Latino student advocacy and mentoring team

 

POSTED ON Apr 22, 2022

 

Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia has always prided itself for being a diverse campus with many programs and clubs for minorities to join.

The Latinos Student Advocacy and Mentoring Team was created to educate active members of the VCU community. According to the Department of Education, the enrollment of undergraduates in colleges and universities is expected to increase about 14% in the coming years. The demographic on campuses around the country is changing, resulting in a more diverse population.

Latinos are key players in diversifying college and university campuses. Although the enrollment of Latinos in institutions of higher education continues to grow, the rate of college degree completion for this group is still lower than for other underrepresented minorities. This means Latino students are attending college and university but are not graduating, which could be due to several different factors including financial burdens.

VCU is dedicated to fostering an environment that will allow Latino students to thrive and succeed. They are active in creating a safe and welcoming environment for students from various walks of life.

“Institutional academic success is achieved when all students are provided the support needed to achieve/develop their maximum potential,” VCU states on their website. “We acknowledge that other underrepresented minorities, low-income and first-generation students face similar challenges to the Hispanic/Latino students, but we expect the findings and recommendations of this team will lead to institutional changes that will enhance the academic experience of a larger pool of VCU students.”

This student mentoring and advocate team is a new initiative created by the College of Humanities and Sciences to foster a safe learning environment where minority students can reach their full potential.