July 11, 2023
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities is hosting a HACU-member webinar on HSI Capacity Building entitled “Intentional Journey to Achieving and Sustaining an HSI Designation,” on July 20, 2023, at 2 p.m. CDT, presented by Manuel Del Real, Ph.D., executive director of Hispanic-Serving Institution initiatives and inclusion at Metropolitan State University of Denver.
Metropolitan State University of Denver’s journey to become an HSI was an intentional 12-year initiative starting in 2007 when it was still a college with a 13% Hispanic student body. The presentation is an overview of how MSU Denver informs policymakers and other stakeholders about HSI issues and advocates for enhanced funding, new initiatives, programs and services. MSU Denver’s history of contributing to the state’s policy regarding the ASSET Bill of supporting undocumented students with in-state tuition at all public universities, makes the university a choice for many Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and undocumented students. The webinar also highlights how MSU Denver strengthened the process and criteria for the identification, review, and prioritization of HSI/MSI grants and provided support for the implementation of grants awarded.
This webinar is part of a webinar series open to HACU-members. To register for this webinar, click here.
Manuel Del Real, Ph.D., currently serves as the executive director of Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) initiatives and inclusion at Metropolitan State University of Denver, directing and promoting strategies and operations aimed at ensuring MSU Denver becomes a model HSI. Del Real is the co-founder of the Colorado HSI Consortium, serves as president of the Colorado Coalition for the Educational Advancement of Latinxs, and the associate vice president for membership and member of Praxis Committee for the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educators. He earned a bachelor’s and master’s from the University of Denver, and a doctorate from Iowa State University.