Arizona HSIs Gather at AWC to Strengthen Hispanic Student Success
Arizona Western College hosted the fourth annual Arizona Hispanic Serving Institutions Consortium summit on October 24, bringing more than 160 attendees from 15 institutions together to share evidence based practices for Hispanic student success. The event underscores local efforts in Yuma County to expand equitable supports, reduce student costs, and boost college completion among a student body that is roughly 75 percent Hispanic.
Arizona Western College convened leaders, faculty, and students from across the state on October 24 for the fourth annual Arizona Hispanic Serving Institutions Consortium summit. More than 160 attendees representing 15 HSIs exchanged evidence based strategies aimed at improving retention and completion for Hispanic students, a priority reflected in AWC’s student population that is approximately 75 percent Hispanic.
The summit featured faculty led breakout sessions on mentorship, grant funding, technology, cultural competency, basic needs support, and Open Educational Resources, along with other approaches intended to maximize student success. A student panel gave institutional leaders direct perspectives on campus needs and barriers to completion, informing the practical design of supports and interventions.
AWC faculty who led sessions included History Professor Dr. Monica Ketchum Cardenas, English Professor Dr. Ellen Riek, and Distance Learning Librarian Tymmi Woods. Hosting the summit reinforced AWC’s role as a regional hub for collaboration among HSIs and for piloting programs that can be scaled across community colleges and transfer institutions.
For Yuma County residents, the summit has immediate relevance. Workshops on Open Educational Resources and basic needs support aim to lower out of pocket costs and address non academic barriers that often hinder persistence. Sharing evidence based mentorship models and grant strategies increases the likelihood that participating colleges will secure funding and implement programs locally that improve access to workforce aligned credentials and four year degree pathways.
The meeting also advances policy priorities at the state level around equity in higher education. By strengthening institutional capacity to collect and use data driven practices, HSIs can better justify investments from state and federal programs designed to support under served students. For students and families in Yuma County, that can translate into improved advising, more affordable course materials, and expanded support for housing and food security.
For more information contact Lorraine Stofft, Vice President for Advancement, Arizona Western College, at lorraine.stofft@azwestern.edu or (928) 314 9595.
