HO 04 20 2015

MI CASA Mentoring Program Preparing Hispanic Chefs

APRIL 20, 2015 www.HispanicOutlook.com VOLUME 25 • NUMBER 14

AnthonyRolonConnecting Colleges to Digital Marketing

AAHHE 2016 Award Nominations Now Open!

The following 2016 AAHHE Awards will be presented during the 11th Annual National Conference:

Alfredo G. de los Santos Jr. Distinguished Leadership in Higher Education

Outstanding Latino/a Faculty: Research/Teaching in Higher Education (Research Institutions)

Outstanding Latino/a Faculty: Service/Teaching in Higher Education (Teaching Institutions)

Outstanding Support of Hispanic Issues in Higher Education

Outstanding Latino/a Cultural Award in the Literary Arts or Publications

(Nomination deadline is September 25, 2015)

2016 AAHHE/ETS Outstanding Dissertations Competition (ODC)

This competition is open to anyone who has completed a dissertation that focuses on Hispanic(s) in

higher education or to any Hispanic individual who has completed a dissertation in the social sciences, broadly defined, between December 2013 and August 1, 2015.

Deadline to submit a dissertation abstract for the competition

August 14, 2015

Please refer to the AAHHE website for more information concerning the awards and ODC guidelines: www.aahhe.org

Save The Dates!

AAHHE proudly announces its 11th Annual National Conference

March 10-12, 2016

Hilton Inn, Costa Mesa, California

Ah, Those Prankish Frat Boys!by Carlos D. Conde

Part of the experience of going to college is living in a liberalized environment. What the hell! Drink beer, chase winsome coeds and, aside from the

pursuits of an education, team up with a band of broth-ers for some unfettered campus revelry. It helps to belong to a social fraternity, the unmatched purveyors of jollity while in the pursuit of higher learn-ing. It’s the ultimate brotherhood with an afterlife that for many extends beyond the college years. I attended the University of Texas in Austin, one of its few Mexican-American students in those days. Being accepted then at a prestigious state school was chal-lenging enough for us few minorities much less trying to pledge a social fraternity. Besides, you had to be invited to join and also be of the right pedigree with the incumbent social and racial an-tecedents. For us, the Catholic Church’s Newman Club was our best and only source of social engagement, provided one was Catholic. Social fraternities apparently haven’t changed much since then. Most are still socially exclusive and, as the latest uproar on college Greek life shows, racially insen-sitive and culturally biased.So what’s new! The frat brothers of University of Oklahoma’s (OU) Sig-ma Alpha Epsilon and their dates went to an off-campus party and en route were chanting songs on the bus that included what they considered entertaining but innoc-uous racial satire. The song referred to lynching and other racial slurs and it went viral. The university’s black students and their leaders weren’t amused. They complained mightily to univer-sity officials about the stereotypical “old black Joe” ref-erences and other racial denigrations. University President, David Boren, a former Oklahoma governor and U.S. senator, reviewed it and expelled the alleged perpetrators saying they could be subject to fur-ther disciplinary action. Boren shut down the local frat house and booted out the 70 residents; all this, the fraternity brothers lament-ed, for expressing what they considered jocular chants not meant maliciously or disparagingly. It’s a hard sell, and racist it may have been but the question begs: What happened to the expressions of free speech, a bellwether of our U.S. Constitution and a core of university teaching however repugnant the topic may be to some? Meanwhile, as in the Yogi Berra saying, “it ain’t over until it’s over” and for those involved, it ain’t over. While the fraternity’ national organization disavowed

the local’s behavior and sided with the university disci-plinary action, others said the action was too impetuous and arbitrary and the issue should be revisited. Not that it would change the action taken by university officials but it makes for an interesting debate on the rights and wrongs and the moral issues and it comes with precedents. The argument is about First Amendment rights tested in the past under the freedom of speech article. Some say OU’s fraternity can and should challenge the univer-sity’s action and will probably prevail. In a 1972, U.S. Supreme Court case, Healy v. James, Central Connecticut State College, school authorities re-fused to recognized a chapter of Students for a Dem-ocratic Society (SDS) on its campus saying SDS’ liberal politics were too unsettling for the times in a college environment and disrupted the institution’s activities.SDS sued and won. Justice Lewis Powell writing for the majority opinion affirmed the free speech rights of the students group.“State colleges and universities are not enclaves im-mune from the sweep of the First Amendment,” Justice Powell wrote. Another fraternity at Virginia’s George Mason Univer-sity, sued in a lower court and won after the university had placed it on probation for two years for holding an “ugly women” contest, considered racist and sexist. The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled the university could not ban the speech “because of its message or its ideas” but added that speech that interferes with a student’s ability to learn isn’t protected. The University of Texas recently went after the Young Conservatives of Texas campus organization for staging a “Catch An Illegal Immigrant” contest with club mem-bers padding around in shabby “Jose Jimenez” attire, aka “wetback.” Nabbing one got you a $25 prize. The idea was to open a dialogue on the issue of illegal immigrants. Universi-ty officials took exception to this activity despite free speech arguments by the young politicos and ended the activity. Colleges and universities will always prevail as beacons of study and learning and obtuse behavior, by whatever measure or extreme, is part of the process however it plays.

Carlos D. Conde, award-winning journalist, former Washington and foreign correspondent, was a commu-nications aide in the Nixon White House. Write to him at C.D. [email protected]

APRIL 20, 2015 | 3

Contents6

14

10

17

20

24

Salsa Magnate Starts Renowned College To Prepare Hispanic Chefs

A CEO Grows in Brooklyn: The Higher Education Journey of Anthony Rolon

Students Rising Above Achieves Remarkable College and Career Results

MI CASA Mentoring Creates Path to College

Championing Women in Science

NMSU Helps Ecuador Create Its Own Silicon Valley

by Rosie Carbo

by Richard McCulloch

by Gary M. Stern

by Michelle Adam

by Cristina Rojas

by Frank DiMaria

4 | APRIL 20, 2015

APRIL 20, 2015

Departments3

2728

BackCover

Latino KaleidoscopeAh, Those Prankish Frat Boys!by Carlos D. Conde

Scholars’ Cornerby Marco Antonio Murillo

Latino Stats: American Hispanics by the Numbers

Interesting Reads

Priming the PumpThe Power of Parental Involvement in Academic Success

Reviewed by Mary Ann Cooper

by Miquela Rivera, PhD

APRIL 20, 2015 | 5

APRIL 20, 2015

Published by “The Hispanic Outlook in HigherEducation Publishing Company, Inc.”

Article ContributorsMichelle Adam, Rosie Carbo, Frank DiMaria, Marco Antonio Murillo, Miquela Rivera, Christina Rojas,

Gary M. Stern

Advertising SalesTEL (201) 587-8800FAX (201) 587-9105

email: [email protected]

Letters to the EditorThe Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine ®

email: [email protected]

“‘The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education’ and’Hispanic Outlook are registered trademarks.’”

Editorial Office299 Market St, Ste. 145, Saddle Brook, N.J. 07663

TEL (201) 587-8800 or (800) 549-8280

Editorial PolicyThe Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine® is a national magazine. Dedicated to exploring issues related to Hispanics in higher education, The Hispanic Outlook in High-er Education Magazine®is published for the members of the higher education community. Editorial decisions are based on the editors’ judgment of the quality of the writing, the timeli-ness of the article, and the potential interest to the readers ofThe Hispanic Outlook Magazine®. From time to time, The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine® will publish articles dealing with controversial issues. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and/or those interviewed and might not reflect the official policy of the magazine. The Hispan-ic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine® neither agrees nor disagrees with those ideas expressed, and no endorsement of those views should be inferred unless specifically identified as officially endorsed by The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine®.

PublisherJosé López-Isa

Executive EditorMarilyn GilroySenior Editor

Mary Ann CooperWashington DC Bureau Chief

Peggy Sands OrchowskiContributing Editors

Carlos D. Conde, Michelle AdamContributing WritersGustavo A. Mellander

Chief of Human Resources & AdministrationTomás Castellanos Núñez

Chief of Advertising, Marketing & ProductionMeredith Cooper

Research & Development DirectorMarilyn Roca Enríquez

Art & Production DirectorRicardo Castillo

Digital & Social Media CoordinatorJenna Mulvey

Director of Accounting & FinanceJavier Salazar Carrión

Sales DirectorMagaly LaMadrid

Cover Image: AJ Rolon

I t’s pretty common to find Anthony Rolon sipping a coffee and chatting in Spanish with a group of fellow cigar aficionados at one of his favorite places, Cuenca Cigars. Located just

a short walk away from his Hollywood, Florida offices, the renowned tobacconists have created a cultural haven where Rolon often decompresses and does what he does best; engage and enlight-en. As curls of thick smoke waft through the air, percussion filled music provides the soundtrack for his interactions. A charismatic force of nature, Rolon’s charm draws you in, but it’s his conversa-tion and depth of knowledge that keep you inter-

The Higher Education Journey of Anthony Rolon

A CEO Grows in Brooklyn:

ested in learning more about who he is, and how he got here. Rolon is chief executive officer of the Rolon Group, a team of assets that includes World Web Partners, a digital marketing company, Tribeca Marketing Group, a full-service marketing agen-cy, YNOT?, a software and technology company and RolCall, a full-service call center solution. The evolution of these higher ed focused entities is not only a testament to the “Think Big “mental-ity of Anthony Rolon, but is a means to offer the best in client services to higher education institu-tions throughout the country. For the highly driv-

By Richard McCulloch

Phot

o by

AJ

Rolo

n

6 | APRIL 20, 2015

HISPANIC OUTLOOK | LEADERSHIP / ROLE MODELS

The Higher Education Journey of Anthony Rolon

A CEO Grows in Brooklyn:

en Rolon, the impetus for creating these compa-nies was relatively simple: “We heard the needs of our clients, and we developed solutions for them.”

