Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities conference proves powerful platform for preparing the next generation of Hispanic leaders

Phoenix, Arizona – The 19th Annual Conference of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) proved a powerful platform for presenting unique ideas and ways to prepare the next generation of Hispanic leaders.

The national conference that ended last week in Phoenix, Arizona, attracted more than 1,200 college, community, public policy, philanthropic and student leaders to discuss the urgency to ready the Hispanic student body of today to become the leaders of tomorrow.

With over 50 workshops that covered a wide range of issues, projects and opportunities relating to the conference theme and featuring hundreds of presenters from the education, corporate and public service sectors, along with a Student Track that brought over 200 students to Phoenix, HACU’s national conference was informative and productive to all its participants and offered them unique networking opportunities.

A Memorandum of Understanding between HACU, Laureate International Universities, and Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio was signed at the conference.  The MOU officially launched the HACU-Laureate International Scholarship Program, which makes available more than $8 million in tuition scholarships for Latinos and other students at HACU member institutions to study abroad at Laureate Universities throughout Europe and Latin America.

“Greater investments in college opportunities for our Hispanic students are essential to the economic success, social well-being and security of our country and of our hemisphere. We are the future,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores.

“HACU applauds the support of our corporate, philanthropic and public sector sponsors and exhibitors, the extraordinary roster of national and international keynote speakers and every participant for making this year’s conference an unparalleled success,” Flores said.

HACU represents more than 449 colleges and universities that collectively serve more than two-thirds of all U.S. Hispanic students in higher education, as well as leading higher education institutions throughout Latin America and in Spain.

HACU honored individuals and institutions with its highest annual awards:

HACU’s 19th Annual Conference welcomed a stellar roster of Hispanic higher education advocates, including the Mayor of Phoenix, Phil Gordon, and U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva of the 7^th Congressional District of Arizona, who addressed the crowd at the Opening Plenary on Saturday, October 15th.

Sunday featured a video message from Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Ambassador W. Robert Pearson, and Mr. Mario Bosquez, co-anchor of CBS 2 News This Morning on WCBS, New York City, and author of The Chalupa Rules: A Latino Guide to Gringolandia.

Monday’s International Plenary featured the Honorable Miguel Aleman, former Governor of the State of Veracruz, Mexico, and Dr. Salme Steinberg, President of Northeastern Illinois University.  Each spoke on the importance of international education in preparing the younger Hispanic community for leadership.  David Dunn, Chief of Staff for U.S. Secretary of Education, was a featured speaker at Monday’s luncheon plenary.

Tuesday featured a lively Town Hall Meeting with Chancellor Matthew Goldstein of the City University of New York system and Chancellor Mark Yudof of the University of Texas System.  Both chancellors discussed what their various campuses were doing to ready the Latino population for success in academics and in life and reflected on what else needs to be done to ensure that our future leaders are prepared for the responsibilities that await them.

The many sponsors of HACU’s 19th Annual Conference won repeated rounds of applause from packed workshops and general conference sessions for their ongoing support of Hispanic education and workforce initiatives.

Sponsors included Nelnet (the National Education Loan Network), the U.S. Coast Guard, Wal-Mart, Aramark, CIA, Freddie Mac, Gateway, U.S. Army, USDA, AT&T Foundation, ComCast, Maricopa Community Colleges, Office Depot, Sallie Mae, Southwest Airlines, The Home Depot, USA Funds, Verizon Wireless, Aetna, AFLAC, Arizona State University, Arvizu Advertising and Promotions, Coors, Denny’s, General Motors, Lockheed Martin Corporation, McDonald’s, Miller Brewing Company, Qwest Communications, Sodexho, The Coca-Cola Company, The College Board, TIAA-CREF, the University of Arizona, Wells Fargo, esd & associates, Food City, Hispanic Journal, Hispanic Magazine, Hispanic Network, Univision Radio, and VISTA Magazine.

Dozens of leading employers, scholarship and fellowship providers and service providers opened the conference Exhibit Hall doors to the Phoenix community as part of the conference.

The Friday before the conference’s start, HACU and Phoenix College co-hosted a Student Leadership Conference, “Investing in the Leaders of Tomorrow,” which attracted nearly 700 middle and high school students from private and public schools throughout the Phoenix.

“Every year, HACU actively engages the pre-collegiate community to let younger students know that there is help available to make their college and career hopes a reality,” Flores said.

HACU’s 20th Annual Conference is scheduled October 28-31, 2006, in San Antonio, Texas.  This conference will also celebrate HACU’s 20^th Anniversary.

For more information, contact HACU at (210) 692-3805 or visit www.hacu.net.

###