This week continues National Hispanic Heritage Month, and at Innovative Educators we want to ensure we honor this month as a time for reflection, learning and celebration of the diversity across the Latinx community. In 2019, 21.7% of undergraduates were Latinx, the second largest ethnic group enrolled at the undergraduate level. 2021 has seen a 4.4% jump in Latinx students enrolling in graduate programs.

Understanding Latinx College Student Diversity

Increase in Latinx Enrollment in Graduate Programs

Learn More About Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)

The start of the fall semester has seen student protests at multiple institutions; students are reacting to reports of sexual assaults and violence against women at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the University of Kansas, Wichita State University, University of Massachussetts, Loyola Chicago and the University of Iowa.  The National Sexual Violence Resource Center notes that more than 50% of the incidents that happen on campuses take place from August through November. The state of Pennsylvania is increasing funding state colleges in an effort to stop campus rape and assault. Mary Sue Coleman, former president at the University of Michigan, weighed in on research conducted by the Association of American Universities, “we now know that schools should continue to concentrate their educational efforts and resources on incoming first-year undergraduate students, since they are clearly more vulnerable to sexual assault and misconduct than their older classmates.”

A bill this month, approved by California lawmakers, would set aside $500 million in the 2022 fiscal year to provide affordable housing options to students attending state community colleges and public universities. Fifty percent of the funds would go to community colleges, thirty percent to the California State University System and twenty percent to the University of California System. Also included in the legislation is rental caps for low income students. More than one-third of California college students report some measure of housing insecurity. Nearly 18,000 college students have unmet housing needs at the state’s public colleges and universities.

According to research conducted by the Lumina Foundation, Walmart’s education program for associates is a source of upward mobility for employees.  The program provides employees 100% tuition and free books. More than 56,000 employees have participated since the program began in 2018. “More than 7,200 credentials have been awarded to a diverse pool of employees, which includes high school completion as well as college degrees.”

The Arizona Department of Economic Security has piloted a three year program to support parents who are pursuing degrees. Through the Higher Education Childcare Subsidy, full-time students in the fields of nursing, nursing intent, early childhood and K-12 education earn $725 per child, per month, in childcare expenses. The goal of the program is to ameliorate a severe shortage of nurses and educators. In addition to financial support, parenting students will be part of a cohort and will receive coaching.