class with an instructor and a personal development classwith a counselor; relationships are ongoing.
Specifically, students in the community college program:• Take an accelerated two-course English class sequence with a curricular focus on
Latino literature and experience;• Meet regularly with a Puente counselor who helps them navigate the college
application process and follow a college-prep curriculum;• Are matched with a professionally and academically successful mentor from thecommunity; and• Attend field trips to college campuses.
P ROFESSIONAL T RAI N IN G I S K EY

Some keys to success for the program are the research-driven, team-based, and goal-oriented
training principles.

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Puente trains teams of teachers and counselors to prepare students from families with little orno college experience, students at low-performing schools, and students who themselves
have a record of low performance or inadequate preparation for entry into four-year colleges
and universities. Puente’s staff training programs have benefited more than 40,000 students
directly and more than 400,000 indirectly. The impact of Puente training extends wellbeyond the Puente classroom, as faculty consistently employ Puente methodologies with all
students with whom they work.
Teaching: Puente trains English teachers to deliver a rigorous academic curriculum thatincorporates culturally relevant reading and writing assignments as a basis for developing
college-level critical thinking and writing skills.
Counseling: Puente trains counselors to provide intensive academic and career counselingon college admission requirements, test-taking strategies, financial aid, and approaches tobalancing work and family with higher-education goals. The program provides institutetraining in the summer so that counselors who are successful at meeting transfer goals canshare ideas.
Mentoring: Puente trains, recruits, and matches mentors from the local professional
community who serve as role models of academic and professional success; community
college Puente students then receive one-on-one mentoring. They are not usually paired bycareers, but rather the pairings are based more on personality and some other mutual interest
such as hobbies or extracurricular interests.
T RANSFER S UCCESS AND O THER A CCOMPL ISHME N TS

Puente’s training and support programs have been credited with nearly doubling theenrollment and transfer rates of its students into four-year colleges and universities; notably
raising course and test completion rates; and substantially boosting parent and community
involvement.
“It is important to know that Puente students are becoming leaders at our colleges not only
within the Puente community but also collegewide, holding associated student bodyleadership positions,” Vergara said. “Most of our students apply for scholarships, and most
become lifelong advocates—they are very aware of political and social issues that have
impacted their education. They also see themselves as lifelong learners and writers. One of
the things we really focus on is their writing skills. And once in Puente, they consider
themselves as an academic for the first time.”
M ETHODOLOGIES , C OSTS , AND F U N D I N G

Puente has pioneered approaches such as linking an academic program to the local
community; integrating culturally relevant literature into the core curriculum; creating small
learning communities that foster academic success; working in cross-disciplinary teams; andsuccessfully teaching students reading and writing in untracked, mixed-skills classes.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

65

In 2005–2006, the Puente community college program cost $47 per student, funded by the
University of California Office of the President and the California Community Colleges, withadditional funding from private foundations.
For program and evaluation details, go to www.ucop.edu/puente.
For a Puente fact sheet, go to www.puente.net/printmaterials/General%20Info/factsheet.pdf.

Resources: Selected Statewide Articulation System Web Sites
•
•
•
•
•

ARTSYS: The Articulation System for Maryland Colleges and Universities(artweb.usmd.edu)
AZCAS: Arizona Course Applicability System (az.transfer.org/cas)
ASSIST, California’s Repository of Articulation Information (www.assist.org)
Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students (www.facts.org)
New Jersey Transfer (www.njtransfer.org)

Community College Counselor Sourcebook: Strategies for Advising Transfer Students from
Experienced Community College Counselors, © 2006 The College Board.
Second Chance, Not Second Class: A Blueprint for Community-College Transfer, Stephen J.
Handel, Change, September/October 2007.

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5 Admissions Decision Making
An Individualized Approach
Fill Any Gaps in Support
Many educators take for granted that families understand the college admissions process.
Like migratory birds that are predictable in their habits, the yearly flow of applicants can be
expected. But families of first-generation college-going students have no internal compass toguide them through the college admissions season, its dates, and its deadlines. They are notflocking to higher education and need better support and information to get them on the route
to college.
It’s important that colleges and universities make sure that nothing in the institutional
processes stands in the way of Latino students. This is especially true for the complex timing
and mechanics of applying and enrolling in college. If your institution has rigid deadlines,
make sure students are aware of them and their importance. For instance, if you have aprospect list at high schools with low college-going rates, provide extra follow-up to makesure students are aware of the deadlines. In addition to the application itself, provide a
simpler handout to map out the process in a more accessible way. It will come as no surprisethat translation into Spanish is also important in both written and face-to-face communication
with Latino families.

Conduct a Self-Audit
To fully understand your institution’s policies in the context of serving Latino students,
conduct an internal self-audit:• What standard messages go out to student prospects or applicants? Could any of thesecommunications actually be turning away students?
• Should some messages be reconsidered or refined to make them more studentfriendly? Are you too dependent on e-mail and online applications, when many atrisk students don’t have computers? In some areas, students may not have access toe-mail at home or at school.
• Perhaps you’ve already identified special efforts required at inner-city schools, but doyou risk assuming that Latino students in suburban and rural areas are well served?
Similar to the strategic planning process discussed in Section One, an admissions selfassessment can begin by polling currently enrolled Latino students about what works andwhat doesn’t. Finding answers to these questions will require some legwork, but it will bewell worth it to connect with new students and increase your applicant pool.

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Individualize the Application Review
What kind of information is useful to evaluate your Latino applicants? As with all students,
you must first assess their academic preparedness for college as well as their experiences andout-of-school activities. Be aware that Latino students might not fit the mold. For example,
most applications ask about extracurricular activities. But these might be sparse on theapplication of a student who must work or care for siblings. Does your application capture
what the student does in his or her spare time? Does the student have any spare time after
school, homework, and family responsibilities? Latino students may be more likely to beworking or contributing significantly to an extended family. Or, they may not know whatcolleges look for in terms of their participation in activities outside of school.
Critical to the process is your approach to application review. In the wake of the 2003
University of Michigan10 decisions, many colleges and universities are embracing
individualized application review. In this “whole file” or “comprehensive” approach,reviewers read everything in the student application, try to understand as much as they can,and evaluate the student along several dimensions. One viable dimension for evaluation is the
local context of the applicant’s school, family, background, and opportunities available.
Make sure each individual student is evaluated against the entire pool of applicants. Don’t
separate minority student applications for a different review process. A good approach is toevaluate all applicants and create a pool of those who are academically qualified foradmission. From that pool of students who have demonstrated their likelihood to succeed atyour institution, select your admitted class.
It is appropriate to evaluate how an applicant will contribute to the total student body and acritical mass of diverse students as long as you are not using representational ratios or quotas.
However, any regard for race or ethnicity must be motivated by a compelling interest on thepart of the institution to fulfill its educational mission. And any consideration of race andethnicity must be strictly limited to achieve those institutional goals.
If the goal is a diverse student body, an institution should analyze and remove barriers toadmission not just for Latino students but for other underserved minorities, older students,
returning vets, disabled students, low-income students, and first-generation college-goingstudents, among others.
Some states, including Michigan, California, Washington, and Florida, have passed laws ororders prohibiting the use of race or ethnicity by public institutions. Be sure to consult yourinstitution’s legal counsel on requirements in your state and keep abreast of any changes.
Also, understand which aspects of your work the legislation or regulation applies to, whether
admissions, recruitment, financial aid, all of the above, etc.
Separate layers of regulatory control apply to undocumented students, who by law have theright to an education through secondary school. In some states undocumented students may
10

Gratz v. Bollinger; Grutter v. Bollinger.

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be able to gain in-state status for tuition purposes if they have proof of residency for a
specific time. However, they are not eligible for federal financial aid.

ESL, ELL, EFL, LEP, Etc.
Students with limited English proficiency present special challenges to an institution,
regardless of their first language. You will need to know if an applicant speaks anotherlanguage, what language they speak at home, when they learned English, and how well they
can communicate in English.
If students struggle with English, they will certainly struggle in school and have low
admissions test scores. Understand that language ability affects not just reading
comprehension and writing skills in English, but math learning also.

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An Eye for Hardworking Students
Barnard College
New York, New York
It is difficult to interpret student applications from a wide diversity of students ofvastly different backgrounds, particularly different economic backgrounds. Eachapplicant needs to be considered as an individual. For Latino students, often home-lifepressures and priorities dictate the academic résumé, according to Rebeca Gomez
Palacio, director of multicultural recruitment and associate director of admissions,
Barnard College, New York, N.Y.
“Students tend to assume that extracurriculars have to be school affiliated. My
explanation has always been a little different. If it’s of value to you, if it’s somethingon which you spend a significant amount of time that demonstrates leadership,maturity, and responsibility, it counts,” she said. “If you are working part-time because
you are paying your bills and your parents’ bills or you’re working simply because youwant the experience, that counts. If you’re a teacher in your church or religious
institution, that’s not extracurricular in terms of being editor of the newspaper, but it
still counts.”
Palacio can spot the telltale signs that a student is truly industrious and ready forcollege work, although the application may lack traditional outside interests. “A lot ofkids, particularly in the large urban areas, commute two hours a day to go to a specificmagnet school because it’s a program they really want to pursue. That’s 20 hours aweek. That’s something. It doesn’t necessarily look the same, but it has its own value.”
Latino students, or any students who are family oriented, may find themselves serving
as a caregiver. Palacio reported that one student applicant was a caregiver for her
elderly grandmother who had Alzheimer’s. The student had no extracurricular
activities since she worked every night to care for her family. The youngster went toschool at 6 a.m. each day in order to get her homework done. “Here is someone who

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has a lot of maturity and responsibility. It’s a hard job and it’s an adultlike role andshould be weighed heavily in the [admissions] process.”
Palacio also reported that many Latino and other students have to care for siblings
while parents work, and this, too, is important as a measure of work ethic, and may
also explain the lack of extracurricular activities on their college applications. “Shedoesn’t have anything on her résumé, but she is taking care of her siblings. That
counts, in my opinion. I would be surprised if [other highly selective colleges] didn’t
place value on that as well. But often the students don’t or they’ve been told theyshouldn’t because it’s not school related.”

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education71

Shifting from Admissions to an Enrollment
Management ModelSaint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana

For us, admission was what we did before. We worked as an independent office. And
our job was to admit the students and get them to show up in August. Now, with our
new enrollment management model, we work together with financial aid and the rest of
the college community to make sure the students know everything they need to about
Saint Mary’s before they make their decision to enroll here. And then when they gethere, we continue working with the students and data to make sure we are identifying
the students that are going to stay.
—Mona Bowe, director of admission, Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana

Having recently changed its organizational structure from an admissions focus to enrollment
management, Saint Mary’s College has a keen awareness of the improvement.
“In the old way, admission was a silo in itself...in a vacuum…maybe working a little withfinancial aid, maybe working a little with first-year [studies] or academic affairs. You reallywere charged to bring the students in and the minute they showed up for campus orientation
you didn’t even have contact with them. Literally, it was like passing the baton. When
August came around, they started moving in and I was already focused on the next class,”
reflected Mona Bowe, director of admission.
Today, the college has reorganized using an enrollment management model in which theadmissions function is under a vice president for enrollment management. Also reporting toenrollment management is the financial aid office, which used to be in the institution’s fiscal
affairs division. An enrollment management advisory committee also includes
representatives from student affairs, the counseling center, housing, and academic advising,concentrating student services into a strategic effort. The ultimate goal: retention.
“From the top as an institutional priority, everybody now is part of admission and everybody
is part of retention,” Bowe said. “Just as I ask faculty to be part of the admissions process bytalking to students…it’s my job also to help retain students.”
Admission and retention are inextricably linked. “If we don’t find the match from the
beginning, then they are going to struggle when they get to Saint Mary’s,” she said.
“If it’s not the right fit, as much as we would like to have a much higher percent of minority
population, if the fit is not there, we know they are going to get here and not stay.”72

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

People and Technology Both Play a RoleThe private women’s college has always used personal, one-on-one recruitment approaches.
That continues, supported by enrollment management software to target students effectively.
The institution switched from a homegrown data management system to a dedicated softwaretool in order to target recruitment efforts. Saint Mary’s College reaches out to a pool of
25,000 potential applicants in about 35 states. A staff of outreach counselors is assigned byterritory. The college is now customizing its software to identify about 2,500 students who
are most likely to apply. This will be accomplished by looking at academic attributes andother qualifiers while making sure to cover a diverse population. The smaller subset ofstudents will receive even more contacts and phone calls.
The amount of contact is significant, beginning as early as the spring of junior year in highschool and continuing over the summer, as well as the fall of senior year, and all through theapplication and acceptance process. If territory managers can’t get out to meet students, theycall them on the phone. (An institutional priority of diversifying not just the student body, but
staff and faculty, is also a critical driving force at the college.) In addition to its staff ofoutreach counselors, the institution has a diversity board of enrolled students who call thehigh school students identified as likely to apply. This adds a peer-level connection withstudents who already have the Saint Mary’s experience.
“That one-on-one contact makes a huge difference working with our Hispanic population, forexample, because we can focus on the qualified Hispanic students that are already in ourpool,” Bowe said. “We work them through the system and make sure they remain interested
in Saint Mary’s. Going after those who are more likely to apply and then enroll has been adifferent way to do things.”
As a result, the school increased its pool of underrepresented minority accepted students fromabout 10 percent to about 13 percent in just two years. Enrolled students from diverse racialand ethnic backgrounds increased 2 percent in that short interval.
Saint Mary’s College has always enjoyed an impressive yield. An application pool of about
800 yields about 400 enrolled students each year. Retention is also high, at 83–84 percent
from the first to second year. Of those who graduate from the institution, 95 percent graduate
in four years.
“We have great retention. Our retention for our minority students is right up there with ourretention for our majority students. So why put all our energy and resources into somethingthat we already do well? It’s a matter of doing it great,” Bowe said. “We want to be able tosay over 90 percent of our students come back for their second year. We don’t want to say
we’re in the 80s; we want to say we’re in the 90s.”

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education73

Lack of Academic Preparation and Advising:
Two Critical Barriers to Student Success
What is the single largest obstacle to college for Latino students? It comes down to lack ofacademic preparation. According to an admissions officer at a selective private northeasterncollege, this is a problem embedded in K–12 education that “fundamentally restricts a lot ofstudents from gaining the type of academic preparation that they’ll need in order to compete
in admissions.”
Sadly, many states still have de facto tracks for students. Even some college-bound tracks inpublic high schools set the bar too low, aiming to prepare students only for minimum
entrance requirements at state universities. “Students can do everything that the high schools
are telling them they need to do in order to get to college. But when you are submitting yourapplication along with 45,000 others, are you going to make the cut? Most likely not,” theadmissions officer said of minimum high school graduation requirements.
Part of the problem lies with curricular alignment. “The reality is a lot of the graduation
requirements aren’t aligned with the academic preparatory requirements for colleges,” shereported. “That starts off in the earlier years, particularly in the math and science sequences.
By eighth grade, if students haven’t taken Algebra I, it precludes them from taking higherlevel math in the later years of high school, which can often eliminate certain college options
by virtue of their math preparation.”In these situations, students need to do extra work, including during summers, but too many
Latino students need to spend summers working, or they lack access to transportation tosummer programs.
Adding to the problem, college advising is inadequate and underfunded. “Students lack thesavvy about what colleges are generally requiring. Most selective schools require at least
three to four years of math, yet most high schools require just two years for graduation. The
same with science. Most [colleges] are looking for three to four years. But you can take one
year and graduate from high school. Foreign language? That is sometimes even optional at
the high school level.”
Unfortunately, college counselors at the middle and high school levels are overburdened andadvising support is not built into school budgets sufficiently. However, colleges can do someoutreach to fill the gaps and create important parent contact in evening programs or
receptions in a minicollege fair atmosphere. “You need to expand your parameters a little bit
and go outside the typical feeder schools,” the admissions officer recommended.
Another great approach is to let your own college’s students be ambassadors at theirhometown high schools. “A lot of students see professionals as very slick and intimidating,but if you have a student who is someone you went to school with or is friends with yourbrother or sister or from your community, it rings differently.”