Finding Success Though Drive and Hard Work The gregarious CEO of the Rolon Group did not inherit his start-up funding from his family estate. His brilliance as a businessman and marketing en-trepreneur is not the byproduct of an MBA from some prestigious university. As Rolon will tell you himself, he is where he is because “it didn’t mat-ter if I wasn’t the smartest person in the room, I worked harder than everyone else.” The drive and work ethic that would eventually lead Rolon to success in both higher education and marketing was forged on the streets of Brook-lyn, N.Y. Like so many Puerto Rican immigrants that made New York City their point of embar-kation on their journey toward the American Dream, hard work was the only option by which they could hope to escape the poverty that greeted them when they arrived. Rolon recalls one of the most important lessons that he learned from his mother as she struggled to provide for his family. “I wanted a new pair of Puma sneakers and my mother turned to me and said…If you want nice things, you have to go out and work for it.” This simple lesson in basic economics would lay the foundation for Rolon’s diligence and determina-tion for years to come.

While attending Aviation High School in Queens, N.Y., where he was pursuing his dream of becoming an aircraft mechanic, Rolon had al-ready started his work in higher education. Barely into his teens, he had secured a job as an outside recruiter, stopping people on the street to fill out surveys for a small building trade school. In order to leverage his success at this first marketing ven-ture, Rolon enlisted his cousin as an employee to help him cover more ground. He then proceeded to stamp every survey that he gave out with his name. When a steady flow of prospective students made their way to the school with his surveys in hand, his employers praised the young entrepre-neur for his initiative and ability to generate activ-ity. Business was in his blood, and fixing aircraft for a living quickly became a dream deferred. At the age of 17, Rolon enlisted in the Navy. Upon his discharge, he found little opportunity when he returned to Brooklyn. What he did find was the chance to capitalize on his earlier expe-riences with postsecondary school recruitment. He took a job as an admissions representative at a computer training school, and within three months was handling whatever task came his way. “I realized that I could outwork everyone,” Rolon reminisced. “I would be the first one in, and the last one out…I was usually the only one in on a weekend.” His success at that school would even-tually catapult him into leadership roles in the admissions and marketing departments of larger institutions. His ability to connect with students of all backgrounds would add another layer of expertise that would serve as a driving force in the genesis of his future companies.

Helping Colleges Navigate Digital Marketing “Access to education should be the ultimate goal of higher education marketing,” said Rolon as he recalls how his interest in lead or inquiry generation (a marketing industry term for creat-ing interest in a product or service) began. After establishing himself as a high performing and highly sought institutional admissions leader, Ro-lon turned his focus toward the marketing side of the student recruitment process. As the owner of a beauty and wellness school in South Florida,

“Everybody is not made for traditional

colleges. Everybody is not made to go and

do four years of college. Students need options.

We need a path for everyone.”

Anthony Rolon, CEO, the Rolon Group

APRIL 20, 2015 | 7

LEADERSHIP / ROLE MODELS | HISPANIC OUTLOOK

he found that necessity became the catalyst for ingenuity. It was the infancy of digital market-ing platforms, and there were limited resources available to teach schools how to leverage this emerging technology as a driver of interest and traffic to their institutions. Intrigued by the possibilities that the Internet had as a vehicle to connect students to a variety of education options, Rolon consumed a plethora of books and mag-azines dedicated to digital marketing. He taught himself how to do basic website edits and formu-late search engine optimization (SEO) strategies to support the marketing efforts of his school. It wasn’t long before others in higher ed took notice of this self-taught digital marketing expert, and he became an operating partner in a higher educa-tion focused marketing agency. As he supported higher education clients through the agency, he continued his own edu-cation on paid search techniques, affiliate lead buying and lead generation. Anticipating the changing landscape of this new information age, Rolon realized that the time was right to start his own venture. “It was the desire to do it the way I wanted to do it, getting the right people to help,

and then just going with it.” With just $5000, Ro-lon started his first inquiry-generating web portal, Americolleges, which would subsequently serve as the platform for the creation of World Web Partners. Within months, World Web Partners became a highly respected digital marketing agency for predominantly private sector schools and col-leges. Rolon was able to cultivate productive and sustained relationships with his clients because of his first-hand knowledge of the higher education industry. “I know their pains and challenges,” said Rolon. Because he understood the structure of higher ed institutions, he made sure he hired staff members with admissions expertise to provide enrollment management workshops for the clients he was servicing. From World Web Partners, the three other Rolon Group entities were spawned, and the hard work that started in Brooklyn began to generate im-pressive revenues along with successes in both traditional and digital marketing channels. At the core of his motivation is the role that higher education plays as the great equalizer when it comes to graduates improving career opportu-nities and achieving financial stability. Never far from his mind are the memories of a childhood rich in love and Hispanic culture, but gravely lacking in finance and access to opportunity. Despite all of his achievements, Rolon is the most proud of the role that his companies play as a conduit to educational options that are not always traditional. As Rolon observes: “Everybody is not made for traditional colleges. Everybody is not made to go and do four years of college. Students need options. We need a path for everyone.” Though the current challenges of higher edu-cation remains somewhat complex, when asked what advice he would give to a young entrepre-neur, Rolon keeps it simple: “Work hard, don’t be afraid to fail, and make sure that you always under promise and over deliver.” He may have come a long way from Brooklyn, but Anthony Rolon is never too far from the lessons that he learned there. •

Richard McCulloch is vice president, client services, for Tribeca Marketing Group

Anthony Rolon →

Phoo

by

Wen

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olon

8 | APRIL 20, 2015

HISPANIC OUTLOOK | LEADERSHIP / ROLE MODELS

Hispanic ChefsSalsa Magnate Starts Renowned College

To Prepare

By Rosie Carbo

Grecia Olveda doesn’t mince words when she says she dreams of becoming a world-class chef. But the 17-year-old senior,

who dishes out cooking tips and recipes via You Tube, may also be the next Latina Julia Child or Rachel Ray. “Since I was a child, I always knew I wanted to be a chef. When I was a child, I always cooked and baked alongside my dad. So he’s the one who inspired me to want to be a chef,” said the student at James Madison High School in San Antonio, Texas. Olveda is one of dozens of Hispanic students who benefit from “El Sueño,” a culinary needs-based scholarship started by billionaire Christo-pher “Kit” Goldsbury, founder of the San Anto-nio campus of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). “El Sueño means “the dream” and what that dream means to you. So this scholarship is mainly for those who want to study here. At first, I had my mind set on going to the CIA in New York, but after I heard about the scholar-ship, I thought it was a great opportunity and better to go here,” Olveda said. The Culinary Institute of America has been a leader in culinary education for more than half a century. An inspiration to generations of chefs, the CIA’s network of nearly 50,000 alumni includes such chef celebrities as Anthony Bour-dain and Dean Fearing. Founded in 1946 by two visionary women, the CIA began in New Haven, Conn., with the goal of training returning World War II veterans to be the nation’s first classically trained profes-sional chefs. The first class began with 50 students and grew

to more than 400 by 1970. Faced with the need to expand, the CIA chose Hyde Park, N.Y., as its permanent headquarters. Now, the renowned nonprofit college, which opened its first interna-tional campus in Singapore in 2010, is consid-ered the “gold standard” in culinary education. “I’m only 27 and I’ve already had such an exciting career. I’ve worked in Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan earning $120,000 a year. I’ve also been chef for the Boston Red Sox, and I owe it all to the CIA,” said Justin Blankenship, Olve-da’s culinary arts teacher at James Madison High School. In 1995, the CIA opened a second campus at Greystone in St. Helena, Calif., where the prox-imity to Napa Valley created the focus on pair-ing wine with food. But when the CIA opened its third national campus in San Antonio in 2008, the culinary world took notice. “It all began when Kit Goldsbury started ‘The Center for Foods of the Americas’ (CFA) pilot program to help culinary Latino students. He knew there were many Latino chefs in San An-tonio but very few in leadership positions. So he wanted to help them further their careers,” said Stephan Hengst, director of communications at CIA headquarters in New York. Goldsbury began working at Pace Foods in 1969. He married Linda Pace, the founder’s daughter in 1972. Five years later, he became president of Pace Foods. In 1982, the couple bought the company. But after their divorce, Goldsbury bought out his wife’s share and be-came sole owner. As the son-in-law of the founder of Pace Foods, Goldsbury worked his way up from the Pace Picante salsa assembly line to sole owner.

