Why Higher Education Needs the Hispanic Community to Succeed
By Matthew Lynch, Ed. D., Huffington Post Latino Voices
The face of higher education is rapidly evolving as more middle- to low-class young people find ways to obtain a college degree or technical training. The Hispanic population in the U.S. is no exception as the number of college applicants and enrollees increase every year. While these strides benefit this specific group of students, everyone stands to benefit from Hispanic higher education success.
The U.S. census reports that the estimated Hispanic population in the nation is 52 million — making residents of Hispanic origin the largest minority in the country. In fact, one of every six Americans is a Hispanic. That number is expected to rise to over 132 million by 2050 and Hispanics will then represent 30 percent of the U.S. population. Children with Hispanic roots make up 23 percent of the age 17 and under demographic — making future higher education legislation critical for this growing and thriving minority group.
Young people of Hispanic origin face specific challenges when it comes to higher education. Many prospective students are first-generation Americans, or even undocumented residents, and do not have the first-hand experience or guidance from parents regarding the college experience in the U.S. Like all other ethnic groups, Hispanic youth face financial difficulty when trying to determine if college is a possibility. Many young Hispanics may feel overwhelmed by the social and financial pressure associated with college attendance and are in need of the right guidance. While higher education initiatives are changing to address these issues, only 13 percent of the Hispanic population over the age of 25 had a bachelor’s degree or higher in the 2010 census.
The Obama administration recognizes the rapid growth of the Hispanic community, specifically as it impacts higher education, and has put several pieces of legislation into motion including the DREAM Act. First introduced in the U.S. Senate in August 2001, the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act was designed to reward children in good standing that came to the country illegally. Temporary residency is granted for a six-year time frame for young people…
This article was first published in Huffington Post Latino Voices.
Dr. Lynch is a Chair and Associate Professor of Education at Langston University. He spent seven years as a K-12 teacher, which gave him an intimate view of the impediments that hinder genuine education reform. He has focused the second stage of his career on researching topics related to educational policy, school leadership and education reform, particularly in the urban learning environment. His writings regular appear in the Huffington Post, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, and Education World.
[Photo by hhsara]