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Ultimately, colleges may need to go directly to the source and find ways to communicate
with students and families in order to serve the growing Latino population and help develop apool of qualified applicants.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education75

Tipsheet: Hidden Barriers to Latino Student Access
Be Aware of the Impact of Policies and Practices
n
n

n
n

n

n

n

The cost of applications and fees.
Elimination of paper catalogs and applications.
“If your catalog is not printed and in the guidance
office, it eliminates the college from Latino
students’ reality because many are not online,” anadmissions officer said.
Language barriers in publications and in person.
Overreliance on extracurricular activities as acriterion for admission. Many Latino students
have family and work priorities that require
industriousness and maturity but that they may
not tell you about on their applications.
Giving additional consideration to applicants whomake multiple inquiries to the admissions office;Latino students may be less inclined or able to doso.
An undue advantage to those who visit campus
while others may not have the time or money to
do so.
Overlooking Latino students because they aren’t
active in Latino cultural activities and programs.

ß Do these issues limit Latino
students from considering yourinstitution?

Targeted Yield Efforts to Boost Enrollment
Along with the yield activities traditionally undertaken by admissions and enrollment
management offices, here are some additional strategies that can be utilized to target
admitted Latino students:
•
•
•
•

76

Designate a member(s) of the admissions/enrollment management staff to oversee
Latino student outreach and serve as point person for prospective and admitted Latino
students and families.
Coordinate outreach efforts between the admissions/enrollment management officeand campus multicultural organizations.
Send congratulatory letters to admitted Latino students from current Latino
undergraduates.
Send congratulatory letters to admitted Latino students from members of theadmissions/outreach office who work with Latino students.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

•
•

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Send mailings/publications to admitted Latino students that feature opportunities ofinterest to admitted Latino students.
Place congratulatory phone calls to admitted Latino students by current
undergraduates (either Latino undergraduates, undergraduates from the samegeographic area as the admitted student, or undergraduates with the same
career/major interests as the admitted student).
Place congratulatory phone calls to admitted Latino students by alumni (either Latino
alumni, alumni who live in the same geographic area as the admitted student, and/or
alumni with similar career interests as the admitted student).
Send congratulatory letters to parents of admitted Latino students from parents ofcurrent Latino undergraduates (fully translated into English and Spanish).
Hire Latino undergraduate student interns to assist in targeted
outreach efforts.
Offer a campus hosting program where admitted Latino students have the opportunity
to stay with current Latino undergraduates.
Develop on-campus programming targeted at admitted Latino students as part oflarger admitted student programming activities.
Have Latino alumni host off-campus receptions for admitted Latino students and theirfamilies.
Offer live Web chats for Latino admitted students featuring current Latino
undergraduates, faculty, and/or campus administrators of interest.
Send e-mail to admitted Latino students from campus community members pointing
them to campus Web sites describing opportunities for Latino students.

Resources:
The College Board hosts seminars on access and diversity and publishes a number ofpamphlets to help colleges, focusing on topics related to recruitment, outreach, admissions,retention, and financial aid, among many others. A short list of publications follows:
Toward a Taxonomy of the Admissions Decision-Making Process: A Public Document Basedon the First and Second College Board Conferences on Admissions Models, The College
Board, 1999.
Best Practices in Admissions Decisions: A Report on the Third College Board Conference on
Admission Models, The College Board, 2002.
Admission Decision-Making Models: How U.S. Institutions of Higher Education SelectUndergraduate Students, The College Board, 2003.
Selection Through Individualized Review: A Report on Phase IV of the Admissions Models
Project, The College Board, 2004.
Admissions and Diversity After Michigan: The Next Generation of Legal and Policy Issues,
The College Board, 2006.
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77

Federal Law and Recruitment, Outreach, and Retention: A Framework for Evaluating
Diversity-Related Programs, The College Board, 2005.
Federal Law and Financial Aid: A Framework for Evaluating Diversity-Related Programs,
The College Board, 2005.
From Federal Law to State Voter Initiatives: Preserving Higher Education’s Authority to
Achieve the Educational, Economic, Civic, and Security Benefits Associated with a Diverse
Student Body, The College Board, 2007.
College Counseling Sourcebook: Advice and Strategies from Experienced SchoolCounselors, Fourth Edition, The College Board, 2007.
Community College Counselor Sourcebook: Strategies for Advising Transfer Students from
Experienced Community College Counselors, The College Board, 2006.

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6 Financial Aid
Strategies That Matter
The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
The Ohio State University (OSU) uses many financial aid strategies to assist low-income
students. One simple yet powerful shift was made to get financial aid award letters out tocurrent students before the summer. It’s easy to take for granted that continuing students will
come back. But OSU has conducted studies that suggest that students want to know inadvance how their financial aid will look for the next year.
Of course, changing the administrative schedule to get the letters out is not convenient. It’s a
lot to get done before the summer, but it can help students from lower-income backgrounds
and perhaps even build a commitment to their return the coming year. On the flip side, if theinstitution cannot provide a financial aid award letter, a presummer communication may
present an opportunity to inform students about the forms and process to get their financial
support in place for next year.
OSU reports that the initial inconvenience of dedicating staff to the effort is well worth it.
Fewer students return in the fall with their finances in disarray. Getting award letters out
before the summer is a proactive measure that’s especially helpful in the long run to highvolume offices.
Another OSU priority has been to reduce the student loan default rate. Internal research at theinstitution showed that a chief contributor to defaults is students dropping out. It makes sensethat the loan default aversion strategy is a retention strategy.
Specifically, OSU research showed that the neediest students among Pell Grant eligibles
were having difficulty remaining in school. A large contributing factor was not student debt,
but rather consumer debt such as from credit cards. Special freshman-year courses areoffered to educate students about key financial topics. In addition, some financial aid
practices were revised to serve the lowest income students, including a targeted financial aid
packaging strategy aimed at filling gaps in finances while avoiding high-interest loans. Oncampus work programs are also important not just for financial reasons, but to build
connections to the campus community.
Aligning its practices and policies toward retention goals has had a positive effect on
subgroups such as Latino students and low-income students, the university has observed.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education79

Scholarship Programs
Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)
Overview: HSF provides more scholarship support to the Hispanic community than any
other organization in the country, with $195 million granted to date. HSF offers scholarship
opportunities to graduating high school seniors, community college students seeking totransfer to four-year universities, continuing university students seeking to complete theirdegrees, and to students in graduate and professional programs.
Scholarship funds may be used for tuition, fees, books, and other academic-related supplies,
as well as for room and board and transportation expenses related to school. To be eligible,
students need to have a minimum GPA of 3.00, based on a 4.00 scale (3.30 for Gates
Millennium Scholars applicants). Applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent
residents with a valid permanent resident card or a passport stamped I-551 (not expired) at
the time of the submission of their application. Successful candidates are selected on thebasis of academic achievement, financial need, personal strengths, and leadership.
Objectives: To provide eligible Latino students with the financial resources necessary for acollege education in support of HSF outreach, retention, and professional development goals.
Activities: There are four categories of scholarship administration and many types ofscholarship programs available, some with particular requirements or emphasis on major or
pursued field of interest, region, or donor interest. General HSF eligibility requirements
apply, as well as specific requirements for each program.
Applicants must meet all of the three following general eligibility requirements to apply for ascholarship through the Hispanic Scholarship Fund:n
Be of Hispanic heritage: persons descended from Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban,
Dominican, Central American (excluding Belize), South American (excluding
Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana), or other Spanish cultures;nBe pursuing or plan to pursue their first undergraduate or graduate degree;n
Apply for federal financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA).
Additional restrictions or requirements may apply to specific HSF-administered scholarshipprograms, as follows:
College Scholarship Program
To be eligible, students must have completed 12 undergraduate units at a U.S.-accredited
institution or a full year (fall and spring) at a U.S.-accredited graduate school. They must also
be an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled full-time in a degree-seeking program at aU.S.-accredited institution in the United States, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or Guam.

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High School Scholarship Program
To be eligible, students must be graduating high school seniors and have plans to enroll fulltime in a degree-seeking program at a U.S.-accredited institution in the United States, Puerto
Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or Guam in the upcoming academic year.
Community College Transfer Scholarship Program
Students must be enrolled part-time or full-time at a community college and have plans totransfer and enroll full time in a degree-seeking program at a four-year U.S.-accredited
institution in the United States, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or Guam in the upcoming
academic year.
The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS)
Funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, this program was establishedin 1999 to provide outstanding African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian
Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete
an undergraduate college education in all discipline areas and a graduate education for thosestudents pursuing studies in mathematics, science, engineering, education, or library science.
The goal of GMS is to promote academic excellence and to provide an opportunity forthousands of outstanding students with significant financial need to reach their fullest
potential.
The GMS program is available to graduating high school seniors. It provides substantial
scholarship awards to exceptional high school seniors for study at the college of their choice.
Eligible applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale, demonstrated leadershipskills, and significant financial need.
Audience Served: The HSF Scholarship Program serves Latinos who are high school,
university, or community college students and are pursuing their college education.
The number of applications received and the number of awards given follow, according torecent data:
HSF Applications and Awards, 2005–2006
College Scholarship Program
Total Applications
3,222
Awards1,763
Community College and Transfer Program
Total Applications
484
Awards214
High School Program
Total Applications
4,198
Awards917

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Staffing: In addition to a director are seven full-time employees in the Scholarship
department. A group of seasonal temporary workers and work-study students assist during
the intensive application processing period.
Timing and Duration: Scholarship programs have the following cycles:
For the college programs, the application period opens August 1 with application deadlines in
October. The selection, notification, and disbursement process takes place from Marchthrough May.
For high school programs and community college transfer programs the application period
opens August 1 with a deadline of mid-December/mid-January. Processing of awards
continues through June and July, with enrollment verification taking place during September
and funds disbursed in October and November.
Cost: Scholarships awarded recently for all programs follow:
HSF Scholarships Awards, 2005–2006
Programs
Scholarships
DollarsawardedHigh School
917 $2,038,370
Community College Transfer
214
311,661
College
1,763
4,430,364
HSF Institute91
257,000
Gates Millennium Scholars
1,680 18,290,124
Total
4,665 25,327,520
Funding Sources: Funding comes from a variety of sources. The majority of funds comefrom corporations and foundations that have an interest in higher education for Latinos.
Some funds also come from individual giving. HSF does not receive public funds.
This material was prepared by Hispanic Scholarship Fund and is for informational purposes only. The material
is provided “as is” without any guarantees of completeness or accuracy.

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Scholarship Awards
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI)
Washington, D.C.
Program Start Date: c. 1992
The CHCI scholarship opportunity is afforded to Latino students
Overview:

Objectives:
Audience Served:

Staffing:
Timing:Cost:
Funding Sources:
Evaluation:

who have a history of performing public service-oriented activities
in their communities and who plan to continue contributing in the
future. There is no GPA or major requirement; students withexcellent leadership potential are encouraged to apply. Recipients
receive a onetime scholarship as follows:• $5,000 to attend a graduate-level academic institution; or• $2,500 to attend a four-year academic institution; or• $1,000 to attend a community college or A.A./A.S. granting
institution.
• Undergraduate recipients will also receive a Dell notebook
computer and Microsoft package.
CHCI’s educational services are designed to provide Latino
students with the tools and resources they need to succeed in
attaining a higher education.
Latino undergraduates (at two-year and four-year institutions) and
Latino graduate students. In 2006, there were 124 scholarship
recipients. Eligibility criteria follows:• Consistent active participation in public and/or community
service activities• Demonstrated financial need
• Good writing skills• Full-time enrollment in an accredited community college,four-year university, or graduate/professional program
during the period for which scholarship is requested• U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency
The scholarship program has one director. The entire CHCI officeof 24 people is involved in reviewing and evaluating theapplications.
A onetime scholarship award (however, community college
scholarship recipients are able to reapply for a new scholarshipupon transferring to a four-year institution). Scholarship money isequally divided and disbursed on a yearly basis.
In 2006, CHCI disbursed $6,000 to community college students,$197,500 to four-year college students, and $105,000 to graduate
students.
CHCI is a nonprofit organization. Programs are funded throughprivate corporate donations.
CHCI maintains records of scholarship recipients. Students aremonitored during their college enrollment and must be in goodstanding at their institution. CHCI manages the disbursement of thescholarship monies to recipients. In a twofold effort to monitor the

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Scholarship Awards
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI)
Washington, D.C.