10 | APRIL 20, 2015

HISPANIC OUTLOOK | INSTITUTIONS

“ He (Goldsbury) knew there were

many Latino chefs in San Antonio but

very few in leadership positions. So he wanted to help

them further their careers.”

Stephan Hengst, director of communications at CIA

APRIL 20, 2015 | 11

INSTITUTIONS | HISPANIC OUTLOOK

The Culinary Institute of America San Antonio.

→

So he had worked side-by-side with disadvan-taged Hispanics. He saw firsthand a need for more educational opportunities for Hispanics in Texas restaurant kitchens. When he lobbied the CIA to open a third cam-pus in San Antonio, Goldsbury had leadership opportunities in mind for Hispanics historically relegated to the state’s kitchens. Goldsbury had feasted on homemade Mexican food before his meteoric rise, so he also wanted to elevate Latin American cuisine. “We were almost like family. When the compa-ny threw parties and picnics, the workers would bring authentic Mexican food from home. I wondered why these dishes weren’t as popular as Tex-Mex,” Goldsbury told a Texas magazine, explaining his reason for funding the CIA San Antonio campus and starting the $20 million El Sueño culinary scholarship in 2008. The sale of Pace Foods to Campbell Soups for $1.12 billion in 1994 made him a wealthy man. The impressive sale enabled Goldsbury to found Silver Ventures equity firm. In 2001, Goldsbury then purchased one of San Antonio’s most iconic businesses, Pearl Brewery, through Silver Ven-tures. The historic location was the perfect setting for Goldsbury’s Center for Foods of the Americas (CFA) cooking school program, which began with some 18 students and grew exponentially. The success of the program led the philanthro-pist-turned recluse- to partner with the CIA for two years.But it was Goldsbury’s $35 million donation in 2007 that sealed the deal, culminating in 2008

with the San Antonio campus. Since opening, attendance has grown to 150 at any given time. A specialized, two-year certificate program in Latin American cuisine draws students from across the nation and the world. “The Culinary reached out to me in 2009. And two things attracted me here, one was the chance to return to the CIA, because you never really leave, and the second was the opportunity here in San Antonio to return to my Texas roots,” said David Kellaway, a Houston native and current managing director. In San Antonio, the roots of Mexican-Amer-icans and Mexicans harken back to before the Alamo. As a result of ethnic demographics, more than 70 percent of CIA San Antonio students are not only Hispanic but from low-income back-grounds. “Latinos are clearly the major force in the food and restaurant industry nationwide. So Mr. Goldsbury wanted to redefine their role, which had been limited to the kitchen. He wanted Lati-nos in the industry to have leadership and deci-sion making opportunities, so starting a campus here took some convincing,” Kellaway said.

“ The CIA gives you the tools; it gives

you everything you need to succeed. But it’s

up to you to perform.” Diego Galicia, 2010 CIA graduate and

San Antonio restaurant owner

12 | APRIL 20, 2015

HISPANIC OUTLOOK | INSTITUTIONS

Grecia Olveda, Student, CIA-San Antonio→

Goldsbury persuaded then CIA president, Timothy Ryan, to see San Antonio as the gateway to Latin America. He also stressed that restau-rant kitchens nationwide are manned by Span-ish-speakers who don’t have the opportunities that lead to managerial positions and profession-al chef positions. Over the course of two years that the CFA and the CIA collaborated, Ryan finally relented after Goldsbury offered to fund a San Antonio campus. For its part, the CIA agreed to create a 30-week curriculum in which students receive the same instruction as they would at Hyde Park headquarters. Now the 22-acre Pearl Brewery complex is called Pearl Park. It includes a 30,000 square foot- facility that boasts a colorful kitchen lined with stainless steel appliances and butch-er-blocks. The school is always abuzz with bud-ding chefs cooking, measuring and stirring while donned in white coats and toques. Educational programs focus on exploring and learning Latin American foods and traditions. Students also learn the business side through Nao, an on-campus, student-run restaurant fea-turing foods from across Latin America. Open to the public, Nao offers student-prepared

Latin cuisine. Since its opening, students have prepared foods from Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and other Latin coun-tries. Famous chefs often visit and hold Latin food-focused instruction as well. The San Antonio campus offers an associate in applied science degree in culinary arts, pastry arts, and baking. Credits earned here can be transferred to the New York campus and used toward a bachelor’s in culinary of arts degree.Since its founding the CIA has been dedicated to providing the world’s best culinary education. Guided by its core values of excellence, lead-ership, ethics and professionalism, the private college has boosted San Antonio’s image as an emerging culinary destination. “I moved here to study psychology. But I loved to cook, so I decided if I was going to do this I needed to go to the best school. They say if you want to be a lawyer go to Harvard, if you want to be an engineer go to Cal Tech. So I went to the CIA,” said Diego Galicia, who earned a bache-lor’s degree in psychology from the University of Texas San Antonio before graduating from the CIA in 2010. “The CIA gives you the tools; it gives you every-thing you need to succeed. But it’s up to you to

perform,” said the 30-year-old Galicia, who opened his own authentic Mexi-can food restaurant in San Antonio in 2013. Meanwhile, Olveda said that while she is grateful to her culinary arts teacher for his guidance, advice and direction, she wants to thank her father for in-spiring her to be a chef by starting her own restaurant. “My dad was always in the food in-dustry. He even had his own catering business. But he never got the chance to go to culinary school or get an education. So I want to open my own restaurant with my dad,” she said. •

APRIL 20, 2015 | 13

INSTITUTIONS | HISPANIC OUTLOOK

Chef David Kellaway The Culinary Institute of America.

→

WWhen an organization can boast that 90 percent of its students graduate from college, that’s newsworthy. When those

students are low-income minority students, it is even more impressive. That statistic is one of the notable results from Students Rising Above (SRA), a San Francis-co-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping poorer students overcome personal challenges and ultimately graduate from college. Over its 17-year history, it has made a major impact on the students that it serves. Not only does SRA have a remarkable college graduation success rate but in addition, nine months after graduating from SRA, 80 percent of its students are immersed in a career or enrolled in graduate school. These students, explained Lynne Martin, its executive director, are living below the federal poverty level. Many have been homeless, aban-doned, neglected or abused. “We’re looking for kids who recognize that there’s a chance for a better life even if they don’t have the family or financial support to go to college,” she said. Its goal is to level the playing field. “We want our kids to have the opportunities that their more affluent peers have. How do we recognize the untapped potential in these kids and give them a pathway to opportunity?” Martin said. SRA attracts students from 11 counties in the San Francisco Bay area. Students must be ju-

niors in high school and have a 3.0 GPA, though Martin said that desire and motivation also play a role in acceptance and the GPA requirement can be lowered. In 2014, SRA worked with 1,100 students: 400 students participated in SRA’s main program and 750 students were involved in its recently launched College2Careers Hub. College2Careers is an online program that has been integrated into the junior and senior year curriculum at three local schools in the San Francisco area and can be accessed by all current SRA students and SRA applicants. It provides col-lege-ready webinars, links, articles and blogs that prepare students for college. Students can post questions to an online advisor and are guaranteed answers within 24 hours, said Martin. And she expects more high schools to enroll in the service in the future. SRA students also receive ongoing financial aid which averages from $4800 to $5000 annually for four years (and sometimes longer) in college. “We’re in it until the students graduate,” Martin asserted. Over the past 17 years, the demographic break-down of students involved in SRA was: 40 percentLatino, 25 percent African-American, 14 percent Asian-American, 13 percent mixed race, and 8 percent white. Its annual budget is $3.6 million, and it has 35 employees, 11 full-time and 24 part-time. Staff members specialize in student programs, mentor-

