by President Ann Cudd
September 26, 2023
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Last week I had the honor of representing Portland State at the Latino Network’s Noche Bella event and congratulating Cynthia Gomez, PSU’s Director of Community and Civic Impact, who was recognized with the Latino Network Rey España Águila Award for her activism and community development work.
Cynthia has been instrumental in Portland State’s work toward becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), including our current designation as an Emerging HSI. She is one of a network of Latino leaders across campus who are carrying forward initiatives to equip PSU to excel in serving Latino students and communities.
To achieve HSI status, a federal designation, PSU must enroll at least 25% Hispanic full-time undergraduate students. At the end of spring term 2023, PSU had 23.2% Hispanic full-time undergraduate enrollment and has seen consistent growth in Latino student enrollment. In fact, while overall enrollment has been on the decline, we saw a 71% increase in Latino students from 2016 - 2022.
This year, we launched a long awaited new undergraduate major in Chicano/Latino Studies. The new Bachelor of Arts degree program builds on many years of work in the School of Gender Race and Nations to build on and expand earlier minor and certificate programs. PSU first started its Chicano/Latino Studies program in 1994 — the first of its kind in Oregon. More than 30 years later, we’re celebrating being another first with the start of our major.
The Chicano/Latino BA and other services across PSU — from La Casa Latina for students to the Latine Employee Colectivo for employees and other initiatives besides — are essential to the university’s future. When our Hispanic students and employees feel a sense of belonging and can thrive here, PSU and the city we serve will be all the more successful.
When she accepted her award, Cynthia identified herself as a futurist. Here’s what she had to say about that when she accepted her award: “Futurists say that the future we want doesn’t arrive fully formed – we have to shape it.”
I’ve been inspired by the future she is looking to create and I look forward to working with Cynthia and many others across campus as we continue to expand and explore what it means to be a minority-serving institution.