Under the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions program, a total of 64 grants, amounting to over $37 million, have been awarded to assist HSIs in expanding educational opportunities and enhancing Hispanic student achievement.
Under the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions program, a total of 64 grants, amounting to over $37 million, have been awarded to assist HSIs in expanding educational opportunities and enhancing Hispanic student achievement.
The Biden-Harris administration has announced the allocation of more than $40 million to Hispanic Serving Institutions to bolster support for Hispanic and Latino students and the institutions dedicated to their education.
Under the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions program, a total of 64 grants, amounting to over $37 million, have been awarded to assist HSIs in expanding educational opportunities and enhancing Hispanic student achievement.
Empowering minority students
An additional $3.8 million has been granted to 15 HSIs through the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program. This funding aims to strengthen science and engineering programs and increase the enrollment of underrepresented minority students, particularly women of color, in scientific and technological fields.
These grants build upon previous investments by the Biden-Harris Administration in HSIs, which included nearly $15 billion from the US Department of Education, including over $13.2 billion in COVID relief funds.
Supporting diversity
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona stressed the importance of investing in Hispanic-Serving Institutions and the students they serve, particularly at a time when diversity in higher education is facing challenges. Latino students make up nearly one in five college students in the US and are seen as crucial to the nation’s future prosperity and global competitiveness.
In addition to the grants, federal agencies marked National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week through various events, with the goal of connecting federal resources with HSIs and Latino students, educators and community members.
The administration’s initiatives include the cancellation of a record $117 billion in student loan debt, the launch of the SAVE plan, which halves lifetime loan payments for Hispanic borrowers, and funding programs such as the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence to enhance teacher preparation, with a particular focus on Latino educators.
Commitment to education, diversity
The administration has also announced grant competitions for Minority Serving Institutions, increased Pell Grant funding, advocated for additional Pell Grants funding, including for DACA students, disseminated bilingual Office for Civil Rights resources, and organized national events to promote educator diversity, with the first event scheduled for Oct. 26 in Denver.
This initiative aligns with President Joe Biden’s proclamation of National Hispanic Serving Institution Week and is part of a broader commitment to enhancing educational opportunities for Latino students, educators and institutions in the US.
