Tag: HACU

Two from OLLU selected for HACU Enlace Mid-level Leadership Program

OLLU’s Academic Dean Candace Zepeda, PhD, and Professor of History Valerie Martinez, PhD, have been selected for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Enlace Mid-level Leadership Program. In its second cohort, the Enlace Program will welcome 54 participants from across the nation.

The six-month leadership development program for mid-level college and university professionals is designed to increase the number, variety, and quality of Latino/a talent in leadership positions at Hispanic-Serving Institutions and in higher education overall. Selectees will participate in programming covering academic and student affairs management, regional institutional accreditation, diversity, equity and inclusion, and higher education advocacy issues. Participants will also interact with a professional search firm.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for OLLU to participate in quality leadership training that will impact our students and our entire community,” said President Abel A. Chávez, MBA, PhD. “I greatly appreciate Dr. Zepeda and Dr. Martinez for stepping up and taking on this program.”

The sessions will be delivered through a series of online meetings and also in person sessions that will take place in November 2024 at HACU’s Annual Conference in Aurora, Colorado, and at the National Capitol Forum in Washington, D.C., in April 2025. The program will conclude with a graduation ceremony.

Both Dr. Zepeda and Dr. Martinez are being supported by a Mellon Foundation grant for their participation in the program.

OLLU Vice President named Fellow of HACU’s Leadership Academy

Dr. Jessica González Uhlig, OLLU’s Vice President for Institutional Enrollment, has been named a 2024-2025 Fellow of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo. The academy is designed to increase diverse representation in executive and senior-level positions in higher education. Dr. González Uhlig is one of 45 fellows who will make up the sixth cohort of the academy. She also is a recipient of a Capital One Fellowship.

“As a founding member of HACU, OLLU is proud to be represented in the next cohort of the Leadership Academy,” said OLLU President Abel A. Chávez, MBA, PhD. “I thank Dr. González Uhlig for taking on this responsibility and challenge and for representing our university. I am confident she will be an asset to the cohort and positively contribute to the Leadership Academy, using this opportunity to strengthen the pathways to access and completion for thousands of students across the country.”

During the Leadership Academy, fellows participate in an array of leadership development activities preparing them for leadership roles in the full spectrum of institutions of higher learning, with an emphasis on Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Emerging HSIs.

The one-year fellowship program includes webinars and three seminars, with the first seminar held in October 2024 in conjunction with HACU’s 38th Annual Conference in Aurora, Colorado. The second seminar will be held in Washington, D.C., in April 2025, at HACU’s National Capitol Forum. The third seminar will take place at a still to be determined international location.

“The HACU Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo has a proven record of advancing diverse leaders within a wide range of higher education institutions, demonstrating the value of the program in expanding representation at the highest levels of college and university administrations” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. “We are proud of our previous cohorts in how they have moved into the upper ranks of academia with speed and fully expect this current cohort to match if not exceed our alums in successfully breaking into leadership roles across the nation.”

The Leadership Academy faculty consists of current and former presidents, chancellors and senior administrators and brings over 100 years of combined experience in serving various sectors of higher education, including private/public universities, community colleges and faith-based institutions. Mentorship with a university president or senior-level administrator is a key component, as well as the development of a special project designed to have an impact at the Fellow’s current institution.

HACU names President Chávez to its Board of Governors

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) has named OLLU President Abel A. Chávez, MBA, PhD, to its 18-member Board of Governors for 2023-2024.

Dr. Chávez joined HACU leaders on Nov. 9 for a groundbreaking ceremony for its new headquarters in San Antonio.

The 25,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility will be located on a 4.7-acre site on the Northeastern side of San Antonio, and will house eight institutes. The new headquarters will accommodate up to 100 employees on two floors. Construction is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2025.

HACU was organized and formed at OLLU in May 1986. HACU has been located at several sites throughout the years. From its West Side roots, HACU is spreading its wings across the world.

In The News

Recent media coverage that brought attention to OLLU:

On Nov. 10, a story in the San Antonio Express-News about OLLU’s oral history project:

https://www.expressnews.com/columnist/elaine-ayala/article/powerful-exhibit-refusing-forget-comes-san-18480048.php

On Nov. 10, a story in the San Antonio Express-News about OLLU alumnus and priest Father Eddy Morales receiving the Surgeon General’s Medallion: 

https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/father-eddy-surgeon-general-uvalde-18438494.php

On Nov. 9, a story in the San Antonio Report about OLLU’s oral history project, “Historias de la Gente”: 

Refusing to Forget seeks oral histories of Mexican Americans in South Texas

On Nov. 9, a story in the San Antonio Report about the groundbreaking for the new headquarters for HACU, which was founded at OLLU in 1986:

Refusing to Forget seeks oral histories of Mexican Americans in South Texas

On Nov. 9, a story in Yahoo! Finance about the groundbreaking for the new headquarters for HACU, which was founded at OLLU in 1986:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/hacu-breaks-ground-san-antonio-010746586.html

Today marks beginning of National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week

As the first Hispanic-Serving Institution in the U.S., OLLU is proud to share in the start of today’s celebration for National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week. 

