According to the United States Census Bureau, Hispanics are now the country’s largest ethnic or racial minority, owing to recent explosive growth in the Hispanic population. Hispanic Serving Institutions have emerged as a result of this development.
What makes a Hispanic-Serving Institution?
Qualified institutions that have at least 25 percent Hispanic undergraduate full-time equivalent students at the end of the award year preceding the date of application are considered Hispanic-Serving Institutions.
As defined by the U.S. Department of Education, Haas are colleges or universities where at least 25% of the full-time equivalent student body consists of Hispanics. The Department of Education must designate Hispanic Serving Institutions.
According to HACU’s president and CEO, Antonio R. Flores, certification qualifies HSIs to apply for scholarship programs just for their institutions.
Schools can continue to attract and support Hispanic students, Flores says, as well as guide them to graduation day and help them land jobs afterward.
How Many Hispanic Serving Institutions the Are There?
Schools in Puerto Rico and community colleges are among the 539 institutions recognized by Flores’ organization. The number identified by the U.S. Department of Education is closer to 400. Newly certified healthcare systems are counted as part of the HACU’s total.
If we have identified an institution that has not yet been certified, the federal government is usually behind our numbers because they only list certified institutions, says Flores.
More Hispanic-serving institutions mean that students in most states can find an institution of their choice. Many HSIs exist in California and Texas, while in other states, there are few. Per the website of the HACU, some states do not have full-fledged HSIs, but they do have institutions edging toward that designation.
We listed below the ten best-ranked National Universities with HSI status in the 2021 U.S. Students must be aware that this can be found in different U.S. News ranking categories, even though the schools listed here are only National Universities.
- The University of California, Santa Barbara,
- The California Institute of the Sciences
- University of California, Irvine.
- California State University, Davis.
- Loyola University of Marymount
- Texas University
- The University of Michigan
- Riverside University of California
- Arizona University
- The University of California, Merced
Why Hispanic Serving Institutions are an excellent option for students?
To find the right fit for HSIs, experts advise students to conduct their own research.
Cyndia Morales Muniz, director of HSI Culture and Alliances at the University of Central Florida, wrote in an email that “this will vary by student and institutional type.” “Students have a wide range of preferences regarding what they expect from a college or university.
Many different types of educational institutions make up the HSI sector. These include everything from community colleges to Research I universities in urban and rural areas.”
Experts advise prospective students to consider their long-term educational goals when making college selections. Look for schools that have programs that are in line with students’ career goals, opportunities for mentorship and internships; financial aid; and campus resources to help students complete their education.
There are many areas where Hispanics are understudied that Irma Becerra sees as an opportunity for Marymount University’s new Hispanic Serving Institution status, such as health care and STEM careers.
How to Find Out More About Institutions That Serve the Hispanic Community?
Although the number of HSIs has increased recently, experts believe that more exposure is necessary.
It’s hard to understand what it means to be an HSI in general unless you live in an area like Miami or Texas, where the majority of the population is Hispanic, says Becerra.
Hispanic Serving Institutions often have a wide range of students from different countries, which gives students a chance to learn about other cultures and hear a variety of viewpoints from people from different walks of life.
Students interested in learning more about HSIs can do so by visiting websites such as HACU, Adelante, and the Department of Education and visiting individual institutions directly for more information.
“The way in which institutions acknowledge, embrace, and leverage their HSI identity will vary across the board,” says Morales Muniz. Students should inquire about these initiatives at the colleges they’re considering.
Flores believes that Hispanic Serving Institutions will play an increasingly significant role in higher education as the U.S. Latino population and labor force continue to grow.
