—Alejandro Gonzalez, HSF Scholarship Recipient.
Achieving our mission requires continued support for students after they receive scholarships, as well as assistance for colleges and universities looking to recruit and retain Latino students.
Our University Programs help students understand the rigors of college life, prepare them to graduate, and encourage them to volunteer in their communities.
The Latino Scholars Network builds on connections that HSF and our scholars have made over 35 years. Today, there are Scholar Chapters on 26 campuses nationwide—with campus services that include parental engagement, peer counseling, tutoring, graduate school preparation, professional internships, leadership programs, and study resources.
Cohort Programs include the Rising Star program in Colorado, which works with Scholar Chapters to target and mentor promising high school students for college admission; the Inland Empire program, which focuses on students in this Southern California region; and the 10,000 Women global initiative that provides financial and mentoring support to help Latinas pursue non-traditional career paths.
We're also involved with the University Alliance Program at the University of Georgia (UGA), a pilot program designed to help university partners identify, recruit, and retain college-bound Latinos. During the program's first four years, UGA experienced a 78% increase in enrollment of Latino students from targeted Georgia high schools, compared to the previous four-year period. Nearly two-thirds of these students came from low-income households, and 60% were working to be the first in their families to earn a college degree. The retention rate for these students is 93 %—higher than the average retention rate for all UGA students.