Students Rising Above Achieves

By Gary M. Stern

REMARKABLE COLLEGE AND CAREER RESULTS

14 | APRIL 20, 2015

HISPANIC OUTLOOK | INNOVATIONS / PROGRAMS

ing, community outreach and career development. This is quite a leap from 2004, when Martin start-ed as executive director and Barb Hendricks as program director with a budget of $250,000. SRA was launched in 1998 by news anchor Wendy Tokuda and Javier Valencia, a communi-ty relations specialist. At the beginning, only 10 students participated, so the program has grown exponentially. Currently, SRA provides financial support, one-on-one mentoring, career guidance and helps students obtain entry-level positions. They attend workshops on how to apply for college, obtain fi-nancial aid, improve their interviewing skills, and develop a resume. During its summer program, about 80 percent of students receive paid intern-ships to strengthen their resume. “We don’t have a cookie-cutter approach. We tailor our approach to the individual needs of each student,” said Martin said. That can entail iden-tifying the right financial package, choosing the right college, or providing help with the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form or tax returns. For most students, “there’s no one at home to help,” Martin said. “Most parents can’t help students fill out complex FAFSA forms, and most high school college advisors carry a 900 to 1 ratio of students and can’t offer much personalized assistance.” SRA doesn’t stop at college applications. After the first-generation student starts college, many

face “culture shock,” Martin said. SRA advisors serve as mentors to help them navigate what it takes to succeed. “Many (students) are not aca-demically prepared, everything is new and differ-ent, and they’re separated from family,” she added. In a sense, SRA serves in a parental role, providing emotional support, guidance, and direction. Martin cited one-on-one mentoring as the key ingredient that contributes to most SRA students’ success. Students are assigned an advisor who ideally stays with them through their four years and checks in with them on a regular basis to help problem solve and avoid any major obstacles. “If we want to break the cycle of poverty, getting them into college isn’t enough. We have to help them with the transition into work,” Martin said. The program is also helping keep California colleges diversified. When California voters ap-proved Proposition 209 in 1997, which prohibited using race and ethnicity in admissions at state uni-versities, it contributed to lessening the diversity at most state colleges. For example, African- Amer-ican enrollment at University of California-Berke-ley plunged from 8 percent in pre-Proposition 209 days to 3.6 percent afterwards. Sonoma State University, a four-year college in the California State University (CSU) system, developed a partnership with SRA in 2009, said Gina Geck, Sonoma’s director of student outreach and recruitment. Sonoma has led campus tours, conducted workshops on applying to the school, trained its staff on admissions, she said.

REMARKABLE COLLEGE AND CAREER RESULTS

“If we want to break the cycle of poverty, getting them into

college isn’t enough. We have to help them with the transition into work.” Lynne Martin, executive director, Students Rising Above

APRIL 20, 2015 | 15

INNOVATIONS / PROGRAMS | HISPANIC OUTLOOK

“They’re working with high-caliber students that meet CSU requirements. We’re always looking for first generation, low-income stu-dents,” she said. Many nonprofits offer financial support, but SRA also provides “emotional support,” said Geck. “They help students find resources and assist them in a variety of ways such as finding health insurance. All those factors help retain students and enable them to graduate from college.” Because of Proposition 209, Sonoma State can’t recruit students based on race, but it’s still interested in attracting students with ethnically diverse backgrounds. SRA helps low-income, minority students under-stand how to navigate college applications, understand financial grants, know what it means to declare a major and expose them to the complicated process of getting into a suitable college.

Geck recalled one SRA advisor walking with a student through the career center to help them identify an appropriate advisor or tutor. “Look it’s not scary. Here’s how to find the resources,” was the underlying message, she said. For Latinos in particular, SRA helps families understand that Latinas can thrive when they’re independent at college. For male students, it enlightens parents that investing in attending college can payoff long-term, Geck noted. Many of SRA students hail from “very de-pressed, violent communities,” and SRA helps them transform their lives, said Geck. Martin sees what SRA is doing as a “loan.” “We want our students to give back, pay it forward, to break the cycle of poverty.” In the future, she’s like to see SRA expand be-yond California. “If we were going to expand our existing program to other communities, it would take increased fundraising, introductions to key community leaders, expanded staff and partner-ships with key organizations,” said Martin. •

Lynne Martin, Executive Director, Students Rising Above →

“We’re looking for kids that recognize that there’s a

chance for a better life even if they don’t have the family or financial support to go to college” Lynne Martin

16 | APRIL 20, 2015


On Super Bowl Sunday, Dr. Cornell Menking and his wife, Mona, sat in their living room in Las Cruces,

N.M., waiting for a special advertisement to ap-pear. They knew that Ecuador would be the first country ever to advertise in the Super Bowl, and were eager to see history in the making. While the Menkings never saw the advertise-ment (they live in too small a market for it to be aired), they have long been strong supporters of Ecuador’s push to advance its country. Through their work in academia, they have helped Ecua-dor in its vision to become a strong player in the global arena. “Ecuador has made a massive investment in higher education and international education like never before, so much so that other countries in the region have begun to copy them,” said Cornell Menking, associate provost for International and Border Programs at New Mexico State University (NMSU). “The country is also engaged in a proj-ect to increase Ecuador’s capacity to contribute to the knowledge of the world.” From April to December of last year, NMSU hosted 14 high school graduates from Ecuador as part of a pilot project to teach students En-glish and the hospitality industry so that Ecuador could grow its vision of creating a Silicon Valley in its country. Also, during the past couple of years, NMSU has hosted four cohorts of students to learn English in their Go Teacher program, which was initially started by Mona Menking at Kansas State University and the University of Mississippi in 2012.

The couple first became involved in Ecuador’s vision when Mona Menking received an email from a friend in Ecuador’s Ministry of Education, asking her if she was interested in partaking in initiatives that were part of President Rafael Cor-rea’s national commitment to improve English language education in his country’s public school system. Menking, a native to Ecuador who had lived and worked with her husband in her coun-try for seven years, responded with a clear “yes.” As a result, she piloted the Go Teacher program in the summer of 2012 at the University of Mis-sissippi. This was so successful (the first cohort had 112 Ecuadorian students learning English) that a second program was established at Kan-sas State University, where she became associate director for international outreach, followed by other programs such as the one at NMSU. Mew Mexico’s first group of students came in January, 2013. Funded by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (SNESCYT), the intention of Go Teacher has been to help improve English language profi-ciency of Ecuadorian participants so they can obtain certification to teach English as a second language. Many of the country’s English teach-ers, prior to this program, had few skills in truly speaking and teaching English well. University programs like that of NMSU were established to help increase their English language fluency and expand their knowledge of current English language teaching methodology. “This program has been a cornerstone of our

By Michelle Adam

NMSU HELPS ECUADOR CREATEITS OWN SILICON VALLEY

APRIL 20, 2015 | 17


internationalization efforts since I’ve been here in the past two and a half years. It’s been the reason we’ve been able to approach other international-ization tasks,” said Cornell Menking. “It’s allowed me to grow our Center for English Language Programs. I took this over and completely re-structured it. Now this provides a pipeline for more international students to come here and to provide a source of revenue to support interna-tionalization programs outside of this.” As NMSU has grown its international program in multiple directions, the Ecuadorian govern-ment has also created another very important and groundbreaking initiative with them. Recently,

the country embarked on an ambitious project, The Yachay program, to create four universi-ty campuses--places that would help Ecuador contribute to the knowledge of the world–includ-ing one of technology, natural sciences, teacher training, and the arts. NMSU has helped educate those that will become a part of the technological campus that is expected to combine government, academia, and private industry to create a Silicon Valley of Ecuador. The 14 high school students hosted by NMSU last year were from the Yachay region where this new “city of knowledge” is to be developed. These students, who came from near Ibarra, the capital of a rural province called Imbabura, were young, rural students with little or no exposure to modern ways. Within six months, though, they received intensive English, including English cus-tom-tailored for hospitality industries, in addi-tion to two months of practical training from the NMSU School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management. “The Yachay program is part of a larger initiative in Ecuador to enhance higher education in the country,” said Cornell Menking. “It is an initiative to enhance infrastructure in a fairly remote partof northern Ecuador that is basically converting cornfields into a university, government, and industry complex.”

“Ecuador is a little sleeping giant in

Latin America. Working on this

project with them has been

very important.”Dr. Cornell Menking, associate provost for International

and Border Programs at New Mexico State University

18 | APRIL 20, 2015


Those students who attended NMSU from Ec-uador were primarily sent here to become leaders in building the hospitality and tourism industries that would surround and support the technology university of Yachay. Their training included food service, marketing, and hotel operations, and their typical day involved lectures and discussion sessions in the morning, followed by job shadow-ing in the afternoon. “The students were young and impressionable and very grateful for the experience of being here. And our faculty just loved them,” said Cornell Menking. “Our closing ceremony that we had was very nice. It was very exciting and moving to see these students receiving academic recognition from such humble backgrounds, and they spoke English! It was incredible.” It is not clear whether another group of students will come back again to receive another round of training at this time, yet Cornell Menking is honored to have NMSU play a part in such a huge national undertaking. “I admire this project. They want to build a city in the middle of a bunch of cornfields where industry, government, and education can coalesce and spur greater econom-ic development and knowledge,” he said. “They have built classrooms and dorms, and it is up and running, but they are still building the infrastruc-ture. This project will earn Ecuador a place in the conversation of the knowledge of the world, where now only 5 percent of academic papers and knowledge comes out of South America.” Menking and a NMSU delegation went down to Ecuador at the beginning of this project to partake in a think tank for creating a university and its curriculum, which had been provided to Ecuador by Cal Tech. Julio Martinez, chem-ical engineering assistant professor, and Enrico Pontelli, computer science department head and NMSU regents professor, traveled down there in mid-February to give feedback and ideas on curriculum. “The Yachay project is by far the most ambitious initiative that I’ve had a chance to interact with.

