U.S. Needs 14 Million Latinos With Degrees By 2025

The U.S. will need one million Latinos with four- and two-year degrees for the next 14 years to catch up to goals set by non-profits and organizations like the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, according to a post by President and CEO Frank Álvarez. Especially in light of recent Census figures and the effects of budget cuts on Latino college graduate rates, Álvarez writes:

The path to a successful future has often included a college education. The reality is the U.S. Latino degree attainment rate stands at 19 percent — much lower than it should be. Our goal is to move this to 60 percent by 2025 in order to meet the college attainment goals set forth for all Americans by President Obama and supporters like Lumina Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. That means 14 million more Hispanic two- and four-year degree holders in the next 14 years.

This means you. And me. And your friends and family and neighbors. If you love your country — the United States of America — then Latinos need to become educated. It’s simple logic. Latinos are a growing part of this country’s population, we’re going to be a huge group, and if we suffer when it comes to education, the entire country will suffer.

I will admit that I hate school — it’s simply just not as exciting as actually doing something with work. However, here I am in graduate school, and you know what? I don’t have nearly as many Latino classmates as I should. What do you think you can do towards making this country great by helping a Latino get a degree?

Follow Sara Inés Calderón on Twitter @SaraChicaD