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Symposium born of results-driven national program offering college preparation skills, leadership development, and support throughout year
BALTIMORE - An inspiring and expanding program to help develop and grow the next generation of Hispanic professionals is returning to Maryland in July to guide 200 promising high school students on a path to achieving college degrees and careers.
The fifth annual Maryland Hispanic Youth Symposium will be launched at Towson University on July 9-12, 2008, by the Hispanic College Fund, a nationally renowned nonprofit that provides scholarships and programs to Hispanic students eager to achieve a college education and professional careers. The symposium will serve promising students from counties in north-central Maryland, encouraging them to enter the fields of business, science, technology, engineering, and math.
Boasting an impressive track record in several major U.S. cities, the Hispanic Youth Symposium has grown into a four-day event and one-year follow-up program designed to increase Latino knowledge of the milestones and prerequisites needed to prepare for and attend college. This year in Baltimore, it will inspire more students to nurture their dreams and take pride in Hispanic culture with educational workshops, leadership opportunities, mentorship, and an emphasis on academic achievement.
U.S. Hispanic Youth Entrepreneur Education (USHYEE) has been with the symposium since its inception, providing leadership and helping coordinate the volunteer effort. USHYEE President Luis E. Borunda said it is fast becoming one of the premier programs to focus on Hispanic high school students’ transition to college.
“One of the reasons why the Hispanic College Fund and U.S. Hispanic Youth Entrepreneur Education make such a great team is because we have similar goals in terms of reaching Hispanic youth and their education, especially on the high school-to-college continuum,” Borunda said. “The exciting thing is that so many of our kids here in Maryland are first-generation potential college students.”
About 6 percent of the population in the Maryland is Hispanic, and it is growing at a rapid pace. This week, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that Hispanics are the fastest growing segment of the population and the largest minority group in the United States. Yet their rate of completing higher education is relatively low.
“As recently as 2006, only 12.5% of Hispanics in the U.S. had a college degree, the lowest rate of any group in the United States,” said Hispanic College Fund President Idalia Fernandez. “The Hispanic Youth Symposium is working to effectively boost this statistic.”
Research has shown that one of the most significant barriers to Latinos attending college is a lack of knowledge about the college preparation process. “The Hispanic Youth Symposium provides Latino students information, mentors and, best of all, the knowledge that yes, college is possible,” Fernandez said.
Follow-up research by the Hispanic College Fund had shown that participants in the symposia significantly increased their knowledge of the college application process and their interest in internships and community volunteering, as well as having gained a positive role model/mentor.
Towson University in Baltimore is providing financial support, logistics, and scholarships to the Maryland Hispanic Youth Symposium. Assistant Provost Catherine Horta-Hayden praised the partnership between Towson, USHYEE, and the Hispanic College Fund as an important part of her institution’s mission.
“Towson University is committed to the academic and social success of Hispanic Youth and is interested in strongly encouraging youth to stay in high school and pursue degrees in higher education,” Horta-Hayden said. “Towson University is committed to increasing the number of Hispanic students on our campus and to creating an inclusive environment that supports the ongoing success of the Hispanic Community. Hosting the Hispanic Youth Symposium at Towson University helps to promote and develop a “college going” vision for our Hispanic Youth.
Fernando Barrueta, CEO of the Hispanic College Fund, said the organization depends on its community partners such as USHYEE to help reach students and mobilize support from local donations to volunteers.
“We bring national sponsorships and visibility to the communities that we serve - and national opportunities for students - but we rely on the local support to make the program as successful and personal as it is. It truly will help shape the next workforce of scientific and technical graduates in these communities,” Barrueta said.
Maryland Hispanic Youth Symposium sponsors also include Kaiser Permanente, Northrop Grumman, and MasterCard. The symposium reaches out to student participants who meet the following criteria:
In addition, at least 150 community volunteers will be engaged to assist with everything from logistics coordination to talent show judging. Approximately 20 college student resident advisors also are being recruited to help with the symposium management.
In order to track the results of each symposium, the Hispanic College Fund will conduct pre- and post-event surveys to determine whether students show a marked improvement in their understanding of the college application process, the financial aid process, and the role that community involvement and high school academic achievement play in the college preparation process. Also, the Hispanic College Fund will conduct a longitudinal study of its student participants to track how their college preparation improves, whether they go to college, the caliber of the college they attend, and the kind of career they pursue upon graduation.
In May, the website for the Maryland Hispanic Youth Symposium will be released. For more information on the national Hispanic Youth Symposium, go to www.hispanicyouth.org.
About the Hispanic College Fund
Founded in 1993, the Hispanic College Fund is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., with a mission to develop the next generation of Hispanic professionals. For 15 years HCF has provided scholarships and, since its founding, has incorporated internship and mentoring programs for students throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. The result is an established career pipeline of talented and career-driven Hispanics who are trained in the fields of business, science, technology, and math.
The Hispanic College Fund has an annual budget of $6 million with 20 full-time employees. In 2006, the Hispanic College Fund received the Brillante award for “Nonprofit of the Year” from the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, and in 2007 was recognized by USA Today as one of the nation’s top 25 charities.
Website: www.hispanicfund.org
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Contact: Lisa Sandoval, Director of Communications, (202) 296-5400 ext. 117
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