Becoming an HSI
The University of Northern Colorado is proud to be a Students First university committed to serving Hispanic, Chicana/o/x, and Latina/o/x students, faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as the local community and our region. We believe that our diversity is our strength and are committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment where all members of our community feel welcome and supported.
As an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), we have a unique opportunity to
make a difference in the lives of Hispanic and Latinx-identifying students, and are
committed to providing them with the resources and support they need to succeed academically,
socially and professionally. We also believe that it is important to celebrate Hispanic
culture and heritage on our campus, and offer a variety of programs and events that
highlight the diversity of Latinx cultures our students and their families bring with
them to UNC.
By becoming a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, UNC will continue
its long tradition of preparing and graduating leaders who serve and enrich Colorado's
culture and economy.
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Welcome to Bear Country. ¡Te va a encantar!
Like you, at UNC we believe in investing in a quality education. With more than 100 academic programs, affordable costs, and small classes, UNC can be the smart choice for you!
Apply today and join students like Andrea in take your first step toward your future career.
We approach our work with the following vision elements:
The same vision elements frame UNC's 10-year strategic plan Rowing, Not Drifting 2030.
Students First:
Integrating resources, services and strategies for the benefit of students and demonstrating
accountability to ensuring their success.
Empower Inclusivity:
Providing equal access to opportunities and resources for students who in the past may have otherwise been excluded
or marginalized.
Enhance & Invest:
Purpose driven institutional and philanthropic investment in supporting campus and
programmatic enhancements geared toward student completion and graduation.
Innovate & Create:
Developing an institutional structure focused on building capacity in instruction,
faculty and staff development, inclusive hiring practices and advocacy for equitable policy.
Connect & Celebrate:
Promoting the excellence of our students by intentionally strengthening networks of
alumni, parents and support people and business and community leadership.
2022-2023 in Photos
Part of servingness is seeing Hispanic and Latinx culture and people represented on campus, in our faculty and staff, and in leadership roles. This fall, we had the opportunity to host culturally reflective programs, collaborate with internal and external campus partners on highlighting Latinx-identifying students and alumni, and create space for additional representation through cultural artifacts. Swipe through the photos to see what we were up to these last few months. ¡Vamos Osos!
Latinx-identifying leadership, faculty, and staff representing UNC at the 36th Annual Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Conference
Dia de los Muertos altar display by students in UNC's Chicana/o and Latinx Studies department in collaboration with the Mexican Cultural Center
Mexican, Chicana artist and UNC alumna Brenda Vargas-Gonzalez '22 shares insight into her mural Centro de Educación de Aztlan in the UNC library.
UNC HSI leadership alongside representatives from the Colorado Department of Higher Education and Metropolitan State University of Denver
2023 LatinXcellence Graduation Reception and Recognition - More than 335 Latinx-identifying students graduated from UNC in Spring 2023.
Latinx-identifying alumni and staff attending UNC's LatinXcellence Graduation Reception (left to right): Cristóbal Garcia '08, Dr. Tobias Guzmán '95, Teresa Castro '21, Rodolfo "Rudy" Vargas '13, '22, and keynote speaker Corina Hierro '14.
Alumni volunteers Teresa Castro '21 and Alejandro Garcia '17 share their college experiences with students and families attending ¡Adelante!
Bilingual Financial Aid presentations for potential students and families
200+ attendees at the CDHE's visit to UNC for their tour of HSIs
UNC alumna Nancy Wendirad '05 highlighted on-field at UNC Football
UNC students at UNC's Latinx Heritage Tailgate
UNC's Hispanic Serving Institution Steering Committee attend the National Association of Chicana/Chicano Studies Conference in Denver.
Student participants engaging in HSI efforts at the CDHE's visit to UNC
Student artists from UNC's College of Performing and Visual Arts performing Spanish-language songs during our event hosting the Colorado Department of Higher Education
Student artists from both the UNC's College of Performing & Visual Arts and Chicana/o and Latinx Studies department standing next to artist and lecturer Leo Tanguma in front of their collaborative mural
Dia de los Muertos altar display by students in UNC's Chicana/o and Latinx Studies department
UNC staff and faculty enjoying the closing session of the 36th Annual HACU conference
Last year, the Morales family attended ¡Adelante! to learn more about the college process, now Angel Guillermo and his brother Erick are both college students
HSI leadership serve students, faculty, and staff pozole during the fall semester's HSI Community Lunch. Left to right, photo shows Chris, Tobias, and Jonathan after serving pozole.
Latina student graduating in UNC's Fall 2022 commencement ceremonies.
"I hope that UNC becoming an HSI will make me feel like I'm at home on campus. Where I can hear the sounds of my people, and see the colors of my culture reflected in the very fibers of UNC."
— Brenda Vargas '23, UNC alumna
