In August, about 80 Latino students and their families will be welcomed at Grand Valley State University for the third annual Laker Familia, an orientation specific to Latino/a students.
We include the parents and siblings of our new students during a portion of this orientation because we want the entire family to feel comfortable with their student’s decision to become a Laker.
Laker Familia is a solid example of Grand Valley’s commitment to ensuring the success of students of color. This initiative was created to help address challenges, such as finances, cultural differences and academic readiness, that might keep students from graduating.
Graduation rates for students of color have improved nationally, and we must continue that momentum. Grand Valley is a leader in this area because of our intentional focus on student success.
I’m pleased to be the first university president in Michigan to join Excelencia in Education’s Presidents for Latino Student Success (Excelencia). With other presidents, I will advocate for increased higher education access for Latino/a students and support them with resources and services. Joining Excelencia fits within Grand Valley’s strategic plan of providing students with the tools they need to succeed.
Here is an example: Laker Familia will expand this year beyond three days in August to a yearlong support program for Latino/a students. Data show that these types of initiatives work both as recruitment and retention tools.
Grand Valley’s enrollment of Latino/a students increased in 2015 by 6.5 percent over the previous year—from 1,090 in 2014 to 1,161 last fall. I’m also pleased that we have one of the highest graduation rates for Latino/a students among Michigan’s 15 public universities.
