In a move met with applause by students and educational leaders alike, President Joe Biden officially signed an executive order intended to bolster support for Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). Not content to merely sign paperwork, the President celebrated the order with a ceremony, signaling his commitment to enhancing the educational landscape for Hispanic students—a demographic that continues to grow in number and influence within the United States.

This organized push to even out the playing field aims to provide much-needed financial assistance and program support to colleges with substantial Hispanic populations. The definition for an HSI, as maintained by this administration, requires non-profit schools to have at least 25% Hispanic enrollment. The President's executive order not only increases funding but also establishes a 21-member board of advisors, which seeks to directly address the significant disparities in college graduation rates among Hispanic students. One such student, Luis Duque from Phoenix College, told ABC 15, “Getting that funding makes things a lot easier. Plus, it makes things a lot fairer. Now things are a little bit more even, now we're on equal footing.”

During the official ceremony, President Biden and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona underscored the vital role HSIs play in the quest for educational equality. "Hispanic-serving institutions are places that turn dreams into reality for students across the country," Cardona stated. This sentiment was echoed in the clamor for increased federal support from higher education leaders, given the latest U.S. Census Bureau statistics revealing Hispanics as accounting for nearly three-quarters of the nation's population gain from 2022 to 2023.

The significance of the executive order is not to be understated, with Hispanic college attendees in Arizona's Maricopa County Community College District already comprising 38% of the student body. Indeed, students like Enrique Saldana of Phoenix College are looking to change not only their futures but the entire framework of opportunity for Hispanics in higher education. He shared with ABC 15, “There's a lot of Hispanics in Phoenix, and this is a good institution, and they're not going to see you fail.” Meanwhile, Antonio R. Flores, CEO of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and present at the ceremony, praised the executive order, as reported by NBC News, for offering a seat at the table and ensuring "HSIs have a seat at the table so that the students they serve have access to an education that is equitable and accessible, fulfilling the promise of the American dream that increasingly depends on a college."

The commitment emerges amidst historical underfunding for Latino communities, but with federal doors now opening for competitive funding, institutions like those in the MCCCD see a brighter future for their students. As for the students themselves, the promise of additional support provides not just financial relief but a potent symbol of acknowledgment and encouragement as they stride toward their academic goals, potentially setting new records for Latino success in higher education.