Arizona Hispanic Serving Institutions Convene at AWC to Boost Student Success
Arizona Western College hosted the fourth annual Arizona Hispanic Serving Institutions consortium summit on December 3, drawing roughly 160 attendees from 15 institutions to share evidence based practices for student achievement and equity. The event matters to La Paz County residents because it highlights strategies to lower costs, expand mentorship and increase grant funding that can improve outcomes for the approximately 75 percent of AWC students who are Hispanic.
Arizona Western College on December 3 welcomed representatives from 15 Hispanic Serving Institutions for its fourth annual consortium summit, a regional meeting focused on improving student success, equity and workforce readiness. Organizers said roughly 160 administrators, faculty and staff attended sessions that covered evidence based practices, mentorship programs, grant funding strategies, technology initiatives and cultural competency training.
The college took a leading role in planning and delivery. AWC President Dr. Daniel Corr participated in planning and breakout sessions, and AWC faculty led workshops on Open Educational Resources and other instructional strategies intended to reduce textbook costs and boost course completion. AWC serves a student population that is approximately 75 percent Hispanic, making the summit directly relevant to local students and families in La Paz County who depend on the college for accessible higher education and career training.
Attendees exchanged practical approaches for increasing retention and degree completion, from mentoring models to targeted grant proposals that can bring new funding to campus programs. The emphasis on Open Educational Resources addresses a pressing local concern, as lower material costs can translate into higher enrollment persistence and lower overall student debt for working families in the region.
Beyond near term savings, the summit underscored longer term trends in higher education for the region. Collaboration among HSIs can accelerate adoption of successful interventions and strengthen applications for state and federal grants, potentially expanding workforce development programs that feed local employers. Technology and cultural competency sessions aimed to align classroom practices with the needs of a diverse student body, which can improve labor market readiness and regional economic resilience.
For La Paz County residents, the summit signals a concerted effort by AWC and partner colleges to make higher education more equitable and affordable. More information is available at https://www.azwestern.edu/news/arizona-hsis-unite-awc-annual-summit.