About CHCI:

Additional
Resource:

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progress of scholarship recipients and to promote college retention,
total scholarship monies are equally divided and distributed on a
yearly basis as long as recipients maintain good academic standing(i.e., if the student receives the scholarship as an entering freshman,
his or her $2,500 award will be distributed in four equal
installments of $625 a year). Scholarship awards are designed tocover tuition, room and board, textbooks, and other educational
expenses associated with college enrollment.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) wasestablished in 1978 by members of the Congressional Hispanic
Caucus as a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization
dedicated to developing the next generation of Latino leaders.
CHCI’s educational services are designed to provide Latino
students with the tools and resources they need to succeed in
attaining a higher education. Its leadership development programs
seek to help participants search for and understand their identity as
professionals, Latinos, and leaders. By bringing together
individuals who share a commitment to serve their communities,
CHCI endeavors to make its vision of an educated and civicminded Latino community a reality.
For further information, visit www.chci.org. The national directoryof scholarships and fellowships on the CHCI Web site is a great
resource with scholarship information for Latino students. Go towww.chci.org/chciyouth/resources/directory.htm.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Hispanic Youth Symposium
Hispanic College Fund
A Real Experience of College
Overview: The Hispanic Youth Symposia are the nation’s only programs that combine
college counseling, mentorship, and career advice in a three-day, two-night, on-campus
setting. Participants live in dorms, eat in dining halls, and experience the college lifestyle.
Hispanic Youth Symposia provide student forums to discuss, design, and implement actionplans to overcome barriers to higher education and careers. Scholarships awarded during the
symposium include $2,000 for a first-place finish, $1,000 for a second-place finish, and $500
for a third-place finish. The students compete in four competitions: Art, Speech, Essay, andTalent.
Objectives: By placing Hispanic high school students in the college environment, and byproviding the support that will enable them to thrive in high school, college and beyond, theHispanic Youth Symposia are putting teens on the road to productive, fulfilling lives.
Specific objectives include:• Encouraging Hispanic students to remain in high school and pursue college degrees.
• Providing a support system for Hispanic youth to succeed in setting and achieving
their personal, academic, and career goals.
• Educating Hispanic youth by providing student forums to talk about the realities oflife in their communities, identify potential barriers to success, and develop a plan toovercome the barriers.
• Developing partnerships between local school districts, colleges and universities,
corporations, nonprofit organizations, and government to participate in the
educational development and future vocational interests of Hispanic youth.
Audience Served: Six hundred and fifty students will participate at four symposia this year.
Students must be Hispanic or of Hispanic descent, current sophomores or juniors in highschool, and have a minimum GPA of 2.5. Students must also live and attend high school in
the county or jurisdiction of a designated symposium. Students are required to apply to theprogram.
Activities: For 2007, Hispanic Youth Symposia will be held in the following locations:• Bay Area, California Hispanic Youth Symposium—Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin,Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, or Solano• Greater Washington, D.C., Hispanic Youth Symposium—Washington, D.C.;
Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, or Prince William, Virginia; Montgomery or Prince
George’s, Maryland• Fresno, California Hispanic Youth Symposium—Fresno, Kings, Madera, or Tulare,
California• Maryland Hispanic Youth Symposium—Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Baltimore
County, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, or Prince George’s, Maryland

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Staffing: Approximately 200 adult volunteers attend each symposium. Among these areresident assistants (RA); one RA is assigned to a group of 8 to 10 students. In addition toprogram development, HCF also processes student applications, manages the scholarshipawards, builds and manages an alumni community, and tracks the progress of the students
related to the objectives of the symposium and fiscal sponsorship.
Timing and Duration: Three-day summer residential program.
Cost: Students accepted to the program pay a $10 registration fee. The cost of running the
program is $909,000.
Funding: Extensive sponsorship from multiple sources, including government agencies,
corporations, universities, foundations, and private donors. (Visit the Web site below for alist of sponsors.)
Evaluation: Participants are surveyed pre- and post-symposium. Student understanding of
the benefits of attending college improved from 69 percent to over 85 percent strongly
agreeing that they understand the benefits of attending college at the end of the symposium.
The expectation of attending college similarly improved, particularly with students who did
not know if they were expected to attend college when they arrived at the symposium.
Information: Sponsor and evaluation details, quotes from participants, and further
information about Hispanic Youth Symposium are available at www.hispanicyouth.org.

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“Developing Professionals…One Degree at a Time“
Hispanic College Fund
Washington, D.C.
The Hispanic College Fund (HCF) is a private nonprofit
organization dedicated to developing the next generationof Hispanic professionals in America. HCF has
supported the education of more than 3,000 financiallydisadvantaged Hispanic students seeking careers inbusiness, science, engineering, and technology, with over
$6 million in grants. The Hispanic College Fund
programs target students of Hispanic background thatcome from families with incomes at or below theirstate’s median family income (based on family size).
Through its programs, HCF is enriching lives andbuilding bridges for future Hispanic leaders.
HCF has four main programs through which itß The Hispanic College Fund isaccomplishes its mission of developing Hispanic

providing solutions to the lack ofprofessionals. In addition to Hispanic Youth Symposium,
described earlier, the programs are:•

HCF Scholarship Program: The HCF scholarshipprogram was started in 1993. In its first year, theHispanic College Fund awarded $11,000 in
scholarships to 14 students. Since then, thanks to

educational attainment andleadership opportunities for
Hispanic youth by providing themwith the fundamental and ongoing
resources that will help them
graduate from high school andprepare them for college,
professions, and civic
responsibility.

its generous supporters, the Hispanic College
Fund has awarded more than $8.5 million inscholarships to Hispanic students. The Hispanic
College Fund scholarships range from $500 to$10,000. The median award is $3,000 and isdesignated for the payment of tuition and fees or
Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education87

educational expenses.
•

Latinos on Fast Track (LOFT): LOFT was
launched in early 2005 to identify ideal
candidates for employers seeking to fillinternship or permanent positions and offer
companies the opportunity to influence Hispanic
youth seeking career direction. This uniqueprogram builds on an organization’s recruitment
efforts and leverages the partnership between two
high-caliber organizations, the Hispanic College
Fund and the Hispanic Heritage Awards
Foundation.

•

Hispanic Young Professionals (HYP): The
Hispanic Young Professionals program (HYP)
brings together 25–30 outstanding college
students from around the country to Washington,
D.C., for a four-day program including
workshops such as Networking, Financial
Planning, Goal Setting, and Business Etiquette.
Student participants are selected through acompetitive application process from among theannual pool of Hispanic College Fundscholarship recipients. Recipients of HCF
Scholarships (between 500 and 600 college
students each year) are invited to apply.

For further information about the Hispanic College Fund, ß Check out its Web site, a great
resource for scholarship
visit www.hispanicfund.org. The scholarship page iswww.hispanicfund.org/scholarships.php.

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information.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

HACU Scholarship Program
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
Through the HACU Scholarship Program, the association awards more than $300,000 in
scholarships annually to eligible students to defray college expenses. Scholarship amounts
vary from $1,000 to $2,800 per academic school year. Eligibility requires attendance at a
HACU member college or university (excluding international members) and demonstrationof financial need. In addition, the student must meet the specific criteria for the particularscholarships to which the student is applying. Students must demonstrate eligibility at thetime of application and when scholarship awards are dispersed. Applications are available atthe beginning of each spring semester.
Students apply online at no cost. Administrative costs are incurred by HACU to maintain an
online application system, a full-time program coordinator, and other program costs. Fundingcomes from federal and corporate sponsors, which vary year to year.
Please visit https://scholarships.hacu.net for online application and program information.

Resources:-www.finaid.org-Texas Tech University Red to Black, www.orgs.ttu.edu/r2b/-www.hispanicfund.org/

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education89

7 Retention Programs
Campus Life Is Key to Retention
Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah, Georgia
Part of the university system of Georgia, Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU)
started out as a junior college in 1935 and in time evolved into a four-year institution, earned
university status, and built a master’s degree program. Known for its schools of educationand health, as well as computer science, the regional university has about 7,000 students, ofwhom 5,700 are undergraduates.
While Georgia may not spring to mind as a state with a large Hispanic population, its
proportion of Hispanic residents is growing rapidly. The student body at AASU is diverse—
about 23 percent African American and four percent Hispanic. However, Hispanic
enrollment has gone up 44 percent in four years. The institution has the highest percentage of
Hispanic students relative to population in the entire Georgia system. Nevertheless, it is far
from qualifying as a Hispanic-Serving Institution with 25 percent enrollment, which would
qualify AASU for more significant federal funds.
Most recently in the university's evolution, AASU has added residence halls. Historically, theinstitution had a 50/50 split in terms of traditional-age versus adult learners; with the addition of
the new dorms, 60 percent of students are traditional college-going age. Nearly 700 students liveon campus. (Its great location near the beach doesn’t hurt when attracting students!)“We are developing more of a student life on campus, which we didn’t have. We didn’t havesororities or fraternities. We certainly had student organizations and honor societies, but wewere missing that on-campus, active life,” said Melody Rodriguez, who runs a program
called HOLA (Hispanic Outreach and Leadership at Armstrong Atlantic State University).
“For my [Latino] students in particular, campus life is extremely important.”
Rodriguez describes HOLA as a three-legged stool supported by a campus life component,
community component, and a recruitment/admissions component.
The campus life programs support retention. “The majority of Hispanic students I serve are
first-generation [college-going]. So they have a lot of challenges—financial challenges,
enrollment processing, adapting to being away from home even if they live just a couple ofhours away from campus. It’s what African American students saw 30 to 40 years ago as
they adapted to universities. We are going through the same thing, but we face different
challenges.” Those challenges unique to Latino students include immigration and residency
laws, as well as a language barrier in parental communication, and a lack of knowledge of thecollege admissions process and financial aid.

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The HOLA program is a resource and support office that runs workshops in the communityand schools to help students fill out the paperwork required for enrollment, and teach them
about the FAFSA and other aspects of the college-going process.
“I travel to all the Georgia system high schools and provide motivational talks about thecollege experience, what it’s all about, and what resources are out there for scholarships,”
Rodriguez said. “I am just a middleman trying to get forms through, and checking on
admissions processing, application status, and things like that.”
It’s most critical to keep up the support efforts once students arrive on campus, she stressed.
“A lot of the Georgia universities have implemented some type of bilingual recruiting or
admissions program. They’re going out to schools, but when students come in they have no
on-campus resources. So the majority of students end up dropping out, becoming frustrated.
Parents are frustrated as well. That’s what we’re trying to address,” Rodriguez said. “Weprovide support through the admissions process, helping find financial aid or at least a
resource for that, and keeping them busy with support services, activities on the academic
and leadership side, as well as entertainment and social activities. Ultimately when they
graduate, we help them with letters of recommendation or job placement.”
Her office also hosts free monthly lunches combined with leadership talks, and an annual
Latino heritage week celebration with culture and entertainment for all students. “They get tobecome part of a club that is mentoring them and hosting all sorts of events. I bring in
speakers from the community on a variety of topics to share their experiences or their
testimonies on making it in life or in a certain career. We just keep them going.” (Andstaying, too.)
Learning Communities
Los Medanos College
Pittsburg, California
What is a learning community? It’s a way to structure
courses so that they are linked or arranged together with
common themes, materials, and content. The same groupof students enroll in two classes and share learning andß In a learning community,
courses are linked with common
materials and content; students
enroll in classes together andshare learning and social
experiences.

social experiences. The idea is not just to improvelearning and critical thinking but also retention.
One big target audience for learning communities are
the developmental education students who are one tothree levels below college English or math. One of thelearning community series of courses helps get students

ß Eighty percent of students at
Los Medanos College enter at thedevelopmental level in English or
math; 50 percent drop out after
their first semester. Learning

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education91

up to speed to take the transferable courses. Anotherseries with college-level work includes English andcommunities offer an innovative
approach to this serious retention
problem.

political science, with the goal of making the subject
matter more engaging to students. Yet another learning
community series includes thematic courses; forexample, one series is organized around Mexican
American history, which attracts a mixture of students.
The institution has six learning communities with 20
to 25 students in each. However, the college is in the firstyear of a five-year Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
Title V grant of $2.75 million, so evaluation is still underß Los Medanos College is a two-way.
The program is staffed by 15 faculty members, alongwith the HSI office’s two full-time staff members. A
faculty lead person trains instructors and helps themyear institution in northern
California with approximately
8,000 students, 25 percent ofwhom are Latino.

integrate courses and assignments across courses in thelearning community configuration. Faculty receive
stipends of $1,000 to develop and implement courses that
fit the concept, which requires working with otherfaculty to formulate paired course designs. It also
requires faculty to change the way they teach coursesthat they may have been doing the same way for many
years. (In the course catalog, learning community
offerings are tagged “LC.”) Some are one semester inlength while others require a sequence of semesters,
similar to a first-year experience program. Enrollment
for the course generates the revenue to support the class.
The effort requires coordination and participation ofmany educators, such as partnerships with counselors at
the college, as well as with other organizations such as
EOP and the CGI (College Going Initiative) outreach

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programs. It is hoped that these partnerships will
strengthen ties to the community, middle schools, andhigh schools to develop a college-going culture.
In terms of evaluating the program, student focus
groups are used as well as faculty surveys. Retention andsuccess rates are monitored for comparison, for example,
a regular English course with an English LC course
taught by the same instructor. With the Hispanic-Serving
Institution grant, the institution will be researchingß The Learning Community

outcomes for Latino students and for first-time college-

movement was pioneered atgoing students.

Evergreen State College inWashington.

Initial results demonstrate better retention in LC
courses, but further evaluation is needed as the program
matures. Data from the larger LC movement indicate
positive outcomes in student retention and outcomes.

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Quality Principles Guide Academic and Diversity
Programs
The Ohio State University
The principles of quality improvement are an operational approach used in business orengineering and not typically associated with education. Yet The Ohio State University’s
retention plan has all the hallmarks of quality improvement including a long-term
commitment, research and data-driven goals, and activities and monitoring, all of which flowfrom the mission of the institution.
“The key component that made all the difference in the world is a well articulated set ofgoals and measures,” said Natala K. “Tally” Hart, senior adviser for economic access at
OSU. “From an administrative point of view, the key to me is having a set of clear metrics
under which we are gauged. There are lots of great statements about goals and objectives, but
being able to tie in measurement and report cards are tough things to do.”For nearly a decade the university has stuck to its academic and diversity plans, which areseparate documents but designed to correlate. Detailed benchmarks and measurescharacterize the plans, which are public documents available on the institution’s Web site,www.osu.edu.
One objective was to improve the first- and second-year retention rate—an indicator of
proven importance since students are more likely to drop out during those critical first two
years of the college-going experience. In the last decade, OSU has improved its retention rate
among first- and second-year students from the mid-70 percent range to better than 91
percent.
“We’ve done that while achieving statistical parity for subgroups like Latino students,” Hartsaid, noting that, for example, Latino students’ completion rates at the university arestatistically equivalent to other students’. “We are very interested not just in the aggregate
numbers but, a lot of our goals and measures, especially in the diversity plan, are related to
critical subpopulations within the student body that we want to be sure we are serving well.”Clearly OSU is making progress toward its goals. But what institutional efforts and activities
are in place to advance student success? As a result of a seminal internal study, the Quality ofUndergraduate Education, the institution merged its office of admissions with its orientation
functions. In this sense, the actual shape of the institution adapted to serve the needs ofstudents as identified in the research and the academic and diversity plans. Moreover, OSU
created a dedicated office focused specifically on the first-year experience.
“That’s been, arguably, the single most powerful transforming event,” Hart said. “The staff
who recruit and bring people to the campus have continuing responsibility and are part of agroup that makes sure our students have a successful first year.”

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One essential activity is OSU’s First Year Success Series, a menu of more than 300 one-hourseminars offered to freshmen. The curriculum is based on John N. Gardner’s research on thefirst-year experience and the skills that differentiate students who are likely to continue
versus those who drop out of college. For instance, one discrete skill set possessed by
students who matriculate is personal finance skills. As a result, a number of classes areoffered on financial literacy topics, including OSU’s popular course about credit, “Good and
Bad Uses of Plastic.”
All freshmen are required to participate in the First Year Success Series. However, the sheer
variety of offerings ensures that students will find topics of interest and relevance. “Thebeauty of it is they pick the courses that are meaningful to them. So it isn’t one size fits all,”Hart said.

