UTSA as a Hispanic Thriving Institution
Here at UTSA, we embrace our Hispanic serving identity in everything we do—from honoring our founding history to bolstering student success to fostering excellence in faculty research to partnering with our communities.
We understand that our designation as one of the original 189 universities designated a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) is an important part of our story. However, we are taking many intentional and bold steps to move beyond Hispanic serving to Hispanic thriving. Our commitment to becoming a model Hispanic thriving university where our Latino students can excel and lead is fundamental to UTSA’s strategic vision.
Why strive to be a Hispanic thriving institution?
UTSA has aspirations to be a model Hispanic thriving institution where students from all backgrounds can excel. This commitment and the community ethos it engenders comes with wide ranging benefits:
- Positions UTSA to provide highest quality education to Hispanic-identifying students, galvanizing social mobility and economic opportunity.
- Supports the cultivation of Latino thought leaders who can propel San Antonio’s 21st century economy forward.
- Authenticates UTSA’s mission to reflect, serve and partner with San Antonio, a growing city that reflects the demographic future of the United States.
- Enhances UTSA’s goal to be a model for student success, supporting efforts to recruit, retain and graduate all students.
- Expands partnerships and collaborations with the local business community—particularly minority-owned businesses—further integrating UTSA into the cultural fabric of San Antonio.
- Raises institutional profile for scholarship contributions to support Hispanic students from entry to graduation.
What exactly does Hispanic Thriving mean?
In progressing beyond a Hispanic serving to a Hispanic thriving institution, UTSA strives to embrace its founding identity, purposefully support its majority Hispanic student population, and hire diverse faculty, staff and administrators who reflect the South Texas community the university serves.
Through intentional policies, practices and support, the university is fostering an inclusive environment that accelerates educational success for our Hispanic students, and professional opportunities for Hispanic faculty and staff.
As an HSI research university with Hispanic thriving aspirations, we promote the success of Latino students to benefit our community through an educated workforce, through innovative research, businesses and social programs, and through the next generation of Hispanic leaders.
UTSA’s Hispanic thriving commitment has broad impact
We know that higher education is the primary driver of social mobility. UTSA has a particular responsibility to increase access to higher education and support the efforts of our Latino students to complete their degrees and realize their dreams. Degree completion has a large multiplier effect, adding value to the futures of all our students, their families and our community. The future prosperity of our region, state and nation depends on it.
Ensuring the success of Hispanic students is critical to enhancing the socioeconomic prospects of our communities, and that is particularly true in states such as Texas, where our population is increasingly young and Hispanic. As the state’s workforce continues to diversify, it is important to increase the levels of educational achievement within that workforce. Currently, 52 percent of K-12 students enrolled in Texas are Hispanic; however, Hispanics account for only 34 percent of enrollment at the state’s four-year public universities. With an undergraduate enrollment that is majority Hispanic, UTSA is a model for what institutions in Texas and the U.S. should look like to close the gaps in higher education.