A growing number of college students are graduating with one or possibly two internships under their belt. As the employment market becomes increasingly competitive, particularly in this economic environment, students are going to great lengths to gain meaningful experience before they graduate. Aside from the experience, internships provide students the ability to foster all-important relationships and mentoring opportunities which can pay off later in their careers. These and other benefits are so important that many students are paying for the opportunity to gain experience.

This article in the Washington Post provides an overview of the growing number of firms charging students thousands of dollars for an internship opportunity (the cost might also cover housing, meals, career advice, etc.). Ironically, some of these internships are unpaid. You can probably imagine the debate over such pursuits. Many on the career center side suggest this undermines a student’s capacity to develop strong career search skills – the very kind they’ll need later in their careers. Not to mention, career centers already offer these services to students, paid usually through student service fees.  

I’ve been following this trend for a while now. Browsing through a few students’ Facebook pages recently, I found they were very satisfied with the services, especially at a time when organizations are cutting back on their internship opportunities. Others comment that these firms are undermining equal opportunity, especially for students that can’t afford to pay for these services. Are we creating a new class of leaders  – or elites?

 You be the judge.

I wanted to bring your attention to a wonderful event happening in Atlanta on October 14^th. The Hispanic Achievement & Business Leadership Awards (HABLA) is an annual luncheon recognizing the contributions and successes of Latino community leaders in corporate executive, civic-community, small-business and unsung hero categories.

This year’s keynote speaker, Cristina Benitez, is the author of one of my favorite books,”Latinization: How Latino Culture is Transforming the U.S.” Dr. Benitez’s book covers a number of topics including Hispanic talent and the Hispanic workforce. I referenced the book in my doctoral dissertation. Please also review the biographies of this year’s award recipients. Each is a leader in his or her respective category and serves as an inspiration for Latinos.

The event will also serve as an opportunity to award scholarships to some very deserving Latino students. Take note that scholarships are available for graduating high school seniors or current college freshmen or sophomores. You can find more scholarship information here.

 Great work HABLA and congratulations on a wonderful event!

I’ve never been a big fan of college rankings. When I directed a couple of college recruiting departments years ago, it seemed I was always pressured by senior management to recruit at a “top-ten school” for no reason other than it was on a business magazine list. I’m not knocking these great schools, simply making the point that rankings shouldn’t be the foundation for a sound college recruiting strategy.  This article in USA Today articulates my point. Money line:

Rankings are not evil. Students and families need information. Four years of undergraduate education is not a trivial commitment. But the rankings game is on the verge of parodying itself. Worse, it threatens to drive strategic decisions on campuses in ways that have little to do with what should be important.

Update

The Chronicle of Higher Education comes out with a similar article on rankings -  along with a detailed graphic. The article’s money line is here and well said:

Much of the emphasis is on “input measures” such as student selectivity, faculty-student ratio, and retention of freshmen. Except for graduation rates, almost no “outcome measures,” such as whether a student comes out prepared to succeed in the work force, are used.

Having been involved in economic development initiatives many years ago for the City of El Paso, I realize how challenging it is to recruit new organizations into a community. Companies consider so many factors: city infrastructure, employment base, education, transporation, tax abatements, and many other things. Cities like San Antonio were very innovative years ago when they focused on creating economic development opportunities around specific industries like healthcare before it was on anyone’s radar. Now the medical industry is one of San Antonio’s largest employers. Today I came across another innovative idea – this one being driven by higher education to rebuild urban communities. Legislation in congress called the “ Urban University Renaissance Act of the 21st Century” focuses on helping rebuild neighborhoods in urban areas around the country. What a great idea. The law would award grants to institutions of higher education to establish and maintain community outreach partnership centers and expand existing community engagement activities that address urban problems.  What better way to rebuild communities than by investing in education?

8/31 – Update

St. Mary’s in San Antonio is already following this approach. Read how. h/t  @StMarysU

There are two reports that were released this week that provide valuable information on the Hispanic college student experience. I’ve not had a chance to read the details of the report shared by Education Trust regarding the differences between colleges and universities in recruiting and retaining college students so I’ll stop short of providing my perspective. The study is yet another indication that colleges, organizations, and other institutions are at least beginning to realize the importance of recruiting and developing Hispanic talent and the Hispanic workforce. Below is an abstract of what you’ll find in the study:

To improve degree attainment among Hispanic students,colleges and universities simply must enroll more of them. But it’s just as important that these institutions also boost their graduation rates and close graduation-rate gaps. This brief calls attention to the colleges and universities that are serving Hispanic students well, as evidenced by small or nonexistent graduation-rate gaps between Hispanic and white students. We also shine a necessary light on institutions with particularly large gaps—the institutions that are not serving these students as effectively as they should.

Another report entitled “How American Pays for College,” sponsored by Sallie Mae and Gallup, supplements some of the information found in the report above. Among the many findings, the study reports that Hispanic families were more likely to eliminate colleges based on cost alone – even before researching a school. The report includes additional information on how Hispanics finance their college education. Two very good reads.

Untitled from Miguel A. Corona on Vimeo.

Some organizations that are doing their part this Summer to help develop Hispanic the Hispanic leaders and talent of the future. Watch the video, the list will make a bit more sense. : )

Colleges and Universities
Here is a short list of colleges and universities that are making an effort to attract more Hispanics to their campuses as well as developing Hispanic talent. While there are many more colleges that are increasing their outreach efforts, I think what make these schools unique is their location. Please note where most of these schools are located and what it says about Hispanics and higher education.

