The Walton Family Foundation has awarded NorthWest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville $432,883 to grow Hispanic enrollment.
The money will support the college’s LIFE program, which aims to empower Latino youth to pursue higher education and become leaders on campus and in the community. New LIFE staffers will be hired and the college will pursue designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution, or HSI.
The designation provides access to federal and private funding that can help expand academic offerings that positively impact Hispanic student success, the college said in a news release. It can also help with retention and graduation, as well as open up scholarship opportunities.
Federal law defines HSIs as accredited, degree-granting institutions with 25% or more of their total undergraduates being Hispanic or Latino. The college’s current Hispanic and Latino enrollment is 22.3%
“This grant will play an important role in helping NWACC remove barriers in students’ educational journeys … We look forward to moving toward HSI designation and utilizing its benefits to improve the lives of our Latino students and community,” said Justin White, NWACC vice president of student services.
Sign up for Daily E-news
