RIVER FOREST, Ill. — When Jacqueline Quintero, a high school student, started exploring colleges, she noticed a lack of diversity. “I don’t like saying it, but they all looked so white,” said Quintero, whose parents are Mexican immigrants. She found a welcoming atmosphere at Dominican University, where information was given in both English and Spanish, enabling her parents to ask questions in their native language. This bilingual approach moved Quintero to tears, as she was used to translating for her parents.
This effort is part of why Dominican’s enrollment has risen by nearly 25 percent since 2021, while other colleges struggle to attract students. Dominican University has successfully reached out to Hispanic high school graduates, a demographic that’s growing as the number of 18-year-olds declines.
Higher education institutions have historically struggled to enroll Hispanic students. Now, their success may depend on adapting to these changes. “The demographics in our country are changing, and higher education has to adapt,” said Glena Temple, Dominican’s president. Quintero added, “Now they need us.”
The number of Hispanic high school graduates is projected to rise by 16 percent by 2041, while the number of white, Black, and Asian graduates is expected to decline. Nearly one in three students in K-12 is Hispanic, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. In states like California, Texas, and Florida, Hispanic students make up a majority in public schools.
Despite this growth, the proportion of Hispanic students attending college has been decreasing due to high costs, the need to work, and lack of college-going experience in families. This is compounded by attacks on campus diversity programs, which may hinder recruitment and support.
Deborah Santiago, CEO of Excelencia in Education, stated that higher education institutions “could hit their [enrollment] numbers without engaging this population. That’s no longer the case.” In unexpected areas, such as Kansas City, the biggest school district is 58 percent Hispanic. Responding to these demographics is crucial for colleges and the national economy.
Dominican University near Chicago is a model for supporting Hispanic students, with initiatives like bilingual tours, on-campus jobs, and family support programs. Family involvement is emphasized, as Gabe Lara, the university’s VP of student success, notes, “It’s a family choice.”
Such efforts have more than doubled the proportion of Hispanic students at Dominican over the last decade to nearly 70 percent. This commitment is necessary for other institutions, said Steve Kerge of Spark451. Sylvia Hurtado from UCLA emphasized the need for “culturally responsive” recruiting strategies to meet the needs of Hispanic students.
While some universities are slow to adapt, the importance of recruiting Hispanic students is becoming increasingly clear. Without more Hispanic college graduates, the U.S. risks a massive labor shortage and a lower quality of life as a smaller younger population supports a growing older one. Michael Collins from the Center for Racial Economic Equity says, “It’s a pretty dire picture” if wider nets aren’t cast.
—
Read More Kitchen Table News