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César E. Chávez Center for Higher Education (CECCHE)
California State Polytechnic University
Pomona, California
Program Start Date: 1995
The César E. Chávez Center for Higher Education (CECCHE)
Overview:

Objectives:

coordinates a host of resources and programs to increase theoutreach, recruitment, graduation, and cultural pride of Latinos at
the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. In addition,
the Center supports all students at the institution in their efforts tobecome multiculturally competent.
Specific goals are to:§ encourage Chicano/Latino students to pursue a higher
education§ increase the number of Chicano/Latino students pursuingmaster and doctoral degrees§ develop students’ leadership and academic skills§ provide a means of multicultural enrichment, awareness,and cultural pride§ provide special support for students with academic
difficulties§ develop relationships with schools, agencies, and thecommunities surrounding Cal Poly Pomona
Approaches and guiding principles:§ assist in recruitment and retention of Latina/o students byencouraging current students to participate in outreachactivities and serve as peer mentors for prospective andincoming students§ assist students in navigating the institution by creating
official and unofficial networks across campus departmentsthat understand the students’ needs§ assess potential issues or trends that can affect students’success§ empower students to serve as peer mentors and support toother students to build “community”§ increase cross-cultural communication to help students
identify resources in other communities.
§ utilize faculty and administrators as a form of support

Programs andServices:

96

Facilities and services include:§ a safe space where students can identify with each otherthrough their culture, language, and experiences§ computer access and academic resources (i.e. library books,
GRE preparation books, etc.)§ leadership opportunities through Xicano Latino Heritage
Month, Dia de los Muertos, the Annual RAZA cultural

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

graduation celebration, and the César E. Chávez Conference
for Higher Education§ advising coordinator and peer mentors

Staffing:

One full-time student affairs professional, four to five student
assistants, and one graduate intern

Funding Sources:
Involvement of
Other Offices:State of California, foundations, and student government
For Latino students, faculty interactions play a pivotal role inpersistence, and faculty involvement is crucial to the Center’s
success. Faculty members are involved in the planning of
educational and cultural programs (as well as scholarship selection
committees) and students on these committees have a close working
relationship with faculty members.
The Center is connected to the Latina/o Faculty, Staff, and Student
Association, which has cosponsored programs.
All of the programs designed by the CECCHE focus on factors
known to affect the persistence and retention of Latino college
students, such as students’ perceptions of their ability to succeed
academically and questions about their fit with the institution. In
addition, the CECCHE gives students social experiences andfinancial aid opportunities to help them fulfill their education goals.
With these important factors in mind, the center helps students:§ identify their educational aspirations and find the resources(i.e. faculty mentor, adviser, financial aid counselor, peer
mentor, tutoring, etc.)§ find connections on campus through work-study jobs,
leadership opportunities, and faculty interactions, among
others§ become aware of and involved in an array of campus
activities, such as running for student government office,being an orientation leader, conducting research with afaculty member, or becoming a resident advisor.

Challenges:
Key to Success:More Information:

Funding, staffing
Faculty, staff, and students take ownership for the success of theCenter. The CECCHE is also highly visible on campus, and while
this can be stressful at times, it really allows the campus community
to be informed of what the center is doing to increase student
success.
www.dsa.csupomona.edu/cesarchavez/

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El Centro Student Services
Colorado State University (CSU)
Fort Collins, Colorado
Overview:

ProgramComponents:

El Centro was established 30 years ago to support, encourage, andenhance the retention of Hispanics and Latinos attending Colorado
State University. El Centro attempts to serve all Colorado State
University students (more than 25,000) by providing students with
opportunities to become aware of the diversity that exists among
the Latino populations. The primary focus is also to guideHispanic/Latino undergraduate and graduate students (about 1,500)
toward a successful and positive experience at Colorado State
University and to graduate from the institution. This important
commitment continues to be demonstrated through the delivery ofvarious programs, resources, events, outreach efforts, workshops,
leadership opportunities and daily operations of El Centro.
Resource Leaders program: El Centro Resource Leaders (eight
upper classmen) work directly with 400 incoming freshmen andtransfer Hispanic/Latino students to support a smooth andsuccessful transition to CSU. The role of the El Centro Resource
Leaders is to integrate and connect students with resources bothacademically and socially. El Centro Resource Leaders have a wide
range of resources to meet any student’s needs. A few examples
include:• outreach “one-on-one” meetings with students at residencehalls and the El Centro office• consistent communication regarding scholarship
information• informing students of important upcoming dates (last dateto withdraw, register for next semester, etc.)• academic and personal assistance workshops• financial aid workshops• study skills and time management workshops• volunteer and leadership opportunities• employment and internship opportunities• cultural enrichment and educational programs• connections with other advocacy offices
El Centro Annual Awards Ceremony: The El Centro Awards
Ceremony has been recognizing and celebrating the success of
Hispanic/Latino students for 24 years. The annual celebration
honors and recognizes CSU Hispanic/Latino students and theirfamilies for their academic achievements in graduating from CSU.
The awards ceremony planners, in partnership with the Alumni
Association, foster and maintain positive relationships with
Hispanic/Latino communities.

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Triunfo Tutoring Program: El Centro, along with the Center for
Science, Math and Technology Education (CSMATE), takes pridein reaching out to the local community through several programs
and initiatives. The Triunfo (triumph) Tutoring program provides
nearby Poudre School District (PSD) students with assistance withhomework while providing CSU students the opportunity tovolunteer and serve as tutors and positive role models. Thisoutreach program helps foster positive relationships with the local
community and gives students and their families direct exposure to
the CSU campus. (Approximately 90 to 100 CSU students as well
as 90 to 100 local PSD students participate and are served eachyear.)
Math, Science and Technology (MST) Day: In 1991 the Math,
Science, and Technology Day program was created to challengeelementary children. The program introduces the “fun” side ofnumbers and chemicals, while giving students the opportunity to be
in a university environment. El Centro—along with the Center for
Science, Mathematics and Technology Education; the Office of
Admissions; Little Shop of Physics; and the College of Natural
Sciences, to mention only a few of the collaborative partners—
hosts the MST Day. The program reaches many underrepresented
students in the fourth to sixth grades to provide “hands-on”
educational workshops.
Cultural Enrichment and Educational Programming: El Centro also
bridges CSU faculty, staff, and students with the larger community
by providing cultural enrichment and many educational programs.
Through the collaboration of several CSU departments/offices andcommunity organizations, the institution engages both the CSU
community and the larger community to raise awareness andappreciation for diversity, traditions, history, and the
Hispanic/Latino culture.
Just a few examples of these efforts include:• National Hispanic Heritage Month• César Chávez Celebration• Brown Bag Educational Series• Cinco de Mayo celebration• Dia de Los Muertos• Las Posadas (Christmas event)• Dia de La Raza
• Immigration Panels• Mexican Fiesta—Outreach and opportunity to connect
with other students, faculty, and staff at CSU• Cinco de Mayo Scholarship luncheon for students
receiving the El Cento and Elizabeth Woodworth
Scholarship Awards• Youth leadership conferences
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•
•

Visit days—El Centro hosts high school visit days eachsemester, working with the Office of Admissions.
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities(HACU) Empowerment Series (coordinated by several
CSU staff members)

Staff:

Staff includes three full-time professionals plus 10–15 part time
work-study students in an academic year.

Cost:

All students are encouraged to visit and participate in El Centro’s
resources.

Funding Sources:

Funding Sources: El Centro receives funding from the state ofColorado, and approximately 95 percent is used for professionalsalaries. El Centro’s operating budget is very limited, resulting in achallenge in meeting the needs of the students served. The program
director seeks outside funding in order to continue to coordinate
and organize certain programs.
Evaluation Plan: Every semester El Centro sends two or threesurveys to all Hispanic/Latino students in order to receive feedback
concerning programs and services. The feedback received has been
positive and useful.
The greatest challenge faced in terms of these programming efforts
is the lack of resources and funding. However, some obstacles andchallenges also include identifying approaches or strategies toengage more student involvement among CSU students.
The love and passion for education. A dedicated and committed
leadership team who cares about students. The knowledge andawareness of the resources available on campus. The collaboration
El Centro has built throughout the years with the Latinoorganizations, academic departments, and the Division of Student
Affairs. Ensuring access to campus and community resources.
www.elcentro.colostate.edu

Evaluation:

Challenges:

Keys to Success:More Information:

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Harvard Financial Aid Initiative E-Mail Newsletter
Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass.
Harvard College is proactive in communicating with students in its Financial Aid Initiative(those students coming from families with incomes of $80,000 or less). The institution sends
detailed e-mails to alert students to campus activities and opportunities. The monthly enewsletters include information and links for financial support and scholarship opportunities
as well as academic resources and social events.
"We felt it was important to get the information to students without them feeling singled out
in any way. This simply comes to their inbox, and we hope it's a way for them to feel
connected and knowledgeable of the many resources on campus," said Melanie Brennand
Mueller, director of the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative.
The approach is simple, inexpensive and effective. The newsletter content is compiled to betruly useful and helpful. It includes information about programs that students might not know
about such as study abroad or tutoring, or more general information to let them know about
people on campus who can assist them. It is also full of practical advice such as tips forliving on a shoestring.
"Many students in focus groups talked about feeling overwhelmed with the amount of
resources, and so we thought we'd highlight those opportunities and resources that would
specifically benefit students from low-and middle-income backgrounds, or those comingfrom less sophisticated academic backgrounds," Mueller said.
The e-newsletter is just one of the financial aid office's many programs aimed at filling thegaps for lower-income students. The college's winter coat fund has been around for decades;
it sends each student a check during his or her first winter on campus with a list of local
stores that sell winter coats, boots, hats, gloves, scarves, etc. Another program provides freetickets to lectures and cultural events on Harvard's campus. Students simply log into a Web
site, order tickets, and pick them up at the "will call" window. No one needs to know that
admission was paid by the college.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

101Enlace Latino Achievement Program
Evergreen Valley College and San Jose State University
San Jose, California
Enlace is a multidimensional academic program blending
academics, counseling, and mentoring. The program has
served students of San Jose and nearby communities
since 1983. The year-round effort is funded by a $3.4
million Title V Hispanic-Serving Institutions grant and isopen to all students.
“Finding funding is always the challenge, but the reason
this program is so successful is because of the family feel,”said Mirella Medina, Enlace counselor. “We have an officewith couches and food so that Enlace students can comeinformally. They know that they can stop by anytime to say
hello, seek advising, or just hang out.”
A team of college staff and community mentors
coordinates Enlace academic tutoring in math, English,
and science. The science component is a signature of the
program because experienced educators observed that
Latino students were discouraged when they didn’t pass

ß Enlace includes a science
component because Latino
students were discouraged when
they didn’t pass science.

science classes. Tutoring is conducted on both theremedial and college levels. The counseling component
focuses on academic advising to support the transfer
process from the two-year public Evergreen Valley
College to San Jose State University.
More than 65 mentors, including community leaders,
contribute their expertise and experience to the program.
The Enlace Student Association meets weekly andproduces on-campus Latino cultural events. Enlace has
its own honor society for students with a GPA of 3.0 or

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higher. Evergreen Valley College also hosts a chapter of
SACNAS (the Society for the Advancement of Chicanosand Native Americans in Science). The science-interest
group attends national conferences and is advised by anß Evergreen Valley College hostsa chapter of the Society for the
Advancement of Chicanos andNative Americans in Science(SACNAS).

Enlace professor. A leadership conference, speaker
series, and free lending library are all part of the
program.
Enlace is staffed by its chairperson, a program
specialist, a counselor, three professors, and a
recruitment specialist. A planning committee andadvisory council are also devoted to the program. Visit
www.evc.edu/enlace.

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New Student Center
Miami Dade College
Kendall Campus, Miami, Florida
The New Student Center is not new; it’s for new students
attending Miami Dade College (MDC). Since 2001, the
New Student Center on the Kendall Campus has
integrated a cluster of services aimed at recruitment,
preadmission counseling, new student orientation, andproviding related support. Programs include community
outreach workshops, open houses, mentoring withfaculty and staff, and a summer program targeting
students from feeder high schools.
Ideally, functions including outreach, marketing,recruitment, and retention are all coordinated. That’s notan easy thing to do, particularly at a large institution, but

ß "In addition to our staff, w ebring someone from the institution

MDC has made great strides. For instance, a college

and the state to the high school toreadiness program at nearby Braddock Senior Hightalk about the forms and aid

School began in 2003 and runs for the entire school year

director of the New Student

using a full class period twice per month to deliver

Center.

sources,” said Sol Gonzalez,

student success seminars. Sessions cover college survival
and study skills, preparing for placement tests andcollege applications, and understanding financial aid.
Other high school efforts also help MDC reach down
to prepare students for higher education, and to recruit
them. The college readiness program at John A.
Ferguson High School includes access to an interactive
math Web site to build basic skills to pass Florida’s highß “We are trying to make the flow
with feeder schools make more
sense,” Gonzalez said.

school exit exam (FCAT) and to prepare students forcollege placement tests. College math and reading
faculty aligned the college-prep courses with elective

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courses, including intensive math and reading, which
may be used for remedial instruction.
The New Student Center, organized under the Dean ofStudents, is operated by the Center director, director of
recruitment, a coordinator for orientations, a part-time
preadmission adviser, and part-time employees andstudent assistants.
For information, visit www.mdc.edu.

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CU-LEAD Alliance and Scholarship Program
University of Colorado at Boulder
Sometimes students can get lost in a large university. But what can be done about it? The
University of Colorado at Boulder has created academic communities within each college tocreate small college neighborhoods within the larger institution. The CU Leadership,
Excellence, Achievement, and Diversity (CU-LEAD) Alliance and Scholarship Program hasa high participation rate among minority and first-generation college-going students
including Latinos, although the programs are open to all students.
The CU-LEAD Alliance consists of four-year programs incorporating academic enrichment,
leadership activities, small-group classes and computer labs, personal links to faculty andstaff, a gathering place, counseling and mentoring, and opportunities for community service.
The programs include a scholarship fund.
“These are not remedial, although all the programs have academic support,” said Christine
Yoshinaga-Itano, vice provost and associate vice chancellor for diversity and equity. “It
predominantly plays the role of enrichment so that students participate in extra activities.”
For example, nearly all students in the programs are doing research with faculty. Leadershipand community activities are required. Students must also participate in summer programsand keep their grades at a defined level.
“The programs are very demanding but provide a lot of support to the students. The
graduation rates from these programs are also very high. Many of these students go on toprofessional schools and graduate schools. The students rave about it.”
CU LEAD Alliance and Scholarship Programs include the arts and sciences, the multicultural
engineering program, diverse business scholars, journalism scholars, education, musicians,
designers without borders—the architects, a graduate pipeline program, and many others—13
in all. The programs draw from faculty at the colleges and also have dedicated staff.
“Many of these students lack the knowledge about what the culture of the university is. Becauseof that they would miss out on opportunities that other students have,” Yoshinaga-Itano said. For
example, the institution discovered that very few of its minority first-generation students
participated in a study abroad. Although the university offers scholarships, low-income students
did not take advantage of them. “They’re struggling just to go to their local state university sothey just never dreamed of going to Spain or Italy. There are a lot of opportunities we madeavailable to them just by knowledge dissemination….Today we have quite good participation in
the study abroad program.”
In the case of the journalism scholars program, the university discovered there were no
students from diverse backgrounds whatsoever in its journalism school. “We did a survey ofthe students who chose journalism as a major, and almost all had gotten interested because
they had been active on their high school newspaper. Then we did a survey of the inner-city
schools where we have a large population of students of color. And they don’t have any
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school newspapers. So we got a grant [from a broadcasting company] and started school
newspapers,” she said.
Similarly, in the music school, the lack of students from diverse backgrounds was traced to
not having access to private music lessons. “These [CU-LEAD] programs provide
information and experiences to the students that they might not otherwise get,” YoshinagaItano said. “You can get swallowed up and lost in a campus of 29,000 students….One of the
primary reasons we lose students is isolation and lack of support. But these students feel thatthey have a community.”