The goal of creating a mega-university along with a surrounding urban area is amazing,” Pontelli said. “The scientific focus that the developers intend to give Yachay is cutting edge.” While impressed by their efforts, Pontelli did suggest to those implementing curriculum for computer science and software engineering pro-grams to simplify the first two years of the curric-ula, which he found way too challenging. As NMSU embarks on other international pro-grams and possible projects—such as one in Mex-ico, helping create agricultural extension models like here in the U.S., or with Colombia, teaching police officers English—Cornell and Mona Menk-ing will always hold a special place in their hearts for Ecuador and its ambitious project to recreate an entire educational system and country. “Ecuador is a little sleeping giant in Latin Amer-ica. Working on this project with them has been very important,” said Cornell Menking. “I’ve also come to believe that international education in higher education is absolutely crucial. Through these experiences we are forced to rethink how we do things and to learn about ourselves. When we in academia look through different perspec-tives, neat things happen, like what’s happened for us with Ecuador.” •

NMSU officials pose for a photo while visiting the Yachay campus in Ecuador.

→

On tour of the Yachay facilities under construction.→

APRIL 20, 2015 | 19


By Cristina Rojas

CCNY biology Professor Ana Carnaval [center] with three of her researchers on a field trip in southern Brazil. From left: PhD student Amanda Schweitzer, graduate student Danielle Rivera and Maria Strangas, also a PhD candidate.

20 | APRIL 20, 2015

HISPANIC OUTLOOK | FACULTY / MENTORING

Championing Women in

ScienceBy Cristina Rojas

At the City College of New York, Dr. Ana Carnaval is helping change the face of

science. In her research lab-- a magnet for undergraduate and graduate stu-dents and postdoctoral researchers-- women outnumber men. “I’ve had many more women training than guys, which has been really in-teresting and really pleasant as a field biologist,” said Carnaval, an assistant professor of biology. “It’s really cool to be able to give some of these girls an incentive to pursue their work in areas that are traditionally dominated by guys.” It’s not something she set out to do. It happened naturally as women sought her out. Her students like to tease her that she cannot say no to a woman scientist. “Even if the lab is full, I say ‘Sure, come on in,’” she said.

APRIL 20, 2015 | 21

FACULTY / MENTORING | HISPANIC OUTLOOK

“ We have different tiers of mentoring and those

women meet in pairs whenever they want. They

go to women-related events, they talk about their work.

It’s a buddy system.” Dr. Ana Carnaval, CCNY

assistant professor of biology

Carnaval, 43, was born and raised in Brazil, one of the most biodiversity-rich countries in the world. Her research focuses on biogeogra-phy, which is the study of the distributions of the world’s species. She said she wants to better un-derstand the factors behind that and how scien-tists can use that information to their advantage to preserve biodiversity on a global scale.Women and minorities are still underrepresented in the STEM fields–science, technology, engi-neering and math–but Carnaval said she remains encouraged by the progress. “I think that a lot of it has to do with building the skills and interest from an early age, but it’s incredible that we still lose a lot of women after they come into college,” Carnaval said. “We need to attack on all fronts.” Last summer, she began CCNYWinS, a women in science group open to faculty, staff and stu-dents. She was inspired by a friend who started a similar program at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. The group, which now numbers 62, meets monthly. A training program has allowed the women to become mentors and role models for one another. Undergraduates are matched with graduate students, graduate and postdoctoral fel-

lows with professors and even young, untenured professors with full-time tenured professors. “We have different tiers of mentoring and those women meet in pairs whenever they want,” Car-naval said. “They go to women-related events, they talk about their work. It’s a buddy system.”For both women and minorities, academic and social support is critical to beating the odds stacked against them, she said. “It seems to be much harder for women, once they graduate, to get a job in a STEM field and maintain that job, get their tenure as an estab-lished professor,” she said. Carnaval, a mother of two, said that in addition to having to balance career and family demands, women also are dealt setbacks in the world of academia. Women and minorities have fewer tenured professorships than men and receive less in federal funding, according to the 2015 “Wom-en, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering” report by the National Science Foundation. “We’re trying to brainstorm ways that we can reverse this and ways that we can make sure that women know of these issues before going into the job market,” Carnaval said. She said the group helps them learn skills they will need to apply for jobs and advance in their careers. She said that women tend to undermine their abilities and are more reluctant than men to negotiate for raises and promotions. “Having stronger role models around these col-lege students will give them a different perspec-tive,” she said. “By giving them training, by giving them an example, we can hopefully create a stronger core group of women going into science that could make it up there and really change the scene that we have right now.” Despite a nationwide effort, women, Hispanics and blacks continue to represent a disproportion-ately smaller fraction of the STEM workforce, the NSF report found. Women account for 29 percent of STEM occupations. Though Hispanics repre-sent 16 percent of the overall workforce, they ac-count for only 6 percent of STEM jobs and blacks make up 11 percent of all employed persons but account for less than 5 percent of STEM jobs.

22 | APRIL 20, 2015

HISPANIC OUTLOOK | FACULTY / MENTORING

Among Hispanics, women do not fare as well as the men, according to Excelencia in Education’s “The Condition of Latino Education: 2015 Fact-book.” More Latinas reported intending to major in STEM in college than 10 years ago, but they are still outnumbered by Latino men. In 2012, 37 percent of Latina freshmen surveyed at four-year colleges reported they intended to major in science and engineering fields, compared to 48 percent of Latino men. In 2011-12, Latinas earned 60 percent of all bachelor degrees awarded to Hispanics, but only 37 percent in STEM fields. Eight percent of all women who earned bache-lor degrees in STEM were Latinas, compared to whites (61 percent), Asians (14 percent), blacks (9 percent) and other groups (7 percent). Latinas with STEM degrees were less likely to work in sci-ence and engineering compared to Latino men. A bright spot, however, is that in 2010, Latinas with PhDs in science and engineering represented 5 percent of faculty at colleges and universities, while Latino men represented 4 percent. Because most of the women who have been part of her Carnaval Lab are Hispanic, she said she tries to lead by example and be an encouraging presence.

“I’m a Latina so I try to role model for them,” she said. “I’m not saying, ‘Look at me,’ but I’m just working as hard as I can and … trying to show them ‘Look guys, you can be extremely compe-tent.’” Carnaval said she pushes them to attend as many minority events as they can, something she said helped her when she was a PhD student at the University of Chicago. She describes them as “feel-good meetings” because they provide students with an opportunity to meet others who have had some of the same struggles as they did and have succeeded. “Those students come back from these meetings feeling very empowered and I think that’s what we need,” she said. “They won’t go further unless they feel like they can.” She added that minorities–either because of their upbringing or socio-economic status–are of-ten not as prepared as others are for the rigors of college. Training workshops help students hone their argument skills and cover topics like job interviewing. “It’s this combination of giving them strong academic skills and professional skills,” Carnaval said. “This ‘I can’ thing is really important.” •

Dr. Ana Carnaval.→

APRIL 20, 2015 | 23

FACULTY / MENTORING | HISPANIC OUTLOOK

Mentoring Creates Path to College

MI CASA

Wilmington, N.C., is a city with an ur-ban designation and a median house value that is 25 percent higher than

the rest of the state. The New Hanover School District, of which Wilmington is a part, serves 24,500 students but only about 9 percent of those students are Hispanic. To the west of Wilmington, it’s another story. The school districts are poor and rural and serve more Hispanics than the New Hanover District. High schools in these districts have student pop-ulations that are as high as 27 percent Hispanic. And the Hispanic population in the elementary schools in these districts is growing rapidly. Like the rural districts that serve them the Hispanics who attend school in these districts are also poor. They lack the financial resources and, just as importantly, the role models necessary to make a successful attempt at getting into college. “Nine out of 10 students say, ‘I don’t have a role model, my parents didn’t go to college, my older

brother dropped out of school, there is no sup-port at my school, I have no Hispanic teachers. It would be so nice to be around other Hispanics who have the same goals as I do and could help me go to college,’ ” says Chris Montero, program advisor and community liaison at MI CASA, a program at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington (UNCW) that pairs Hispanic high school students with UNCW mentors. Using input from teachers, administrators and guidance counselors the MI CASA (Mentors Ini-tiating Community Action, Support and Advoca-cy) program identifies high- achieving Hispanic students from nine high schools in Wilmington and from the rural districts to the west and pairs each with at least one UNCW student mentor. The mentors support the high school students and see them through their final two years of high school and on to college. “It’s very important for young Hispanics to see someone close to their age already in college and going down that path

