Are you looking for colleges? Have you noticed your college making changes? Well, you’re in the right place to get a heads up about what an HSI is and how it might be relevant to you!

Basically, HSI stands for Hispanic Serving Institution. That means that the college you are attending or the one you are looking to attend has met certain requirements for that kind of certification. This certification means that the university or college is eligible for extra monetary support from the government. One of those requirements is that your college of choice has to have at least 25% of its student body consider themselves Hispanic. There is also a group called HACU, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, that is currently representing the colleges which are “committed to Hispanic higher education success” including HSIs. On their website hacu.net, one can see the way in which it directly helps students: “Thousands of young Hispanics benefit from HACU with internships, scholarships, college retention and advancement programs, precollegiate support, and career development opportunities and programs. We truly are the champions of Hispanic success in higher education.” Some schools cater to Hispanics in ways such as translating web pages or fliers into Spanish for students and their families. Some universities show their service to hispanic students by having Diversity and Cultural groups that have fun and informative events or activities. The HSI designation is to show support for students and appreciate diversity. By acknowledging a college or university as an HSI, the Department of Education is showing that they are interested in our success.

As a Hispanic student myself, I find this designation kind of interesting. I see both good and bad parts about singling out the Hispanic population of students. I was always told to not speak Spanish in school, and I learned to keep my “different” culture mostly at home, or with close friends. If I was used to saying certain things in Spanish, I learned to say them with an accent of someone who speaks English, and I changed my spanglish to English only. As I went to different schools with other diversities, I learned that school was an academic place rather than a place where culture could flourish. By the time I went to high school, I had lost my ability to confidently speak in Spanish from lack of use. It wasn’t until my Spanish teacher pushed my limits that I began to embrace my Spanish language once again. Thanks to my teacher’s support and hard work, I am even majoring in Spanish now that I’m in college. This sudden interest in the Hispanic identities of students may seem like a hypocritical one, especially if changes are not yet being made in lower levels of education.

Overall, it is a great idea to go forward to be inclusive and open to Hispanic people and culture. How might this relate to you if you aren’t Hispanic? I’m sure you know someone who is. And if you don’t? As I mentioned before, HSI institutions are based on the amount of hispanic students and students in need at a university or college, but the benefits extend to everyone! From internships and grants to scholarships, the support permeates throughout the school, being all inclusive and giving opportunities for everyone! Make sure to take advantage of your HSI today.