Partners for Academic Excellence (PAE)
Stanford University
Stanford, California
Program Start Date: 1995-96
Overview:

Objectives:
Staffing:

PAE is a mentoring and advising program that pairs undergraduateswith doctoral students. Participants are organized into small groups
and meet regularly. (There are also PAE groups for African
American students, Native American students, transfer students,and student-athletes.)
Use small-group mentoring to create an intellectual community
among Latino students, faculty, and alumni; expose students toresources and opportunities.
A collaboration between the Undergraduate Advising Programs
division and El Centro Chicano (Stanford’s campus cultural centerfor Chicano/Latino students). A part-time representative, an hourly
coordinator, and up to 10 graduate students run the program.

Timing:Groups meet weekly during two academic quarters.

Cost:

Graduate student stipends of approximately $2,000; a graduate
coordinator is paid about $4,000. Each group gets a budget for foodfor meetings. It is a very scalable program so that more students canbe added at minimal cost. About 60 freshmen participate each year.

Funding Sources:
Evaluation:

The Undergraduate Advising Programs division of the University.
PAE Students have better GPAs and fare better than other
undergraduates.
Coordination between two offices can be difficult; knowing who is
responsible for what is a challenge. Managing graduate mentors is
not easy, so make sure they are prepared and keep in constantcommunication with them.
“High-touch”
http://eap.stanford.edu/programs

Challenges:

Key to Success:More Information:

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8 Student Development Programs:
Leadership/Career
Scholar Chapter Network
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
A Leadership Development Model from Middle School to Careers
Overview: The Scholar Chapter Network encompasses 26 chapters on college campuses
throughout the United States, each charged with improving the success of Latino students inhigher education. The network promotes academic success and professional preparation
among college students while encouraging them to serve as role models and leaders in theircommunities. Through its programming on university campuses as well as local outreach andcommunity service, the students and families—middle school, high school, and college—are
directly served in each region. Chapter programming focuses on four major areas: providing
Latino students with academic support; encouraging career and graduate school preparation;
conducting outreach to younger students in the community; and organizing social activities
that promote mentorship between Scholar Chapter members, HSF alumni, and Latino
professionals. The program began in 2001.
Objectives: The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) makes its mission clear: to double therate of Hispanics earning college degrees to 18 percent by 2010. To that end, program
chapters promote academic achievement and social awareness among Latino students inorder to support future leaders in their goal of graduating from college.
Activities: Examples of academic support events are campus resource panels, panel
discussions with faculty on academic and social issues, library skills workshops, and time
management classes. HSF Scholar Chapter Leadership Awards honor student
accomplishments and contributions. In addition to a full complement of student services,
eight campuses have Peer Counseling Programs (see separate article).
Staffing: Each chapter has a student coordinator who reports directly and centrally to the
Scholar Chapter Network Program Officer at HSF headquarters in San Francisco. Student
coordinators at each university work closely with HSF staff to tailor chapter programming to
the needs of each campus and the local community. However, the standards and expectations
for the implementation of program objectives are uniform for all chapters to maintainstructural integrity and alignment of goals.
Implementation: The Scholar Chapter Network has instituted formal mechanisms toenhance the success of each participant. From the coordinator application process to interim
program assessment and end-of-year reporting, a transparent structure strengthens the student

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experience. The following examples of these structural components illustrate the close
oversight that the Scholar Chapter Program cultivates with each student coordinator:• A formal national training program for all student coordinators, which takes place inthe summer preceding the academic year.
• A job description with clearly articulated expectations and responsibilities for theStudent Coordinator to ensure the successful completion of Chapter Program goals
and objectives.
• Delineation of fiscal responsibilities for management of the Scholar Chapter budget.
• Institutional identification and support through acquisition of status as a formal
campus student group and creation of a Scholar Chapter Constitution.
• Installation of an executive committee to advise and reinforce the program mission.
• Dissemination of the Scholar Chapter Coordinator Toolkit to each Student
coordinator, which delineates:• program rules, requirements and expectations;• examples of recommended chapter programming and samples of useful tools for
implementation;• suggested outreach, peer counseling, and mentoring activities;• sample reporting documents; and• deadlines and requirements for reporting on the activity of the Scholar Chapter.
HSF Scholar Chapter Network Participation
2001–2002 2002–2003 2003–2004 2004–2005 2005–2006
5 Chapters 19 Chapters 20 Chapters 20 Chapters 22 Chapters
Total number ofcollege student
participants

152

1,194

1,247

1,160

1,216

Timing and Duration: The Scholar Chapters operate on a full-year cycle, commencing on
July 1 and closing on June 30. The student coordinator recruitment process begins in March,with final selection in early June. Recruitment responsibilities are shared with current student
coordinators, who are also eligible for appointment for an additional year, contingent on
distinguished performance of all duties and responsibilities.
The selection process for student coordinators begins with an application, a résumé, andcollege transcripts. In addition, students are asked to respond to five questions, briefly:
1. A personal profile and why they want the position.
2. The purpose they see for the Scholar Chapter and the perceived needs it would serve.
3. Their specific preparation for the position and how they would apply those skills.
4. Their history of participating in Latino organizations and activities and their ideas for
future programming.
5. A list of their obligations for the academic year as well as their plans for managing
and balancing their workload if selected.
The Scholar Chapter training retreat for new and continuing student coordinators takes placein July of each year. Students are provided with programmatic schedules for activities andevents based on both the quarter and semester systems.
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Cost: The budget of the Scholar Network is $10,000 per chapter, including a stipend for the
student Scholar Chapter coordinator, a local program budget to cover expenses related tooutreach and activities, cost of attendance at the summer retreat and training program, andoverhead and miscellaneous expenses such as the Leadership Awards. Note: All local chapter
expenses require prior approval and are subject to stated budgetary goals. Formal expense
reports are required for all expenditures. Details of budget administration and controls aremonitored by the Program Officer with strict adherence to appropriate program guidelines
and standard accounting rules and practices.
Funding: Multiple donors fund the operation of the Scholar Chapter Network.
Based on donor support, HSF underwrites most costs associated with chapter meetings,
receptions, events, and the student coordinator on each campus.
Evaluation: Program evaluation is conducted by the Program Officer on an annual basis anda new component has been added to this process. Preprogram and postprogram measures
have been developed and implemented to gauge additional demographic information andstudent expectations. The metrics utilized for this study are precise and concrete, and include
anecdotal information for depth of insight. The purpose of the expanded evaluation programis to allow for comparison to national trends as reflected in the effectiveness of eachcomponent of the program (academic support, career and graduate school preparation,outreach, and mentorship) and to establish benchmarks for future study. The cycle for datacollection is December through February for preprogram evaluation and April through Junefor postprogram evaluation.
Information:www.hsf.net
www.hsf.net/about/fact-sheet/ScholarChapters.php
This material was prepared by Hispanic Scholarship Fund and is for informational purposes only. The material
is provided “as is” without any guarantees of completeness or accuracy.

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We’ve heard from college professors that they knew that the Latino students were smart,
but that they never said anything in class, and that they were much more accommodating
to fitting in. Our kids are taught that we are active players, stakeholders, and that you
have every right to voice your opinion. NHI helps young people understand that their
voice and opinion are very significant because they are the ambassadors. They might be
the first Latinos that someone ever meets, so how they come across plays a role inperception.
— Gloria de León, Executive Vice President, National Hispanic Institute

Florida Hispanic Latino Collegiate Forum
University of Florida (UF)Gainesville, Florida
Program Start Date: c. 1993
This statewide, three-day leadership conference is hosted at theOverview:

Objective:
Audience Served:

University of Florida (UF) every other year for current and aspiring
young leaders. The concentration is on students from the
Hispanic/Latino community, but others also participate. Some
aspects of the conference are particular to Hispanic/Latino issues,
while others are broader in scope such as workshops on fosteringcross-cultural leadership. Events include workshops, lectures, andleadership training, plus a picnic. The forum also presents anopportunity to apply for merit awards in three categories:
leadership, service, and academic excellence.
Leadership development.
The primary audience is undergraduate students with some graduate
students. Depending on budget, 150 to 200 students participate.

Staffing:

Internal staffing is provided by the university’s office ofmulticultural affairs. A UF student planning committee of 12 to 14
is assembled one year prior to each conference.

Timing:

The conference is held every other year and was most recently heldin March 2007.

Cost:

Students pay a registration fee from $65 to $80, depending on
available funding. The event budget is about $20,000.

Funding Sources:

Registration fees, fund-raising among student groups, otherorganizations and colleges, other UF offices, and corporate sources.
Sponsors vary from year to year. Participants and contributors haveincluded the student affairs office at UF, the counseling center,“Gator Nights,” Latin American Studies, and the College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences. External sponsorship comes from organizations
and corporations such as NCLR (National Council of La Raza),
Talbots, Ford, Procter & Gamble, Autotrader.com, and Enterprise

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Florida Hispanic Latino Collegiate Forum
University of Florida (UF)Gainesville, Florida

Evaluation:
Unique Component:More Information:

112

Rent-A-Car. An organization of Hispanic alumni, and Hispanic
faculty and staff, also contribute.
Workshops, keynotes, and the overall forum are evaluated byparticipants. Results are positive, and feedback informs subsequent
program content and administration.
Each conference adopts an official philanthropy. For thiscomponent, student conference organizers at UF raise funds aheadof time and at the event. For the next conference, organizers plan topromote fund-raising well in advance of the conference at students’
institutions.
http://fhlcf.dso.ufl.edu

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Drawing Scientists from the Pipeline
University of California: Santa Cruz
Just as undergraduate admissions requires recruiting at the high school level, cultivating
successful Ph.D. candidates requires development of undergraduates. The University ofCalifornia: Santa Cruz utilizes several programs along its academic pipeline.
Educational Opportunity Programs (EOP) at the undergraduate level are aimed at tutoring
first-generation college-going, low-income, and educationally disadvantaged students. At all
UC campuses including community colleges, EOP provides an array of services including
orientation, academic and personal advising; peer advising; academic tutoring in writing andin specific subjects; and preparation for graduate and professional schools.
A more specific effort, the Academic Excellence Program (ACE) is focused on providing apathway to academic excellence by supporting students in introductory science and mathcourses. Through its own staff and student mentors, ACE imparts study skills and techniques
for critical thinking and problem solving in the STEM fields of science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics. This on-campus program is also geared toward
underrepresented and minority students. ACE is funded by the university’s Division of
Physical and Biological Sciences, with support from the Jack Baskin School of Engineeringand the National Science Foundation’s CAMP Program.
EOP and ACE both provide a culture for growing young scientists. Dovetailing with ACE for
undergraduates is another program, UC LEADS (Leadership Excellence in Advanced
Degrees), also directed at finding students of color in the STEM fields. At UC Santa Cruz,
most of those students are Latino.
UC LEADS includes mentoring and a two-year research partnership with a professor,
extending to summers. It begins in the summer before junior year and takes students throughsenior year. The goals are to prepare students for graduate, and in particular, Ph.D. work in
the STEM fields.
“Especially with students of color, our numbers, just like other institutions’, are low. So wereally have to grow our own and do a lot of recruiting outside,” said Julio Cardona, directorof graduate recruitment and retention. He noted that each UC campus has its own UC
LEADS initiative, and students visit other campuses in the summer. Systemwide about 100
students participate in UC LEADS, with about 10 at UCSC, which is staffed with one
coordinator and a student assistant. The program is funded by the University of California at
about $19,000 per student, including mentoring, GRE preparation, grad school application
preparation, and hands-on laboratory research.
At the graduate level, UC Santa Cruz and upper-division UC institutions participate inAlliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP), sponsored by the National
Science Foundation. About 15 students, mostly Latino, participate.
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“The targeted students for this group are students in Ph.D. STEM programs that want tobecome professors,” Cardona said. AGEP includes workshops and professional development,
mentoring, and events. “We design all our workshops and events around that population toserve them and prepare them for postdoc or for professorships, interviews, CVs, everything
they need. Graduate students then mentor undergraduate students in that pipeline from gradto grad and then postdoc or industry work.”
UC Santa Cruz has about 100 AGEP students on campus. The university-wide effort taps
services on campus such as the career center, ethnic resource centers, graduate student
association, academic departments, and alumni associations, among others.
“We have a small staff and we try to leverage our funds and use other program staff to run
events, workshops, or panels. Everybody is working on the same goals in preparing Ph.D.
students.”
Further Information:
www2.ucsc.edu/eop
http://ace.ucsc.edu
www.ucop.edu/ucleads
www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5474

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Policy Fellows
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI)
Washington, D.C.
Program Start Date: 1981
Every year, CHCI’s nine-month Fellowship Program (from late
Overview:

Objectives:

Audience Served:

August to late May) offers up to 20 talented Latinos from across thecountry the opportunity to gain hands-on experience at the national
level in the public policy area of their choice. General Public Policy
Fellows have the opportunity to work in such areas as international
affairs, economic development, education policy, housing, or local
government. CHCI has other fellowship programs also. The
institute aims to develop leaders in areas of health and corporate
America with the Sodexho, Inc. Public Health Fellowship and the
Corporate Fellowship (placement must be in a public affairs officeof a corporation). In addition, specialized fellowships open only toindividuals with a graduate degree include the Edward Roybal
Public Health Fellowship for public health administration, theTelecommunications Fellowship, and the Law Fellowship open to
recent law school graduates (placement must be in a public-interestlaw organization or in the office of a U.S. federal judge).
• To bring together a group of talented recent college
graduates, currently enrolled graduate students, andgraduate-level professionals who reflect the diversity of theLatino community.
• To place each fellow in an office where he or she will learn
and gather work experience in his or her public policy areaof choice.
• To enhance participants’ leadership skills.
• To create a network of young Latinos who support eachother’s professional development and act as catalysts forcommunity change.
• To increase the presence of Latinos in public policy
positions.
The selection process is competitive for the approximately 20 CHCI
Public Policy Fellows chosen each year. Selection is based on a
combination of the following criteria:• High academic achievement (preference will be given to
applicants with a GPA of 3.0 or higher)• Remarkable participation in public service-oriented
activities• Evidence of leadership skills and potential for growth• Superior analytical and communication skills (oral andwritten)CHCI processes applications to identify the most qualified
candidates. Applications are then reviewed by a selection

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Policy Fellows
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI)
Washington, D.C.
committee composed of alumni, the board of directors, and CHCI
staff. Based on the application scores, the top candidates areinterviewed. CHCI selects candidates based on the results of theirapplication and interview scores.
Prerequisites:• U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency• Applicants should have graduated from a college oruniversity (with a B.A./B.S. or graduate degree) within one
year of application deadline, or be currently enrolled as
graduate students
Fellows are required to:• Work a minimum of 35 hours per week at the placementsite• Attend a one-week orientation and weekly leadershipdevelopment sessions• Participate in all CHCI-sponsored activities• Participate in community service• Organize and lead policy roundtables and/or write a policy
brief• Complete a midyear and final, written evaluation of the
program• Comply with CHCI policies regarding work performanceand personal conduct
Fellows will be able to:• Have the opportunity to learn from experienced
professionals how government operates and policies areformulated• Learn how the issues affecting their local communities aredealt with at the national level• Explore different career fields and define professional goals• Identify strengths and areas for improvement to shapeprofessional skills
Nine-month program, late August to late May.