By Frank DiMaria

24 | APRIL 20, 2015

HISPANIC OUTLOOK | MENTORING

of success. It’s reassuring to them,” says Montero. Currently 954 of the roughly 13,000 students who attend UNCW are Hispanic. Montero intends to increase that number by getting His-panic high school students the support they need to pursue higher education. UNCW’s Centro Hispano, a support program that links Hispanic students with the available resources they need to grow academically and as professionals, is instru-mental in reaching that goal. Centro Hispano started the MI CASA program five years ago. The initial cohort comprised just eight high school students. This year it is serving 29 high school students and each has two UNCW mentors to lean on. “We had so many UNCW students who wanted to be a part of this program that we decided to pair up the high school students with two UNCW mentors. So we actually have more mentors than we have mentees,” says Montera. “It’s a great problem to have.” MI CASA matches the UNCW mentors with the high school students based on a variety of criteria, like major, career aspirations and inter-ests. Mentors, who must be at least sophomores, meet with their mentees once or twice per month and participate in a range of structured activities in civic engagement and academic pursuits. “It’s a combination of community service, academic activities, civic engagement and then social activ-ities, which we like to call leadership activities,” says Montero. Through these platforms the mentors and men-tees form a valuable relationship. Some mentors carry the relationship to the next level by meet-ing with the high school students more than the program requires. Often they’ll assist with senior projects and even get to know their mentee’s family, as they share interests and participate in extracurricular activities together. Although the program does not require them to meet during the summer, some take advantage of the time off from school to work on their college applications, essays and financial aid forms. Before the mentors can begin offering advice to the high school students, Montero puts them through a training program that is a partnership between MI CASA and UNCW’s office of stu-

dent leadership and engagement. During their training, mentors learn about the population of students they will be dealing with. Coming from poor, rural schools many don’t even know the standard college admissions vocabulary, like major, career and financial aid. “Mentors have to bring it down to their level and make it really friendly as far as helping them understand what this all means,” says Montero. MI CASA also receives some assistance from UNCW’s career center. Career center staff at-tends MI CASA training sessions and perform an assessment on all the mentors, to gain an understanding of their interests, career and skills. “It helps the mentors understand a little bit more about themselves and they always turn it back around to their mentees,” says Montero.

Chris Montero, program advisor and community liaison at MI CASA, a program at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington (UNCW) that pairs Hispanic high school students with UNCW mentors.

→

APRIL 20, 2015 | 25

MENTORING | HISPANIC OUTLOOK

When he first became the program advisor at MI CASA Montero viewed the program as a conduit to help only the high school stu-dents the program was serving and gave little thought to the mentors and what they should be gaining from the experience. “It was all about the mentees, getting them into college,” says Montero. At the beginning stages of the program, he continues, the mentors were not getting as much out of the program as the mentors were. Montero soon realized that he was seeing only half the picture. He rede-signed the program to incorporate more pro-fessional development and training to support the mentors and their academic endeavors as well as their personal growth. Some mentors, Montero has found, gain far more from the program than they expect to when they sign up for it. They come to the program, he says, thinking they are going to guide a young Hispanic down the path of success and their reward will be the satisfac-tion of changing a life. In reality the mentors themselves become encouraged and motivat-ed by the high school students they are serving when they observe the resilience and drive that they demonstrate. “We have so many different stories of high school students without parents, mothers passing away, hard economic conditions, complicated family dynamics. These kids are struggling but they are making it happen,” says Montero. To reach as many struggling Hispanic high school students as he can, Montero actively recruits for his program. Since MI CASA’s infan-cy he’s visited as many high schools as possible, bringing with him mentors who would extoll the virtues of MI CASA. Now five years later, most Hispanics in the high schools he visits know all about the program and are eager to learn more about it. “Their classmates have gone through the program,” says Montero. Today Hispanics associ-ate the MI CASA program with the former lead-ers in their school. “Our phone is ringing a lot more and we have moms and dads and students who are asking, ‘How do I get in this program?’” says Montero.

To participate in the program the students must be nominated by one of their teachers, a coun-selor or an administrator. Although most of the nominees are the highest flyers, some of them are at risk of heading down the wrong path, says Montero. Occasionally a teacher will identify and nominate a student who has potential but just needs an extra push in the right direction. Teach-ers complete a simple two-page form that rates the student in a variety of categories and, if they wish, they can write a brief statement on behalf of the student. “When I have the applications on my table I’m not necessarily looking for the 4.0. I’d rather have a 3.2 who is a member of the honor society, cap-tain of the soccer team and has a part-time job. It just shows a little more drive,” says Montero.When Montero talks about the MI CASA pro-gram, he has a hard time containing his enthu-siasm. He is proud to report that one MI CASA participant recently applied to all eight Ivy League schools and was accepted by seven of them. “It’s just amazing what a program like this can do,” says Montero. •

“It’s very important for

young Hispanics to

see someone close to

their age already in

college and going down that

path of success.

It’s reassuring to them.” Chris Montero, MI CASA program advisor

and community liaison, University of North

Carolina, Wilmington

26 | APRIL 20, 2015

HISPANIC OUTLOOK | MENTORING

It was during my first year of doctoral work that I learned about the American Associa-

tion of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE) Graduate Fellowship Program. A friend shared with me how he had found a community of sup-port, camaraderie, and mentorship. I immedi-ately knew that I wanted to have that experi-ence as well. Moving through the education pipeline, it be-came painfully obvious that people who look like me are not adequately represented in high-er education, especially graduate school. For-tunately, attending the AAHHE National Con-ference as a graduate fellow provided me the opportunity to be among some of the leading Latina/o scholars in the nation. Throughout my graduate studies, I have been inspired and mo-tivated by the work of Chicana/o scholars. From Angela Valenzuela and Daniel Solórzano to the late Gloria Anzaldua, their contributions to the field have had a great impact on my work, be-cause it foregrounds the lived experiences of Latina/os in education and calls for greater rep-resentation of our stories in academia. It was even more inspiring to meet a cadre of Latino scholars at the AAHHE National Conference who are expanding and continuing the work of these great scholars – and refreshing to find a place where our work was validated. Being an AAHHE Graduate Fellow gave me the opportunity to meet and learn from Latina/o

scholars across the United States. Profession-ally, the conference offered me access to an expansive network of Latinas and Latinos in ac-ademia. Listening to tenured and tenure-track junior Latino faculty fueled my aspiration to fol-low a similar path. I can see myself being a pro-fessor. Because of their mentorship and guid-ance, I feel better equipped as I enter my final year of doctoral studies as well the job market. I know the path ahead of me will be difficult, but I am emboldened by knowing that I have a system of support eager and willing to lend a hand as I traverse academic life. At the start of my graduate school career, I was told that the path to the PhD could be lonely and painful at times. Over the past four years, I have made it a goal to not let this be the case for me. Having a solid foundation within the Latina/o community is part of the fuel I need to continue on this path. The Latina/o culture is known for its strong ties to familia and co-munidad. This is exactly what I believe being a graduate fellow afforded me at the national level. It was humbling to be among those who have paved the way to increase the number of Latina/os in higher education, meet emerging scholars, and become re-inspired through their work and energy. Without a doubt, the con-ference provided me the opportunity to find a home within this community. •

From the Scholars’CornerBy Marco Antonio Murillo – AAHHE Graduate FellowDoctoral Candidate, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, University of California, Los Angeles

APRIL 20, 2015 | 27

Latino Stats: American Hispanics by the Numbers by Idelisse Malavé and Esti Giordani. 2015. 240 pp. ISBN: 978-1595589613. $14.95 paper. The New Press, New York, N.Y. (212) 629-8802. www.thenewpress.com

As President Obama’s executive order on immigration wends its way through appeals courts to its final destination, the U.S. Supreme Court, the urgency of establishing comprehensive immigration reform is fueled by a changing population profile. While there is widespread disagreement about what should be done to re-form the system, the numbers make the case for action–sooner rather than later. The authors offer this rationale for Latino Stats: “At a time when politics is seemingly ruled by ideology and emotion and when immigration is one of the most contentious topics, it is more im-portant than ever to cut through the rhetoric and highlight, in numbers, the reality of the broad spectrum of Latino life in the United States. Lati-nos are both the largest and fastest-growing ra-cial/ethnic group in the country, even while many continue to fight for their status as Americans.” Not surprisingly, Latino Stats was written by a former leader of the Tides Foundation, Idelisse Malavé, who is also an organizational consultant and coach committed to supporting social change leaders, groups, and networks. She was joined in this literary effort by her daughter, Celeste Gior-dani, a communications strategist for the Social Transformation Project. There’s an expression: “figures lie and liars figure,” which stems from the way misinterpreted statistics can be twisted and shaped to fit any opinion. This is not, how-ever, what has been done in Latino Stats. The authors carefully distill the wealth and depth of data, identifying the most telling and engaging facts to assemble a portrait of contemporary His-panic life with glimpses of the past and future. From politics and the economy to popular cul-ture, the arts, and ideas about race, gender, and family, Latino Stats both catalogs the inequities that plague Latino communities and documents Latinos’ growing power and influence on Amer-ican life. It is a most even-handed approach to painting a complicated demographic picture. Anyone seeking guidance in defining how the American population landscape is changing and developing will find Latino Stats a must-read. It is also an essential tool for advocates, educators, and policymakers. Ultimately, Latino Stats is a go-to guidebook for anyone wanting to raise their awareness and increase their understanding of the complex state of our nation.

