TEMPE, AZ —Arizona State revealed Thursday that the university has been named a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education.
The department of education defines an HSI as an institution of higher education that has an enrollment of Hispanic undergraduate (full-time equivalent) students that is at least 25 percent of the overall student body.
In 2021, ASU’s Hispanic students made up 26 percent of the on-campus population, up from 19 percent in the fall of 2011, according to the university.
The school called the distinction a major milestone in its enterprise-wide commitment to increase the diversity of its student body.
“This meaningful designation recognizes our ongoing institutional efforts to support the success of students who reflect the demographic diversity of our state and, looking to the future, the growing Hispanic community that will play a major role in the economic advancement and competitiveness of our nation,” ASU President Michael Crow said.
ASU’s West and Downtown Phoenix Campuses had previously been recognized with the HSI designation. The University of Arizona was designated as an HSI in 2018.
According to ASU, the school had more than 16,840 Hispanic undergraduate students among its fall 2021 on-campus population, compared to 10,400 in the fall 0f 2011. If one includes undergraduate, graduate, on-campus and online students, the Hispanic enrollment at ASU is more than 30,200, which is up from approximately 12,240 in 2011.
“While we are excited to see enrollment of Hispanic students continue to increase, we are even more proud that their retention and graduation rates continue to rise as well,” said Nancy Gonzales, executive vice president and university provost.
Gonzales continued: “As a first-generation Latina graduate from ASU myself, it brings me great joy to see our community of talented and determined students thriving at ASU, and I look forward to the benefits that this university accomplishment will provide our academic community in the years to come.”
In a release touting the accomplishment, ASU also pointed out that it has Latina leaders in charge of two of the university’s three pillars.
Gonzales is the leader of the Academic Enterprise, which includes everything to do with degree-seeking students and the faculty who teach them, while Maria Anguiano is the executive vice president of the Learning Enterprise, the school’s lifelong learning ecosystem designed for all learners, from kindergartners to mid-career professionals to retired people.
“My Latina roots run deep, and they influence the passion that fuels the work I lead at ASU as we expand access to education by creating learning opportunities to meet the Latinx community where they are,” Anguiano said.
Anguiano continued: “As a first-generation college graduate, I am energized by our HSI designation as it reinforces the great work our colegas (colleagues) across the enterprise are doing to serve all learners.”
Read More: Arizona State Named Hispanic-Serving Institution By U.S. Dept. of Ed.