Activities:

Timing:Cost:

Special Permissions:
Funding Sources:
Evaluation:
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CHCI provides participants with:• Domestic round-trip transportation to Washington, D.C.
• Health insurance• Gross monthly stipend of $2,200 to help cover housing andlocal expenses; fellows with a graduate degree receive a$2,600 monthly stipend
CHCI works with congressional offices and federal departments
and agencies to coordinate the placement of the fellows.
CHCI is a nonprofit organization. Programs are funded throughprivate corporate donations.
Participants complete midyear and final evaluations of the program.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Policy Fellows
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI)
Washington, D.C.

About CHCI:

Further
Information:

Upon completion, participants become members of the CHCI
alumni association and are tracked. Students also provide feedback
on program. Participants become members of the CHCI alumni
association and are tracked. Many alumni end up hiring the fellows
since they know the caliber of students in the programs. Althoughfellows are drawn from all over the country, many stay and work on
Capitol Hill or in the corporate or nonprofit sector in Washington,
D.C.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) wasestablished in 1978 by members of the Congressional Hispanic
Caucus as a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization
dedicated to developing the next generation of Latino leaders. The
mission of the Public Policy Fellowship is to offer Latino youth thesupport, training, and resources needed to become the effective
leaders of tomorrow. CHCI seeks to accomplish this mission byoffering educational and leadership development programs,
services, and activities that promote the growth of its participants aseffective professionals and strong leaders. Furthermore, CHCI’svision is an educated and civic-minded Latino community thatparticipates at the local, state, and federal policy decision-making
levels.
Visit www.chci.org.

Resources:
How to Get the Mentoring You Want: A Guide for Graduate Students at a Diverse
University. (University of Michigan, Rackham Graduate School). This downloadable
handbook (PDF/Adobe Acrobat) for graduate students covers many issues important to thementoring relationship, with a special emphasis on a diverse graduate student community andunderrepresented faculty.
Link: http://www.rackham.umich.edu/StudentInfo/Publications/StudentMentoring/
contents.html
National Institutes of Health (NIH):
Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC)
http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Minority/MARC/
andMinority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS)
http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Minority/MBRS

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9 Professional Development Programs
for Administrators, Faculty
Center for Women’s InterCultural LeadershipSaint Mary’s College
Notre Dame, Indiana
Professional development of faculty is an essential
component of increasing student success andparticipation. Student learning in effect depends on alearned faculty.
“One of the complicated parts of this whole diversity

ß “The schools that survive aregoing to be the ones that achieve
inclusive excellence,” said Elaine
Meyer-Lee, Ed.D., director, Center
for Women’s InterCultural
Leadership and assistantprofessor of education.

piece is how interlinked things are. You can’t just do
one. It has to be a full-court press across all of it,” said
Elaine Meyer-Lee, Ed.D., director, Center for Women’s
InterCultural Leadership and assistant professor of
education.
At Saint Mary’s College, both administrative staff andfaculty receive ongoing professional development incultural affairs. Most administrative staff development isconducted by the institution’s human resources
department, while faculty development in this area isprimarily coordinated by the Center for Women’s
InterCultural Leadership at the four-year women’scollege. However, some training combines both faculty
and administrators.
The Center was founded in 2000 through a grant fromthe Lilly Endowment. Programs include study abroad forstudents and faculty, a think tank to attract fellows into

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teaching and research on intercultural issues, and acommunity-based learning component to connect local
women leaders to Saint Mary’s College.
Professional development efforts for faculty, includingsummer sessions and other gatherings, are notmandatory, and that is key to buy-in.
“You can mandate participation for administrators andß “ We are really kidding ourselves
if we think we can bring in andstaff quite easily. But at my institution and at many,educate well diverse student

mandating faculty is difficult to impossible and debatablegroups without developing all ofwhether it’s a good idea,” Meyer-Lee said. “Faculty are

diversity and success of facultyused to being the experts and not generally coming fromfrom underrepresented groups as

our faculty and increasing thewell,” said Meyer-Lee.

the position of having a deficit. You don’t want to get
into a partisan debate. Keep it data based, presenting data
about student demographics.”
While respecting academic freedoms, a cadre offaculty meet regularly at the college to discuss ways toincorporate multicultural content into their syllabi. Using
broad intellectual texts can be effective at stimulating afaculty discussion of the importance of multicultural
understanding while connecting the concepts to theirdisciplines.
The Center also facilitates presentations at new
faculty orientation, and Meyer-Lee is at the table forcollege meetings on essential policies at the institution
such as hiring and mentoring. “I am on task forces thattalk about practice changes—linking faculty
development opportunities to real changes so that it’s nottheoretical. It’s not some sort of moral do-gooding. It isthe college making this change and this is what you needto know about it.”For example, the college has a faculty hiring policy
Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

119

stipulating that a candidate from an underrepresented
group be included in the final pool wherever possible.
The institution is also working on a new harassment
policy, an important matter that faculty will want tounderstand thoroughly. General education reforms arebeing considered to include intercultural curriculum
elements. Saint Mary’s also includes intercultural issues
in required departmental reports to motivate educators totake the content to heart.
“We are not exactly mandating it but there is a senseof ‘get on board or be left behind,’” Meyer-Lee said.
As a result, regular but informal, multicultural faculty
lunches, often including students, focus on curriculum
and how to address the issues in the classroom.
Since speaking Spanish is a basic skill for working
with Latino families, the college has provided Spanish
language classes for as many faculty and administrators
as possible. Online sessions are also available.
Saint Mary’s also offers a “course release”
opportunity for a faculty member to have the institution
buy out a course so that the instructor can instead
conduct independent course development in a
multicultural topic.
They also have an instructional materials fund forguest speakers, library acquisitions, or videos; and theysponsor outside speakers, conference attendance, andexchanges or sabbaticals abroad, including programs in
Latin America.
For further information, go towww.saintmarys.edu/~cwil.

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Tipsheet: Designing Professional Development Efforts
Aimed at Multicultural Competence
Approaches to Faculty Instruction
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

•

Pull together an oversight committee to assess
what is reasonable to accomplish.
Do a formal assessment or at least a focus group
to identify needs and evaluate progress.
Find out from students if there are any serious
problems to address from their perspective.
Find out from faculty where they are most
receptive to professional development.
Start small with doable programs, things people
are clamoring for, and “low-hanging fruit.”
Research available tools, offerings, and speakers
to bring on campus and infuse into your efforts.
Link training to concrete institutional policies sothat professional development of faculty
advances broader institutional objectives.
Create accountability such as inclusion ofmulticultural competence in course evaluations or
credit in the tenure process. Have departmental
chairs report on the topic.
Find incentives and ways to reward excellence.
Faculty are greatly overworked, so this will help.

ß Remember that faculty has adifferent mind-set fromadministrators; respect academic
freedom.

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121

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
Professions Capacity-Building Program
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)
A Research Enhancement Initiative for Selected Faculty and Staff at Hispanic-Serving
Institutions (HSIs)
Overview: The Professions Capacity Building Program is a cooperative endeavor directed atstrengthening the capacity of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to attract and retain
funding for biomedical and health sciences and services research, and other sponsoredprograms; and to provide institutions with more information about postaward management,
institutional compliance, and biomedical and health sciences grants. The ongoing program
began in 1999 as a commitment from the Department of Health and Human Services(DHHS) to build the capacity of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and their faculty to
become more competitive in the procurement of federal grants and contracts in the healthsciences field. The National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD)
and the Office of Minority Health (OMH) are particularly interested in increasing the rate ofparticipation of minority institutions and their faculty in grant development efforts that will
focus on improving the health status of minority populations, including disease prevention
and health promotion activities.
Objectives: There are two sets of goals and objectives for the program. The short-term goalof the various phases of the project is to increase the capacity of selected faculty and Officeof Sponsored Research (OSPR) staff at degree-granting Hispanic-Serving Institutions ofhigher education to participate in federal, state, and private-sector scientific healthdisparities–related research activities. The long-term goal is to increase the number of HSI
faculty and staff and HSIs participating in the program in order to increase the number offederal research grants awarded to faculty from Hispanic-Serving Institutions.
Specific Audience Served: Entry-level from Biological and Social Sciences, and/or allied
health programs and Staff of Office of Sponsored Research Program (or its equivalent) fromtwo-year or four-year HSIs.
Approximate Number of Individuals Served:
1999–2007 DHHS–HACU Professions Capacity Building Program
Participant Demographics

122

Faculty
Participants

StaffParticipants

# of
HSIs

StatesMales

Females

95

74

56

9 and
Puerto
Rico

58

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Staffing: Daily operations are conducted by the Program Manager and assisted by a
Coordinator.
Implementation: The program provides skills development through three program
components: workshop presentations, experiential training, and participation in an online
course. The workshop presentations are held in San Antonio, Texas, and Bethesda,
Maryland. The program outline is as follows:•••First Workshop (San Antonio):o Introduction to Grants Managemento Proposal Writing Overview
o Career Development
Second Workshop (Bethesda):
o Grants Regulations
o Visit to NIH and Presentations by NIH Institutes: NIH staff host a multiday
session that includes an overview of the NIH and various NIH funding
opportunities.
o Faculty Career Development Session
Third Workshop (San Antonio):o Human Subject Researcho Mock Proposal Reviewso Overview of HACU Programso Career Development

Evaluation:
In 2006, 11 faculty members and eight staff persons participated in a multicomponent faculty
development program designed to promote successful grant writing and grant administration
skills. The program has been administered to approximately 20 individuals each year since its
inception. As of 2006, faculty and grant support staff from just over 50 colleges anduniversities have participated. Elements of the program have been modified each year in aneffort to improve participant satisfaction, learning, and ultimately the success of participantsin obtaining grant monies to support their research. The evaluation measures have not beenchanged since 2002, providing an opportunity for direct comparisons across five years. In all
years since 2001, participants have completed a pretest (or pretests) and a posttest, and havedemonstrated significant increases in knowledge of the subject matter being taught.
Participants have also regularly completed a consumer satisfaction survey to assessorganization, facilitator responsiveness, overall satisfaction, and other dimensions as well. In
general, the results indicate that the participants find the program to be very beneficial andare highly satisfied. Significant improvements in the organization of the workshops werenoted in 2004, and significant improvements in the delivery of the computer course werenoted in 2005. Participants also enthusiastically praised the introduction of a mock grant
review session in 2005. The 2006 results show evidence of further program refinement andindicate that the program continues to be well received. New recommendations for further
advancement of the program are reviewed annually.
Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

123Timing and Duration: The program runs from June until mid-fall. The call-for-applications
process begins in early January, with final selection generally held in late April.
Cost: The annual program budget is $330,000, which covers participant training andcurriculum expenses, lodging, and travel, and a stipend for participants completing all
program activities.
Funding: The DHHS–HACU Professions Capacity Building Program is funded by the
National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) and administered by
the Office of Minority Health (OMH) and the Hispanic Association of Colleges andUniversities (HACU) through a cooperative agreement. HACU’s Office of Capacity Building
Initiatives manages the program.
Information:www.hacu.net

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10 Serving Undocumented Students
An Education Challenge
According to the Pew Hispanic Center, as of March 2005 the undocumented populationin the United States has reached nearly 11 million, including more than 6 million Mexicans.
Although most undocumented migrants are young adults, there is also a sizeable childhood
population. About one-sixth of the population—some 1.7 million people—is under
18 years of age.
Serving undocumented students is a challenge on many fronts. Students and families areoften uncomfortable providing information about themselves and have perhaps more than ahealthy distrust of government. This creates a reluctance to fill out the forms that are thebuilding blocks of postsecondary education administration such as admissions test
registration and college and scholarship applications.
Undocumented students are not eligible for federal aid, grants, loans, or work-study
programs, so the FAFSA does not apply to them. Although legislative efforts have been
undertaken, as of this writing none have passed to provide federal aid or a clear path tocitizenship sufficient to accommodate the great numbers of undocumented residents.
However, note that the proportion of all legal foreign-born residents who have become
naturalized U.S. citizens rose to 52 percent in 2005, the highest level in a quarter century
and a 14 percentage point increase since 1990, according to an analysis by the Pew
Hispanic Center.
Several states do allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at public institutions
if the students are residents who attended high school in that state. These include California,
Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, andWashington.
Nevertheless, each institution is ultimately responsible for setting its own policies regarding
admission and support of undocumented students. Many colleges have no policy at all.
Others are more helpful and provide institutional aid. Most pool their undocumented students
with all international students. But the downside to this approach is that undocumented
students must compete for limited dollars with the complete international applicant pool,which often includes extremely strong and confident students.
Differences between public and private institutions are evident regarding their ability to serve
undocumented students, with private institutions enjoying more autonomy. Although tuitionis higher at private institutions, they may prove more inviting to undocumented students if
financial aid has been reserved or is made available. Colleges affiliated with religious
institutions in particular may make it their mission to help underserved students.

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

125What all institutions have in common is a keen eye on what the federal government may doregarding financial aid guidelines and immigration law. Meanwhile, some states are moreaggressive than others at serving their undocumented families and students. It is importantfor educators to keep abreast of the law in their states as well as federal legislative activities,
and to work with counsel to support students as appropriate.
One silver lining regardless of your home state is that the dialog has begun in earnest about
how American society and its institutions will treat the nation’s millions of undocumented
residents. At the moment, it remains disheartening that undocumented residents have cause toundervalue education since they cannot gain lawful employment in the United States after
graduation.

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The language we use in higher education—registration, admissions, enrollment—arewords that are off-putting and just not welcoming. Some segments of the population
don’t want to be registered or enrolled anywhere and aren’t comfortable with banking
institutions. How do we talk about what we need them to do without making it sound solegalistic? It just makes sense that they respond better to phone conversations.
—Texas higher education administrator

Undocumented Students(Excerpted from the College Counseling Sourcebook, Fourth Edition, 2007, The College
Board)The term undocumented refers to students whose parents are not U.S. citizens or permanent
residents (green card holders). The terms illegal alien and illegal immigrant are politicallycharged and should be avoided.
School personnel cannot inquire about the immigration status of students or their parents(under the Supreme Court decision Plyler v. Doe [1982]). Thus, by law, a counselor may
learn that students are undocumented only if they choose to share this information. Somestudents who are undocumented are unaware that they fall into this category; they may know
their parents’ status, but assume that they themselves are documented. And some students
may know that they have a green card, but do not understand what legal status the card
confers on them. Lack of a social security number may be an indication that a student is
undocumented.
Because undocumented students may assume that they can’t be admitted to any college in the
United States, they may not be prepared academically. A school culture in which all students
are encouraged to think of themselves as college material, whether they ultimately choose toattend or not, helps every student envision and prepare for college.
Federal financial aid (including work-study programs) is not available to undocumented
students. In addition, most colleges classify these students as foreign and expect them to pay
out-of-state tuition, even if they live in the state. Finding funds for undocumented students istherefore extremely challenging.
Be sure to follow changes in your state regarding undocumented students. When discussing
financial aid at parent meetings or other group sessions, you should explain the requirements
for federal financial aid: Recipients must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. You can
inform students and parents of the requirements without asking about their immigration
status.
There are success stories of very bright undocumented students receiving full scholarships.
Behind those success stories are counselors, other school officials, and community leaders
who have devoted enormous energy to tapping the resources available in making the case for
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127

these students. Private colleges tend to provide more generous funds than public universities,
and counselors should network with college admissions staff to learn which colleges may bewilling to fund undocumented students.
Currently, there is no official role a school can play in helping students become documented.
But if an application for citizenship is in the works, school officials can help determine where
the paperwork is in the bureaucratic backlog of applications. You can refer students to an
immigration lawyer from a list you maintain of qualified attorneys.