Reviewed by Mary Ann Cooper

Discipleship for Hispanic Introverts: Providing a Cross-Cultural Context for Life Change by Karla D. Zazueta Knowledge transfer to the masses best describes the discipleship model in most churches. Many Christian Hispanics strug-gle with even the most basic foundational questions regarding their faith. The solu-tion proposed and discussed in this book is life-on-life discipleship, providing a context for life change for introverts and extroverts alike. 2015. 82 pp. ISBN: 978-1507747780. $5.95 paper. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform Seattle, Wash. www.createspace.com. (206) 266-7180.

Colombia’s Narcotics Nightmare: How the Drug Trade Destroyed Peace by James D. Henderson This history of Colombia’s illegal drug trade demonstrates how in the late 1960s narcotics traffickers from the United States convinced Colombians who had no previous involvement in the drug trade to grow marijuana for export to America. By the early ‘70s, foreign (mostly American) traffickers began requesting cocaine. This book focuses on the decades of crime and violence the illegal drug trade brought to Colombia and how this social upset was ended in the early 2000s. 2015. 240 pp. ISBN: 978-0786479177. $45.00. paper. McFarland Publishing, Jefferson N.C. www.mcfarland-books.com. (800) 253-2187

Reflections of a Hispanic Teacher: Resistance to Class and Racial Oppression in the Classroom by José-Enrique Figueroa. This book gives voice to a progressive perspective of American education deal-ing with the real issues in the classroom. These are reflections of a Hispanic teach-er–a Puerto Rican immigrant who experi-enced his family’s struggle to ensure he was well educated--based on praxis of 21 years of teaching in the trenches of the South Bronx and in the City of Yonkers. 2014. 256 pp. ISBN: 978-1888205565. $24.95 paper. Floricanto Press, www.floricantopress.com. Moorpark, Calif. (415) 793-2662

28 | APRIL 20, 2015

The University of South Florida System is a high-impact, global research system dedicated to student success. The USF System includes three institutions: USF; USF St. Petersburg; and USF Sarasota-Manatee. The institutions are separately accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. All institutions have distinct missions and their own detailed strategic plans. Serving more than 47,000 students, the USF System has an annual budget of $1.5 billion and an annual economic impact of $4.4 billion. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference.

Administrative and Executive Positions:

Director (Library)Associate Vice President (Quality, Safety, & Risk) (Health Sciences)

Senior Associate General CounselProgram Director (Housing & Residential Services)Director (Dept. of Surgery) (College of Medicine)

Faculty Positions:

College of MedicineSenior Faculty Biostatistician (Dept. of Pediatrics) Senior Bioinformatics Scientist (Dept. of Pediatrics)Assistant Professor (Neurology) (2) Assistant/ Associate (School of Therapy & Rehab. Sciences)Assistant Professor (UME Program Assessment)

College of PharmacyPostdoctoral Scholar Research

Assistant/Associate/Professor in Critical CareCollege of Public HealthInstructor I (Undergraduate Studies)

College of Arts & SciencesVisiting Instructor (Dept. of English

Tampa LibraryDigital Scholarship & Publishing Librarian Digital Learning Initiatives Coordinator LibrarianResearch Services Coordinator Librarian

For a job description on the above listed positions including department, disciple and deadline dates: (1) visit our Careers@USF Web site at https://employment.usf.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/Welcome_css.jsp; or (2) contact The Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, (813) 974-4373; or (3) call USF job line at 813.974.2879.

USF is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution, committed to excellence through diversity in education and employment.

Eastern Iowa Community Colleges – SCC campus (West Davenport location) is seeking a Dean for Adult Education.

The Eastern Iowa Community Colleges has rapidly become the first choice for students seeking higher education in the Eastern Iowa region. Located along the banks of the mighty Mississippi River, EICC is a comprehensive community college with three colleges and 10 satellite locations serving more than 13,000 credit and 30,000 workforce and continuing education students each year.

Under the direction of the Vice Chancellor for Education and Training this position will be responsible for:

• Serves as the EICC Chief Examiner for High School completion, the person in this posi-tion is responsible for all aspects of Testing, including program management, security, and reporting.

• Responsible for new program development and/or support services to target popula-tion. In addition, identifies and recommends facilities, program sites, and educational materials and equipment necessary for program implementation.

• Works collaboratively with the Iowa Department of Education to improve benchmark attainment throughout the district. Oversees data for state and federal reporting.

• Establishes education to work pathways to assist in the smooth transference of students from adult education programs to short-term training, college and/or employment.

Qualifications will include: • Master degree with work experience in adult basic education required. Three to five years’

experience in teaching, developing, and/or managing adult basic education and high school equivalency programs preferred.

Review of applications will begin Monday, May 4, 2015 and continue until the position is filled. For more information please visit our website at

http://www.eicc.edu/about-eicc/careers/index.aspx.

For consideration please send resume and cover letter to: e-mail [email protected] or Human Resources Dept., Eastern Iowa

Community Colleges, 306 West River Drive, Davenport IA 52801-1221 EOE/AA/M/F/V

S Clients • St. Joseph’s College • 36939

36939 • 2.375 x 4.75 • Hispanic Outlook

INSTRUCTIONALDESIGNER (FT)

For further information andsubmission details visit:http://www.sjcny.edu/

long-island/careers

who will collaborate with facultyand program staff to develop

high quality online, hybrid, andtechnology-enhanced courses, advance

technology based teaching andlearning initiatives, assist faculty

development projects, and facilitatecourse creation and design. Based onthe Long Island campus at Great River,

the position will requiresubstantial land-based interactions on

the Brooklyn and Patchogue,Long Island campuses.

St. Joseph's College, a private, non-sectarian

liberal arts institution seeks

APRIL 20, 2015 | 29

Available Faculty Positions for Fall term of 2015

Eastern Iowa Community Colleges are seeking educators who are committed to diversity, inclusion, and innovation. Educators who are passionate about helping students to achieve their educational, professional, and personal goals through basic skills education, workforce development and training, and transfer-level education.

EICC has rapidly become the first choice for students seeking higher education in the Eastern Iowa region. Located along the banks of the mighty Mississippi River, EICC is a comprehensive community college with three colleges, 10 satellite lo-cations, 60+ career programs, and a diverse student body. Together the colleges serve more than 13,000 credit and 30,000 workforce and continuing education students each year.

Faculty Positions, Fall 2015

•Math Instructor

•Health Informatics Instructor/Program Director

•Biology Instructor

•History Instructor

•Agribusiness Instructor

•Auto Technology Instructor

•Diesel Technology Instructor

•Engineering Technology Instructor

•Nursing Instructors

For more information regarding EICC and career opportunities please visit our website at http://www.eicc.edu/about-eicc/careers/index.aspx. Application review will begin May 4, 2015. Screening of resumes will continue until all open positions are filled.

Interested applicants should submit resume, cover letter and unofficial transcript’s to: [email protected] or Human Resources Dept., Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, 306 West River Drive, Davenport, Iowa 52801-1221.

Eastern Iowa Community Colleges is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to excellence through diversity.

EOE/M/F/D/V

Hispanic Outlook1/4 page Issue 4-20-15Deadline 4-9-15

CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERWichita State University (WSU) seeks an experienced ITexecutive for the position of Chief Information Officer (CIO). Thesuccessful candidate will be a collaborative leader who willprovide strategic vision and management to further thetechnology needs in support of the administrative, academic andresearch missions of WSU. Reporting to the Associate VicePresident for Academic Affairs, the CIO is responsible formanaging all enterprise-level technology infrastructure andtechnology-related academic and administrative services.

For a complete description of available positions and to applyonline, go to: http://wichita.edu/wsujobs/

Wichita State University is an Equal Opportunity/AffirmativeAction employer. All qualified applicants will receive

consideration for employment without regard to race, color,religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran

status. Offers of employment are contingent upon completion ofa satisfactory criminal background check as required by Board

of Regents policy.