• University of Kansas
• Boston College
• Washington University in St. Louis
• University of Iowa
• Smith College
• Weslyan University
• Bryn Mawr University
• Notre Dame

Center for Hispanic Leadership (CHL)
If you’re not familiar with CHL, you will be soon. CHL’s mission is to teach Hispanic professionals and corporations how to propel innovation through diversity. I’m honored to be part of their upcoming Summit in Los Angeles.

The Lumina Foundation
One of my favorite websites for information. They have one overriding mission: enrolling and graduating more students from college. They’re tremendous advocates of increasing the number of Hispanics in higher education and consistently provide valuable information in this regard.

Excelencia in Education
A powerhouse for information on Hispanics in education, Excelencia in Education provides research, webinars, and conferences all related to the development of the Hispanic workforce and talent.

 The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education
Always a great source for up-to-date articles impacting Hispanics in higher education, they’re celebrating their 25^th year. Their existence literally chronicles the advancement of Hispanics in higher education over the last two decades.

The Hispanic Leadership Initiative at Harvard
An excellent program geared at developing the next generation of Latino Leaders. Their program is impressive and students can apply for the 2011 session starting now. Please watch some of the videos on their site – inspiring!

Hat tip to @Eliana_Murillo , a Harvard grad, for reminding me to add this great program to the list!

Last week there were a few write ups on the AP/Univision poll on a variety of Hispanic attitudes and perspectives – everything from education to career. Here’s one from USA Today that provides a nice overview as well as a link to the study.

Earlier today, I had a chance to watch the Ronald McDonald House Charities’ (RMHC)/HACER college scholarship recipient webcast. The RMHC/HACER partnership awards $100,000 to fulfill the college dreams of Hispanic college students. This year marks 25th Anniversary of the RMHC/HACER Scholarship Program.

I was truly inspired by the accomplishments of these young Latino leaders. Many are now in college studying economics, biology, and the arts. While each of these students are deserving of a scholarship for academic achievements, it’s also worth noting that all of them give back to their community. As one recipient aptly noted, “It’s up to us to change the world.”

Despite numerous barriers, at times posed by some in their own family, these scholarship recipients shared how they overcame challenges by believing in themselves and with the support of their colleges and mentors; a critical aspect of successful Hispanic college students. The program did an excellent job of having recipients share their experiences in getting ready for college: SATs, admissions, scholarships, and developing relationships. If the recorded webcast is available, I’ll upload the link. Truly worth watching.

More information about the RMHC and HACR Scholarship for 2011 can be found here.

I’m always inspired by organizations and individuals that are focused on supporting Hispanics in education. Having traveled a very non-traditional path in my academic pursuits, I can attest that the help and inspiration given by these people meant a lot during my own journey. If someone had told me back in my high school days that I’d earn a doctorate in my lifetime, I’d say they were not well. Now it’s easy to look back and identify the key points in my life that made a difference.

Frankly, inspiration didn’t come from high school teachers; I was just too much of an unengaged student to understand their importance. Inspiration came from those that did – people that do. Those individuals by far held the most credibility with me early on. So when I read stories like this one , I still think it’s people that do that make a difference in other’s lives. The best advice I ever got was from my brother-in-laws father. During a visit to see my sister in New York one Spring Break he asked how my studies were progressing. ”I’m working and trying hard,” I responded. He looked me in the eyes, poked his finger into my chest, and said, “Don’t try. Do.” I did.

Organizations like the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) also make an impact but on a much larger scale. They do.  By supporting the efforts of Hispanic high school and college students, this organization is making a difference – daily – in the lives of thousands of future Hispanic leaders and talent. I attended a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and always heard the acronym HACU on campus: sponsoring workshops; organizing intern programs; and cultivating inspiration. Later working at a HSI career center, HACU was constantly working hard to change state funding policies and assure institutions like mine were awarded their fair share in order to help our Hispanic college student population. They did. HACU’s efforts have helped literally thousands of Hispanic college students that are in the workforce today – me included.

I sometimes forget that it takes a community to support the efforts of the community. Those of us that have benefitted from the support of individuals or organizations owe it to them to give something back – to share our stories of success, to be a mentor, and to always do.

I’ve been working on presentation I’ll be giving next month focusing on Hispanic college students in the United States. There are many themes to address when it comes to this broad subject: access; financial aid; cultural influences; generational impact; language; and many others. All tie into developing Hispanic talent and the Hispanic workforce. Today an article shared by Education Week touches upon one of these themes – Hispanics and four-year college attendance.

It’s no secret that Hispanics are more inclined to attend community colleges on a part-time basis. Hispanics tend to choose community colleges because they offer more access, lower tuition rates, and flexible schedules – all of which are important factors for the many Hispanic college students that work at least part-time.  

Working and attending school on a part-time basis is a recipe for disappointment and frustration. I should know. As a recent high school graduate many years ago, I attended community colleges in Los Angeles (mostly part-time) while working full-time. Working and going to school was a prelude to dropping out of THREE community colleges within a matter of two years.

Only after I left home to attend a four-year institution in Texas was I able to complete my studies. However, most of my community college credits didn’t transfer to my new school – so I started from square one. There was little explanation as to why – only that “I had taken the wrong courses.”

I was fortunate. I completed a four-year degree in just over three years. The income I earned during my working years helped finance my education but only partially. I was unaware of the financial help available for students like me. Understanding the “financial aid ropes,” allowed me to attend school full-time while working on campus via a work-study grant.

While community colleges provide a valuable path to higher education, for many Hispanics it’s often a road that begins and ends there. It’s good to see that there are many organizations working hard to increase the transfer rates of community college students to four-year institutions. With the right kind of support, Hispanic four-year college attendance rates will most definitely increase.