Resources
National Immigration Law Center, www.nilc.org
Mexican American Legal Defense Education Fund, www.maldef.org
Pew Hispanic Center, www.pewhispanic.org

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11 Institutional Research andSelf-Studies
Market Analysis and Research with Geographic
Information Systems (GIS)The Ohio State University (OSU), Columbus, Ohio
Overview: The Research and Analysis Unit within OSU’s Office of Undergraduate
Admissions and First Year Experience (UAFYE) provides market analysis and researchservices to support the university’s undergraduate student recruitment goals and strategies.
The unit developed a geodemographic-based infrastructure, which integrates a customized
software application with predictive modeling, and market analysis and research.
Analyses are conducted to aid strategic planners, admissions officers, and territory managers
in understanding key consumer viewpoints that directly impact recruitment and enrollment
efforts. For example, the Admitted Student College Decision Analysis helps to elucidate
sources of information and decision factors that are important to students and their families in
the college selection process; it also helps clarify perceptions of Ohio State, and how theinstitution compares to top competitors based on these factors. Another example is theDiversity Analysis, which assists understanding of OSU’s market potential for various
segments of the student population based on academic ability level, geography,
race/ethnicity, and income.
In order to put information at the fingertips of institutional users, the university developed an
in-house software application called Empowering Market Analysis (EMA). EMA is a
geodemographic tool that integrates internal university data as well as external data to
support undergraduate recruitment strategies and tactics. This tool empowers recruitment
staff to identify, classify, and analyze students according to academic background, interests,
geodemographic characteristics, and other factors.
EMA helps the university to meet its multicriteria goals while minimizing costs associatedwith recruitment. It helps users make strategic decisions such as where to target newprospects and what type of messages to develop for various segments of the population.
EMA also helps the university increase the enrollment of minorities and lower-income
students. Territory managers can easily identify and communicate with minority students at
various stages of the recruitment process.
Another service of OSU’s Research and Analysis Unit is its in-house predictive models,
which estimate probabilities of enrollment for inquiries and admitted students. There is also amodel to estimate financial need early in the recruitment process. These models are based on
institutional data and data estimated through geodemographic analysis.
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129

Tools and Technology Used:
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Market Analysis Segmentation
Geodemographic Analysis
Data Mining
Research Surveys
Objective: To provide expertise and services to help The Ohio State University meet its
multicriteria undergraduate student enrollment goals in terms of quantity, quality, anddiversity.
Audience Served: Internal university offices involved in undergraduate student outreach andrecruitment activities such as undergraduate admissions, minority affairs, student financial
aid, and some academic departments.
Timing and Duration: Ongoing.
Staffing Requirements: There are four full-time professionals with backgrounds inmarketing, geography, statistics, and computer programming. Note that the use of theseresearch and analysis tools has redefined the roles of the traditional admissions counselors.
Ohio State requires analytical skills for its territory managers, and trains them in principles
and practices of marketing.
Funding: The effort is funded by the undergraduate admissions office.
Evaluation: Because it is a supporting operation, results of its contribution cannot be
quantified; however, its value is determined by the level of use and the users’ ability toperform their jobs and achieve their goals. The university has been consistently meeting or
exceeding new freshmen recruitment goals.
Implementation Strategies, Obstacles, Challenges, Approaches: Initially, there wasresistance to the use of the services and tools because it was a practice that was not standard
in an admissions operation. However, the services have become integral components of theundergraduate admissions support infrastructure.
Keys to Success: The vision and support of the head of admissions;competent personnel; users who see the tool as a solution, not as a problem; andcontinuous interaction with users to develop and refine tools to meet their needs.

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Index"A to G" preparatory classes, 15–17, 19
AASU. See Armstrong Atlantic State University
Academic enrichment, 15, 17
Academic Excellence Program (ACE), 113
Academic Performance Index (API), 16–17
Academic preparation, lack of advising and, 74–75
ACE. See Academic Excellence Program
Admissions
Barnard College and, 70–71
barriers to, 68, 74–76
congratulatory letters/phone calls regarding, 76–77
coordinating team and, 5
decision making, 67–78
ESL, ELL, EFL, LEP, 69
fill gaps in support, 67
individualized application review, 68–69
lack of academic preparation/advising and, 74–75
Peer Counseling Program and, 27–30
race/ethnicity and, 7–8, 68
retention and, 72, 73
self-audit and, 67
shifting from, to enrollment management model, 72–73
targeted yield efforts to boost enrollment, 76–77
Admissions and Diversity After Michigan: The Next Generation of
Legal and Policy Issues (College Board), 8, 77
Admitted Student Questionnaire® (ASQ ®), 55
Admitted Student Questionnaire PLUS™ (ASQ PLUS™), 55
Advanced Placement Program® (AP®), 20, 45
Advising, academic
EAOP and, 15
lack of academic preparation and, 74–75
AGEP. See Alliances for Graduate Education and Professoriate
Alliances for Graduate Education and Professoriate (AGEP), 113–
114
Alumni, 4. See also specific programs
CHCI, 117
in targeted yield efforts to boost enrollment, 77
Amherst College, 59AP®. See Advanced Placement Program®
API. See Academic Performance Index
Application review
extracurricular activities and, 68, 70–71, 76
individualized, 68–69
Arizona
AZCAS, 66
HSF, 23
percentage of Hispanic graduates in, 2
PIQE, 37
Proposition 300, 40
Arizona State University (ASU), 39–40
Armendariz, Rosa, 12
Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU), Ga., 90–91
Articulation, transfer programs and, 62, 66
ARTSYS: The Articulation System for Maryland Colleges andUniversities, 66
ASSIST, California's Repository of Articulation Information, 66
Associate Member Institution, 11
ASU. See Arizona State University
Awards
Ceremony, El Centro Student Services Annual, 98
CHCI scholarship, 83–84

HSF, 81–82
Leadership, Scholar Chapter Network, 108, 110
AZCAS: Arizona Course Applicability, 66
Barnard College, N.Y., 3, 70–71
Baylor, 60
BGCA. See Boys & Girls Club of America
Bowe, Mona, 72–73
Boys & Girls Club of America (BGCA), 21
Bronx Institute, 49–50
Brown, Jane, 56–59
Bucknell University, 59
Bursar's office, 5Businesses, as resources, 5–6
California. See also University of California; specific institutions
Claremont McKenna College, 45community college transfer programs, 61–66
EAOP, 15–19
Enlace Latino achievement program, 102–103
Evergreen Valley College, 3, 102–103
Foothill College, 61–63
Hispanic Youth Symposium, 85
HSF, 23, 25–26
Los Medanos College, 12, 91–93
percentage of Hispanic graduates in, 2
PIQE, 37–38
Proposition 209, 19
race/ethnicity and, 68
Stanford University, 107
undocumented students in, 125
University of Southern, 59
California State College at Fullerton, 25–26
California State Polytechnic University, 96–97
California State University (CSU)
EAOP, 15, 16
Foothill College transfer program and, 61–62
PIQE and, 38
Campus hosting program, 77
Campus life, as key to retention, 90–93
CAP. See College Achievement Plan
Cardona, Julio, 113–114
CECCHE. See César E. Chávez Center for Higher Education
Center for Science, Math and Technology Education (CSMATE), 99
Center for Women's InterCultural Leadership, Saint Mary's, 118–
120
César E. Chávez Center for Higher Education (CECCHE), 96–97
CGI (College Going Initiative), 92
CHCI. See Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute
Citizenshipfellowships and, 116
scholarships and, 80, 83
undocumented students and, 125, 127–128
Claremont McKenna College, Calif., 45
College Achievement Plan (CAP), 36
College Board
Access & Diversity Collaborative, 8Latino Collegiate Society and, 49
recruitment and marketing tools, 55
resources from, 13, 77–78
College fairs, 46

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education131College knowledge, 15–16
College Register, NHI's, 35, 47
College Scholarship Program, HSF, 80–82
College skills, awareness and access, building, 49–50
Collegiate Leadership Network, NHI's, 35, 47
Collegiate World Series (CWS), 35, 45–47
Collin College, Tex., 60
Colorado
HSF, 23
University of, at Boulder, 4, 43–44, 106–107
Colorado State University (CSU), 98–100
Commission of Independent Colleges and Universities, 49
Community College Survey of Student Engagement, 10
Community College Transfer Initiative
MHC, 56–59
Peer Counseling Program and, 28
Community colleges
health care programs at, 6transfer programs, 56–66, 81–82
Community Leadership Councils, NHI's, 35, 47
Compelling interest, 8
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), 83–84
policy fellowships, 115–117
Connecticut, 23, 51–52
Coordinating team, establishment of, 5, 12
Cornell University, 59
Counseling, 61–62, 64–65. See also Advising, academic; PeerCounseling Program
CSMATE. See Center for Science, Math and Technology
Education
CSU. See California State University; Colorado State University
CU-LEAD Alliance and Scholarship Program, 106–107
Culture, connecting with Latino, 39, 52
CUNY. See Lehman College
CWS. See Collegiate World Seriesde León, Gloria, 35, 111
Debt, loan and consumer, 79
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), 122–124
DeRosa, Mary Lou, 51–52
Descriptor PLUS, 55
DHHS. See Department of Health and Human Services
Diversity
coordinating team and, 5
ending programs when goals are met, 8
in mission and vision statements, 4, 8
plan, for University of Colorado at Boulder, 4, 43–44
quality principles guiding academic and, 94–95
race/ethnicity and, 7–8
Saint Mary's College and, 73, 118–120
Duran, Alexandra, 61–63
EAOP. See Early Academic Outreach Program
Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP), 15–19
Educational opportunity services, 5
Educational Talent Search, 41–42
El Centro Student Services, 98–100
E-mailto admitted students, 77
newsletter, Harvard Financial Aid Initiative, 101
Enlace Latino achievement program, 102–103
Enrollment
Hispanic postsecondary, in 2-year and 4-year, 6
targeted yield efforts to boost, 76–77
Enrollment management
coordinating team and, 5, 12
integrated approach to, 9–10
model, shifting from admissions to, 72–73
resources and, 5–6

132

theory v. practice of, 10
Enrollment Planning Service® (EPS®), 55
Entrance exams (SAT® and ACT), 15, 16, 20
EOP (Equal Opportunity Programs), 92, 113
ESL, ELL, EFL, LEP, admissions and, 69
Ethnicity. See Race/ethnicity, admissions andEvergreen State College, Wash., 93
Evergreen Valley College, Calif., 3, 102–103
Experiment in International Living, 49
EXPLO Summer Programs, at Yale, 49
Extracurricular activities, application review and, 68, 70–71, 76
Faculty
approaches to instruction, 121coordinating team and, 5, 12
professional development programs for administrators and,
118–124
Faculty and Staff Caucus, 11
FAFSA. See Free Application for Federal Student Aid
Fellowships
CHCI, 115–117
John F. Lopez Community Service, NHI's, 35, 47
Financial aid, 79–89. See also Grant, HSI; Scholarship programs
coordinating team and, 5Harvard Financial Aid Initiative e-mail newsletter, 101
HCF, 87–88
Hispanic Youth Symposium, 85–86
OSU, 79
resources for, 89
for undocumented students, 69, 125–128
Financial support, resources for, 6First-generation college students
admissions and, 67
EAOP and, 16
HMDP and, 39
at MDC, 9
The First Tee—Metropolitan New York Professional Golf
Association, 49
FloridaAcademic Counseling and Tracking for Students, 66
Hispanic Latino Collegiate Forum, 111–112
HSF, 23
MDC, 9–10, 104–105
Peer Counseling Program, 29
percentage of Hispanic graduates in, 2
race/ethnicity and, 68
University of, 111–112
Florida State University (FSU), 39, 47–48
Focus groups. See also specific programs
questions, for marketing, 51
for strategic planning, 4, 12
Foothill College, Calif., 61–63
Fordham University, 49
Foundations
coordinating team and, 5, 12
financial support from, 6
Goizueta, 21, 22
GSF, 21–22
Hispanic Heritage Awards, 88
Jack Kent Cooke, 56–59
National Science, 113
Sallie Mae, 49Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), 41, 80, 91,
125
FSU. See Florida State University
Garcia, Rene, 9–10
Gardner, John N., 95
Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS), 80, 81

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Geographic Information Systems (GIS), 129–130
Georgia
AASU, 90–91
HSF, 21, 22, 23, 31–33
Peer Counseling Program, 27, 29, 33
UGA, 31–33
Georgia Institute of Technology, 27
Georgia State University, 27
GIS. See Geographic Information Systems
GMS. See Gates Millennium Scholars
Goizueta Foundation, 21, 22
Goldman Sachs Foundation (GSF), 21–22
Goldman Sachs Next Generation Venture Fund, 49
Gonzalez, Sol, 104
Graduate Consortium, NHI's, 35, 47
Grant, HSI, 12, 92–93, 102Gratz v. Bollinger, 7, 68
Green cards, 127
Grutter v. Bollinger, 7, 68
GSF. See Goldman Sachs Foundation
Guardia, Juan, 48
HACU. See Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
Hart, Natala K. "Tally," 94–95
Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass., 101
Harvard University, 49
HCF. See Hispanic College Fund
Health care programs, 6
High schools. See also Outreach
HSF programs in, 22–25, 28, 81–82
MDC and, 104–105
Peer Counseling Program, 28
preparatory classes in, 10, 15–17, 19, 74
public, 1–2, 74
recruitment and, 6
SLI and, 20
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), 11
contact information for, 89, 124
Empowerment Series, 100
membership categories and affiliations, 11
mission of, 11Professions Capacity Building Program, 122–124
Scholarship Program, 89
Hispanic College Fund (HCF), 87–88
Hispanic Heritage Awards Foundation, 88
Hispanic Latino Collegiate Forum, Fla., 111–112
Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program (HMDP), 39–40
Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF), 21–26, 80–82. See also Scholar
Chapter Network
activities, 22
audience served, 21, 23–24, 25, 81
awards, 81–82
Bronx Institute and, 49
College Scholarship Program, 80–82
Community College Transfer Scholarship Program, 81–82
cost of, 24, 26, 82
eligibility requirements for, 80
evaluation of, 24–25, 26
funding sources for, 21–22, 24, 26, 82
GMS, 80, 81
high school programs, 22–25, 28, 81–82
middle school programs, 21–25
objectives of, 21, 22–23, 25, 80, 108
outside involvement, 24
overview of, 21, 22, 25Peer Counseling Program, 27–30
S4S, 22, 26
staffing for, 25–26, 82
THM, 22, 26

timing and duration, 24, 26, 82
TWLC and, 21, 22, 25–26
UA and, 31–33
Hispanic Young Professionals (HYP), 88
Hispanic Youth Symposium, 85–86, 87
Hispanics
as percent of public high school graduates, 1–2
population in U.S. and Puerto Rico, 11
postsecondary enrollment in 2-year and 4-year institutions, 6
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), 11
grant, 12, 92–93, 102
large, public university, 41–42
Professions Capacity Building Program and, 122–124
Hispanic-Serving School District, 11
HMDP. See Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program
HOLA (Hispanic Outreach and Leadership at Armstrong Atlantic
State University), 90–91
HSF. See Hispanic Scholarship Fund
HSI. See Hispanic-Serving Institution
HYP. See Hispanic Young Professionals
Illinois, 23, 125
Immigration, 9, 90, 126, 127, 128
Indiana, 72–73, 118–120
Institutional research and self-studies, 129–130
Institutions. See also specific institutions
assessing internal and external resources, 5–6, 7
coordinating team for, 5
Hispanic postsecondary enrollment in 2-year and 4-year, 6
mission and vision statements of, 3–4
pilot programs, 7
starting where you are, 4–5
strengths and weaknesses of, 4
taking stock of, 1–8
tough and "soft" questions for, 4
undocumented students and public v. private, 125, 128
International Member Institution, 11Interns, Latino undergraduate, 77
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, 56–59
Jenkins, Toni P., 60
JMHS. See Jordan Matthews High School
John F. Lopez Community Service Fellowship, NHI's, 35, 47
Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth at, 49
Jordan Matthews High School (JMHS), 20
Journalism, 106–107
Kansas, 125
Kennesaw State University, 27
Kentucky, 23
Latino Collegiate Society, 49–50
Latino culture, connecting with, 39, 52
Latino student population
challenges unique to, 90
geography and growth of, 1–2
three dimensions of, 9Latinos on Fast Track (LOFT), 88
LCs. See Learning communities
LDZ. See Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session
LEADS (Leadership Excellence in Advanced Degrees), UC, 113
Learning communities (LCs), 91–93
Legal considerations, 5
race/ethnicity, 7–8, 68
for undocumented students, 126, 127–128
Lehman College (CUNY), N.Y., 49–50
Lilly Endowment, 32, 118
LOFT. See Latinos on Fast Track
Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session (LDZ), 34–35, 46–47