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“CULTURAL COMPETENCE...”

Welcoming

Community

Diversity

Regard

Respect

Inclusion

Sensitivity

Awareness

Listening

Experiences

Oakton Community College is an equal opportunity employer.

Oakton Community College employs individuals who respect, are eager to learn about, and have a willingness to accept the many ways of viewing the world.Oakton serves the near northern suburbs of Chicago with campuses in Des Plaines and Skokie.Individuals with a commitment to working in a culturally competent environment and who reflect the increasing diversity of Oakton’s student body and community are sought to fill the following administrator level openings:

• Vice President for Student Affairs

• Director of College Relations• Chief of Public Safety and

Emergency Management Administration.

Anticipated start date of July 1, 2015. The full consideration deadline is May 10, 2015.

To learn more about these positions, and to complete an online application,

visit our Web site at:

www.oakton.eduClick on “employment”

30 | APRIL 20, 2015

APRIL 20, 2015 | 31

Westminster Arts Center at Bloomfield College

449 Franklin Street, Bloomfield, NJ 07003

April 24 & 25 - 8pm April 26 -2pmAdults: $25, Seniors $22, Students $15, Groups $20

For Reservations call: 973-744-3133 or www.mocmusicals.org

The Montclair Operetta Club proudly presents

S Clients • St. Joseph’s College • 36939

2.375 x 2.375 • Hispanic Outlook • Hispanic Outlook

For further information and submission details visit:

www.sjcny.edu/employment

St. Joseph's College, a private, non-sectarian liberal arts institution seeks to fill t enure track positions

in our New York, Long Island Campus :

• JOURNALISM & NEW MEDIA STUDIES • ART • BIOLOGY

• MATHEMATICS/COMPUTER SCIENCE

HUNTER COLLEGE

ASSISTANT PROFESSORPHYSICS & ASTRONOMY

FACULTY VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTJob Opening ID: 12739

Performs teaching, research and guidance duties in area(s) of expertise.Shares responsibility for committee and department assignmentsincluding administrative, supervisory, and other functions. Ph.D. degreein area(s) of experience or equivalent and able to initiate an externallyfunded vigorous research program. Also required are the ability to teachsuccessfully, demonstrated scholarship or achievement, and ability tocooperate with others for the good of the institution. Experimentalistswith specialty in biophysics and other related fields are invited to apply.CUNY offers a competitive compensation and benefits package to itsfaculty, covering health insurance, pension and retirement benefits, paidparental leave, and savings programs. Hunter College also providesongoing faculty professional development and workshops for excellencein teaching.

For a complete job descriptionand direction on how to apply, please visit:

http://hr.hunter.cuny.edu/jobs/facultyjobs.html The search will remain open until the position is filled.

Hunter College/CUNY is committed to enhancing our diverseacademic community by actively encouraging people withdisabilities, minorities, veterans, and women to apply. Wetake pride in our pluralistic community and continue to seekexcellence through diversity and inclusion. CUNY is anAA/EO/IRCA/ADA Employer.

56124 CUNYHispanic Outlook3.625” X 4.754.13.15P 2

HUNTER COLLEGE

ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER

Center for Puerto Rican Studies

Job Opening ID: 12669The Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños (Centro), the onlyUniversity-based research institute in the United States devoted to the interdisciplinary study of the Puerto Ricanexperience, seeks an administrative manager with expertise inthe management of complex programs and organizations.Reports to and works under the direct supervision of theCentro's Administrative Officer for Operations. Bachelor's Degreeand six years' relevant experience required.

For a complete job descriptionand direction on how to apply, please visit:

http://hr.hunter.cuny.edu/jobs/facultyjobs.html The search will remain open until the position is filled.

Hunter College/CUNY is committed to enhancing ourdiverse academic community by actively encouragingpeople with disabilities, minorities, veterans, and womento apply. We take pride in our pluralistic community andcontinue to seek excellence through diversity andinclusion. CUNY is an AA/EO/IRCA/ADA Employer.

56125 CUNYHispanic Outlook3.625” X 4.754.13.15

Executive Vice President for Finance and AdministrationTexas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) is conducting a nationwide search for the next Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration. TAMU-CC is a vibrant, relatively young doctoral granting University and Hispanic-Serving Institution, with over 11,200 students and 1,318 faculty and staff contributing to innovation in research and community engagement. The Executive Vice President oversees approximately 180 full-time staff and the execution of a budget in excess of $190M. The Executive Vice President reports directly to the President. The Search Committeeinvites nominations, applications (letter of interest, resume/CV, and contact information of at least five references), or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting the University. Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications be submitted prior to May 25, 2015. For a complete position description, please visithttps://www.parkersearch.com/tamucc-evpfinadmin

Ryan Crawford, [email protected] | Phone: 770-307-7031

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action / Veterans / Disability Employer.

32 | APRIL 20, 2015

BECAUSE YOU WANT TO

KNOWSubscribe for FREE to our Digital Magazine!

P h o n e : ( 2 0 1 ) 5 8 7 - 8 8 0 0 w w w . h i s p a n i c o u t l o o k . c o m E m a i l : i n f o @ h i s p a n i c o u t l o o k . c o m

Visit our website, click on the digital magazine to view our current issue, including all archived issues.Download it to your PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, tablet, smartphone or Android to have Hispanic Outlook how you want it when you want it.

By Miquela Rivera, PhD

We watch, horrified at the continuing decline in our nation’s global academic standing. Many wonder: Does a new curriculum

hold the answer? Will a new teacher evaluation system flush out the bad apples and assure that students receive the best instruction? How much more money or tech-nology is needed to help improve learning outcomes? Back up. While later interventions merit consideration and implementation, better start at the beginning. The search for solutions to our national performance downslide too often ignores, minimizes or consciously avoids a basic, crucial fact: Parents are a child’s first and lifelong teachers. It is a position of great responsibility and influence. Perhaps we need to look at parents’ attitudes and beliefs toward parenting. Whether we are worried about social promotion of third graders who can’t read or high school seniors who can’t do long division or a low completion rate in higher education, it all starts at the beginning. Early. At home. With the parents. Latino parents who think their main job in child-rearing is to keep their child safe and well-fed do not necessarily view themselves as teachers. Since parents typically raise their children in the same way they were raised, the cycle continues. Students need to be taught about parenting respon-sibilities starting in middle school when thoughts turn to romance and lust takes over. (Some will balk at the idea, but a 2012 report by the Center for Disease Con-trol noted that the teen pregnancy rate in a sample of 1000 Latinas was 25.5 percent, higher than any other group). Middle school can be the time to raise aware-ness that, beyond providing food, shelter and safety, the main responsibility of parents is to teach and guide. Early awareness might help more new parents take time to do the primary school readiness activities (like reading to their young children, teaching shapes and colors, and following sequential directions) that are vital to academic and lifelong success. While the middle-school students are captive, share these seven realities: 1. Parenting is a lifelong commitment. It starts at con-ception and continues until the parent dies. Parents fool themselves into thinking that, once a child is older, the parent is no longer needed. Think again. They are need-ed in new, different ways, but they are needed nonethe-

less. For students neglected or abandoned by a parent, this will be different than their own life experience, so it is important to utter it early. 2. Young Latino parents often rely on extended family to help with childcare, but the primary responsibility for childrearing and school readiness should remain with the parents. Others, including Nana or Abuela, cannot do the job for the parent (and if they do, the parents will lose the respect and honor that is earned with doing the job well. They should also forego the right to complain about how their child turned out). 3. Parenting takes time. Machines make certain tasks in life easier and faster, but the task of raising children relies on human effort and interaction. There are no shortcuts. 4. Everything we do with a child teaches the child some-thing. Everything. Day-to-day tasks are opportunities for parents to teach many skills that children will need to succeed in school. If a child engages with a parent, he will be more apt to engage with a teacher in school later. 5. Young children need to form strong attachments to their parents first so they can trust others later, in school and beyond. Relationships come first; informa-tion comes next. Computer-based early learning games or videos teaching a baby to read are questionable. The parent – not the media – should be the main source of a young child’s interaction and communication. Talk to your child. Listen. Respond. Repeat. 6. Parenting requires maturity. First-time parents are often overwhelmed by the extent to which they must set aside what they want to do in order to do what is best for their child. If that doesn’t happen, the probability is high that the neglected child will act out, become demanding, or shrink into depression or the family becomes a chaotic scene of children-raising-children. 7. Parental involvement is a strong predictor of a child’s success in school. And it is one of the surest ways to im-prove the system and get us back on top. •

Miquela Rivera, PhD, is a licensed psychologist withyears of clinical, early childhood and consultativeexperience. She lives in Albuquerque, N.M.

APRIL 20, 2015 |

Priming the Pump...The Power of Parental Involvement in Academic Success

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HO 04 20 2015