Thirty years ago, a meeting was held on the campus of Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) to establish a first-ever national association of Hispanic colleges and universities, now known as HACU and recognized as an international force for the success of Hispanic students across the world.

HACU has grown from an initial membership of 18 institutions to more than 400 colleges and universities across 35 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, including 46 higher education institutions in Latin America and Spain. HACU’s U.S. members collectively serve two-thirds of the 3 million Hispanic students and one-fourth of all students in U.S. higher education. The Association was essential to establishing the federal designation of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in order to better serve the still-growing, college-bound Hispanic population.

HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores stressed the need for the continued evolution of the Association's focus on global collaboration.

"In addition to representing a growing number of emerging HSIs and Hispanic-Serving School Districts, HACU continues to add international institutions that serve Spanish-speaking populations," he said. "This ensures that our students become prepared to act and interact with countries that share the goal of success for Hispanic students everywhere."

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