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

133

Los Medanos College, Calif., 12, 91–93
Lyon, Mary, 56
Market analysis and research, OSU's, 129–130
Marketingadvertising and, 52"blended," 52budgets for, 51–52
choosing marketing firm, 51
consultants, 51
local partners and, 52
niche resources for, 52
outreach and, 52
photos and, 52
recruitment and, 45–55, 129–130
research and, 51
Spanish Web Portal, 53–54
tips for, 51–54
MarylandARTSYS, 66
Hispanic Youth Symposium, 85
HSF, 23
Professions Capacity Building Program, 123
Massachusetts
Harvard College, 101
HSF, 23
MHC, 56–59
Math, Science and Technology Day (MST), 99
Mayer, Patricia, 38
MDC. See Miami Dade College
Medina, Mirella, 102
MexicoLanguage Program, NHI's, 35, 47
LDZ Las Americas program in, 34
Meyer-Lee, Elaine, 118–120
MHC. See Mount Holyoke College
Miami Dade College (MDC), Fla., 9–10, 104–105
Michigan
HSF, 23
race/ethnicity and, 68
University of, 7, 53–54, 59, 68
Middle schools. See also Outreach
HSF programs in, 21–25
outreach in, 7Mission and vision statements, 3–4, 8
Mount Holyoke College (MHC), 56–59
MST. See Math, Science and Technology Day
Mueller, Melanie Brennand, 101
Music program, 107
Narrow tailoring, 8National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities(NCMHD), 122, 124
National Council of La Raza (NCLR), 49, 111
National Hispanic Institute (NHI), 111
Collegiate World Series, 35, 45–47
contact information for, 35, 47
LDZ and, 34–35, 46–47
programs of, 35, 46–47
National Institutes of Health (NIH), 117, 123
National Science Foundation, 113
National ThinkQuest competition, TRIO, 41
NCLR. See National Council of La Raza
NCMHD. See National Center on Minority Health and Health
Disparities
Nebraska, 125
Nevada, 2
New Jersey
HSF, 23

134

Transfer, 66
New Mexico
HSF, 23
percentage of Hispanic graduates in, 2
undocumented students in, 125
New York
Barnard College, 3, 70–71
HSF, 23
Lehman College (CUNY), 49–50
Public Library, 49
State Association for College Admission Counseling, 49
undocumented students in, 125
NHI. See National Hispanic InstituteNieto, Ernesto, 35, 46
NIH. See National Institutes of Health
Non-Latino students, diversity and, 8
North Carolina
HSF, 23
University of, 3, 20, 59
Occupations, shortage of/fastest growing, 6
Office of Minority Health (OMH), 122, 124
Office of Sponsored Research (OSPR), 122
Ohio State University (OSU)
First Year Success Series, 95
market analysis and research, 129–130
mission and vision statement for, 3retention at, 79, 94–95
Oklahoma, 125
OMH. See Office of Minority HealthOregon, 36
Ortiz, Britt, 19
OSPR. See Office of Sponsored Research
OSU. See Ohio State University
Outreach, 15–44. See also Recruitment; specific programs
common themes among successful programs, 44
coordinating team and, 5
counseling and, 74
EAOP, 15–19
early recruitment and, 10
Educational Talent Search, 41–42
HMDP, 39–40
HSF, 21–30
Latino culture and, 39
LDZ, 34–35, 46–47
marketing and, 52
MHC, 59
in middle schools, 7parents and, 9, 10, 21–26, 28, 31, 35, 37–40
PCDP, 43–44
Peer Counseling Program, 27–30, 33
PIQE, 37–38
resources for, 5–6
SLI, 20in Spanish, 9in targeted yield efforts to boost enrollment, 76–77
types of, 10
UA, 31–33
Willamette Academy, 36
PAE. See Partners for Academic Excellence
Palacio, Rebeca Gomez, 70–71
Pantoja, Dr. Antonia, Scholars Program, 47–48
Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE), 37–38
Parental Engagement Program (PEP), 25–26
Parents, outreach and, 9, 10, 21–26, 28, 31, 35, 37–40
Partner Institution, 11Partners for Academic Excellence (PAE), 107
PASOS bilingual programs, 21

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

PCDP. See Pre-Collegiate Development Program
Peer Counseling Program, 27–30, 33
Scholar Chapter Network and, 27–30, 108
Pennsylvania, 23
PEP. See Parental Engagement ProgramPeterson's Learning, 49
Pew Hispanic Center, 125, 128
Pilot programs, 7
PIQE. See Parent Institute for Quality Education
Plyler v. Doe, 127
Portal en Español. See Spanish Web Portal
Poudre School District (PSD), 99
Pre-Collegiate Development Program (PCDP), 43–44
Private institutions. See also specific institutions
MHC, 56–59
Saint Mary's, 72–73, 118–120
undocumented students and public v., 125, 128
Professional development programs, for administrators, faculty,
118–124
designing, 121Professions Capacity Building Program, DHHS-HACU, 122–124
Proposition 209 (California), 19
Proposition 300 (Arizona), 40
Provost's office, 5PSD. See Poudre School District
Public high schools
academic preparation in, 74
Hispanics as percent of graduates, 1–2
Public institutions. See also specific institutions
large Hispanic-serving public university, 41–42
PEP and, 25
race/ethnicity and, 7, 68
undocumented students and private v., 125, 128
Puente (bridge), 64
Puente Community College Program, 64–66
Puerto Rico, 11, 23
Race/ethnicity, admissions and, 7–8, 68
Recruitment
assessment of, 4early outreach and, 10high schools and, 6
marketing and, 45–55, 129–130
resources for, 5–6
at Saint Mary's College, 73
school visits as low-cost, 45–48
Recruitment PLUS™, 55
Reed, Charles B., 38
Religious institutions, 52, 125. See also specific institutions
Residency, 77, 80, 83, 90, 116, 125, 127
Resource Leaders program, El Centro Student Services, 98
Resources. See also specific programs
assessing internal and external, 5–6, 7, 12
from College Board, 13, 77–78
niche, for marketing, 52
strategic planning and, 5–6, 7, 12, 13–14
for student development programs, 117
for transfer programs, 66
for undocumented students, 128
Retention, 90–107
admissions and, 72, 73
campus life as key to, 90–93
CECCHE, 96–97
CU-LEAD Alliance and Scholarship Program, 106–107
El Centro Student Services, 98–100
Enlace Latino achievement program, 102–103
Harvard Financial Aid Initiative e-mail newsletter, 101
MDC's New Student Center, 104–105
at OSU, 79, 94–95

PAE, 107
quality principles guiding academic and diversity programs,
94–95
tools for, 10
Rodriguez, Melody, 90–91
S4S. See Steps for Success Saturdays
SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native
Americans in Science), 103
Sacred Heart University, Conn., 51–52
Saint Mary's College, Ind., 72–73, 118–120
Sallie Mae Foundation, 49
San Diego State University (SDSU), 38
San Jose State University, 102
SAPEP. See Student Academic Preparation and Educational
Partnerships
Schnitzer, Vivianne, 53–54
Scholar Chapter Network, 24, 108–110
Leadership Awards, 108, 110
Peer Counseling Program and, 27–30, 108
Scholars' Latino Initiative (SLI), 20
Scholarship awards
CHCI, 83–84
HSF, 81–82
Scholarship programs, 80–84. See also specific programs
HACU, 89
HCF, 87–88
School visits
El Centro and, 100
as low-cost recruitment, 45–48
marketing and, 52
Science, 102–103, 113–114, 122
SDSU. See San Diego State University
Second-generation college students, as marketing "target," 51
Self-audit, admissions and, 67
Servicio Universitario de Noticias en Español (SUNES), 54
SLI. See Scholars' Latino Initiative
SMU. See Southern Methodist University
South Carolina, 23Southern Methodist University (SMU), 60
Spanish Web Portal, 53–54
Stanford University, Calif., 107
STEM fields, 113–114
Steps for Success Saturdays (S4S), 22, 26
survey, 24–25
Strategic planning, 1–14, 67
HACU, 11
HSI grant, 12
integrated approach to enrollment management, 9–10
as long-term plan, 7
resources and, 5–6, 7, 12, 13–14
taking stock of institutions, 1–8
tipsheet on, 12
Strict scrutiny, 8Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships(SAPEP), 15, 16Student centers, 5Student development programs, 108–117. See also Scholar
Chapter Network
Student Search Service® (SSS®), 55
Student Support Services, NHI's, 35, 47
Study abroad, 106
SUNES. See Servicio Universitario de Noticias en Español
Supreme Court, 7, 68, 127
SurveysCommunity College, of Student Engagement, 10
HSF, 24–25, 26
for Peer Counseling Program, 30

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135

TexasCollin College, 60
community college transfer programs, 60
HSF, 23
NHI, 34–35, 45–47
Peer Counseling Program, 27, 29
percentage of Hispanic graduates in, 2
PIQE, 37
Professions Capacity Building Program, 123
undocumented students in, 125
University of, at Austin, 10
Texas A&M University, 27
Texas Instruments, 60
Texas Tech, 60
THM. See Town Hall Meetings
Tiger Woods Learning Center (TWLC), 21, 22, 25–26
Town Hall Meetings (THM), 22, 26
Transfer(s)from 2-year to 4-year institutions, 10, 61, 102
Initiative, Peer Counseling Program and Community
College, 28
Transfer programs, community college, 56–66. See also
Community College Transfer Initiative
articulation and, 62, 66
Collin College, 60
coordination leads to success, 60
counseling and, 61–62, 64–65
giving students second chance, 61–63
HSF, 81–82
Puente, 64–66
resources/articulation system Web sites, 66
scholarships and, 60
Translating materials, 39
admissions and, 67
marketing and, 51
TRIO programs, 41–42, 44
Triunfo Tutoring program, 99
Tuition, undocumented students and, 40, 69, 125, 127
TWLC. See Tiger Woods Learning Center
UA. See University Alliance
UC. See University of California
UCSB. See University of California
UCSC. See University of California
UF. See University of Florida
UGA. See University of Georgia in Athens
Undocumented, as term, 127
Undocumented students, 125–128
financial aid for, 69, 125–128
regulatory control for, 68–69
resources for, 128
tuition and, 40, 69, 125, 127
University Alliance (UA), 31–33
University of California (UC)
Berkeley, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation and, 59
EAOP, 15–19

136

EOP at, 113
Foothill College transfer program and, 61–62
Irvine, 26
LEADS, 113
Los Angeles, Peer Counseling Program, 27
Puente Community College Program and, 66
Santa Barbara (UCSB), 18–19
Santa Cruz (UCSC), 113–114
University of Colorado at Boulder
CU-LEAD Alliance and Scholarship Program, 106–107
mission and vision statement for, 4PCDP, 43–44
University of Florida (UF), 111–112
University of Georgia in Athens (UGA), 27, 31–33
University of Houston-Downtown, 27
University of Miami, 27
University of Michigan
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, 59
race/ethnicity, admissions and, 7, 68
Spanish Web Portal, 53–54
Web sites, 54
University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, 59
mission and vision statement for, 3
SLI and, 20
University of North Texas, 60
University of Southern California, 59
University of Texas at Austin, 10
University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), 60
University of Texas at San Antonio, 27
Upward Bound, 5
U.S. Department of Education, 41
Utah, 125
UTD. See University of Texas at Dallas
Vergara, Julia, 64, 65
Washington
HSF, 23
race/ethnicity and, 68
undocumented students in, 125
Washington, D.C.
CHCI, 83–84, 115–117
HCF, 87–88
Hispanic Youth Symposium, 85
HSF, 23
Web chats, live, 77
Willamette Academy, 36
Willamette University, Ore., 36
Wisconsin, 23
Women, 39–40
Yale University, 49
Yoshinaga-Itano, Christine, 1, 43–44, 106–107
Young Leaders Conference, NHI's, 35, 46

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

Resources for Increasing Latino Participation and Success in Higher Education

What Is Your Plan for
Serving Latino Students?

Hispanic students will represent 22 percent of public highschool graduates by 2015, presenting both opportunities andchallenges for America’s colleges and universities. Learn
what schools, colleges, and outreach organizations are doing
to support the success of Latino students. This easy-to-use
reference includes:• Examples of successful programs and approaches tofostering student success at institutions nationwide• Interviews with educators involved with these initiatives• Strategic plans, tactics, and tips for serving this important
population• Additional resources“The schools that survive are going tobe the ones that achieve inclusive excellence.”—Elaine Meyer-Lee, Director, Center for Women’s InterCultural Leadershipand Assistant Professor of Education,
Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame

“Diversity is part of the mission of the university.”—Christine Yoshinaga-Itano, Vice Provost andAssociate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Equity,
University of Colorado, Boulder“Many institutions in many states are only going to
be able to sustain their current levels of traditionalage students if they are successful in increasing thenumber of Latino students enrolling.”—Don Hossler, Professor of Educational Leadership and
Policy Studies and Director of Projects on Academic Success,School of Education, Indiana University

www.collegeboard.com$19.95070342367

Resourcesfor Increasing
Latino Participation andSuccess in Higher Education

Profiles of successfulprograms at schools,­colleges, and outreachorganizations ­nationwide
that serve Latino students
Strategies and approaches
for enrollment managers,
student affairs professionals,
and other secondary andpostsecondary educators