On May 23, 1986, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) was formed in Providence Hall’s Blue Room. From that meeting, organized by late OLLU Vice President Antonio Rigual, PhD, the term Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) emerged. As the first HSI, OLLU helped HACU secure federal funding for schools with Hispanic enrollment of at least 25 percent.

Today there are 559 HSIs across the U.S., Latin America and Spain. What starts at OLLU spreads across the U.S. and the world.

Mariachi de los Santos to perform for HACU anniversary celebration

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and University (HACU has invited OLLU’s Mariachi de los Santos to be one of the featured pre-recorded musical performances at the President’s VIP Cultural Presentation Event to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the associations’ founding in San Antonio.

The presentation will take place virtually on Oct. 26 from 5-6 p.m. The event will pay tribute to HACU’s founders and integrate an educational component highlighting the Hispanic culture and the tradition of the Day of the Dead, a celebration of life.

HACU was founded in 1986 with 18 institutions seeking to advance opportunities for Hispanic Serving Institutions and the students they serve. OLLU was a HACU founding institution and the first home to the Association.

Among the invited guests will be the presidents and CEOs of our more than 500 member colleges and universities in the U.S., Latin America and Spain, along with school districts throughout the U.S, civic leaders, corporate representatives and partners dedicated to the educational success of Hispanics.

For more information about attending the virtual event, visit the HACU website: https://www.hacu.net/hacu/Annual_Conference1.asp

Mariachi de los Santos to perform for HACU event

OLLU’s Mariachi de los Santos was recently invited by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) to be one of the featured pre-recorded musical performances at the HACU President’s VIP Cultural Presentation Event to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the association’s founding in San Antonio. The presentation will take place virtually on Oct. 26 from 5-6 p.m. This event will pay tribute to HACU’s founders and integrate an educational component highlighting the Hispanic culture and the tradition of the Day of the Dead, a celebration of life. 

HACU was founded in 1986 with 18 institutions seeking to advance opportunities for Hispanic Serving Institutions and the students they serve – with Our Lady of the Lake University as a HACU founding institution and the first home to the association. For more information about attending the virtual event, visit the HACU website.

HACU seeks interns for National Internship Program

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is looking for interns for its Corporate Internship Program for next spring and summer.

The spring session, a 15-week program, runs from Jan. 10 through April 23. The deadline to apply is Oct. 29. 

For more information about this session, as well as the summer and fall sessions, click here:

To apply, click here.

OLLU and HACU to host virtual summit on Wednesday

OLLU and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) will hold a virtual summit on Wednesday at 9 a.m. to celebrate 125 years and 35 years, respectively, of serving the Hispanic community.

Six distinguished panelists will discuss the past, present and future of Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and pay tribute to the late Antonio Rigual, PhD, a HACU founder and former OLLU Provost and professor, through a WebEx event at: https://bit.ly/3hpUrcT

The summit, which will end at 1:30 p.m., will feature speakers, such as OLLU’s Gloria Urrabazo, Vice President for Mission and Ministry, Aimee Villarreal, PhD, Director for the Center of Mexican American Studies and Research, and Lorena Garza Gonzalez, PhD, an alumna, trustee and Vice President for Urban Strategies.

Also speaking will be Patrick L. Valdez, PhD, Vice President, Program Strategy at 2U, Deborah A. Santiago, Co-Founder and CEO, Excelencia in Education, and Antonio R. Flores, PhD, HACU President and CEO.

FCC announces emergency broadband benefit program

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is providing information regarding the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP). The FCC has announced that consumers can now apply for and enroll in the EBBP. The program will end when the fund runs out or six months after the Department of Health and Human Services declares an end to the COVID-19 health emergency, whichever is sooner.

The EBBP program will provide a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households, and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer or tablet from participating providers, if the provider contributes more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.

The Emergency Broadband Benefit is limited to one monthly service discount and one device per household.

Among those eligible are students who received a federal Pell Grant in the current award year and households with children in the school free-lunch program.

Individuals can get more information and apply for the program, if eligible, at:  https://getemergencybroadband.org