AdventHealth University recently earned a prestigious designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), one of 29 colleges and universities in Florida recognized with this distinction by the U.S. Department of Education.

HSIs are defined as institutions with 25 percent or more Hispanic undergraduate full-time enrollment. 268 Hispanic students (or 35 percent of undergraduates) make AdventHealth University their home for higher education.

“This national recognition is, in large part, due to the outstanding ways our faculty and team foster an environment that welcomes students from diverse backgrounds and viewpoints as well as inspires first-generation college students,” Ruben Martinez, senior vice president of finance for AdventHealth University, said. Martinez’s finance and financial aid teams helped pursue this designation. 

“As a highly diverse campus, we are committed to understanding each other’s cultures and backgrounds, removing financial and social barriers, and discovering each student’s talents and dreams,” Martinez added.

This designation makes AdventHealth University eligible for additional funding to expand educational opportunities for Hispanic students and other underrepresented populations. It also provides support for programs that enhance enrollment, retention, and graduation rates. According to the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equality, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics, one of its goals is “breaking down barriers that impede the access of higher education institutions that serve Hispanic and Latino students, such as HSIs, to Federal funding, and strengthening the capacity of those institutions to participate in Federal programs and partnerships.”

“AdventHealth University’s designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution is especially noteworthy, as it comes at a time when college enrollment is down throughout the U.S. and the number of HSIs decreased for the first time in two decades,” Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL), said. Soto represents the 9th Congressional District, which includes part of Orlando and Osceola County. “Federal funding will allow institutions like AdventHealth University to enhance their approaches to making health care degrees more accessible, creating a diverse workforce and a more robust pipeline of professionals and leaders of tomorrow.”

The original version of this story was posted by AdventHealth.