Hispanic-Serving Institutions

ESCALA is a trailblazer in improving the well-being of Latinx students and making Latinx student success in higher education the new status quo. Our passion, authenticity, and expertise in culturally responsive programming are unparalleled for the following reasons: our facilitators are thriving and experienced HSI practitioners, the majority of those who work with ESCALA have lived experience as Latinx people in higher education, and we have a deep well of experience working with more than 50 different HSIs across the U.S. over the last decade.

Excelencia in Education accelerates Latino student success in higher education by promoting Latino student achievement, conducting analysis to inform educational policies, and advancing institutional practices while collaborating with those committed and ready to meet the mission. Launched in 2004 in the nation’s capital, Excelencia is building a network of results-oriented educators and policymakers to address the U.S. economy’s need for a highly educated workforce and engaged civic leadership.

The Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educators (AHSIE) exists to support the work of the nation’s Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) as they seek to provide quality, relevant educational opportunities to large and growing numbers of underserved populations, particularly Hispanic students. All of the Alliance’s activities directly benefit practitioners and educators at HSIs through measures that involve cooperation, networking, partnerships, information-sharing, technical assistance and collaboration.

The American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE) addresses issues and concerns affecting Hispanics, with a focus on higher education. While the Hispanic population is the largest ethnic minority population in America, Hispanics are still highly underrepresented in the undergraduate and graduate enrollments and graduation rates.

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) was established in 1986 with a founding membership of eighteen institutions. Because of HACU’s exemplary leadership on behalf of the nation’s youngest and fastest-growing population, the Association rapidly grew in numbers and national impact. Today, HACU represents more than 500 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America, Spain and U.S. school districts. Although our member institutions in the U.S. represent only 17% of all higher education institutions nationwide, together they are home to two-thirds of all Hispanic college students. HACU is the only national educational association that represents Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).

Join us as we explore the history and evolution of HSIs, culturally relevant and liberatory practices in HSIs, current and emerging research with HSIs, and the policies that shape servingness.

This podcast series is part of the Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) Grant awarded to John F. Kennedy University October 2015. Each episode supports our grant's educational outreach to raise awareness of the value and importance of higher education within the Latino community.

Through the Cultivating Excelencia podcast series, you will hear directly from leaders of some of the programs recognized as Examples of Excelencia. Excelencia in Education recognizes programs at the associate, baccalaureate and graduate levels and at community-based organizations as Examples of Excelencia. These programs demonstrate evidence of effectiveness in accelerating Latino student success in higher education. The podcast series, Cultivating Excelencia, is a collaboration between produced by Michelle Espino Lira of Latinx Intelligentsia, in collaboration with Excelencia in Education.