The University of Arizona has been recognized by the US Department of Education for serving Hispanic students.
The process began in 2015 when the UA began monitoring their enrollment numbers to meet the criteria of this federal designation, meaning at least 25-percent of undergraduate students are Hispanic.
Now the door is open for a vast number of opportunities.
The university will now be able to apply for grants that are exclusively available to schools labeled as Hispanic serving institutions (HSI).
Director of student affairs, Marla Franco, says being the first in the state with this designation means they now hold an even greater responsibility to their students and it is a designation that will need to be reapplied for annually.
"We also know that with that great sense of pride comes great sense of responsibility and we look forward really to providing leadership throughout the state here at the University of Arizona in terms of actualizing what that status means."
The university is the first in the state with this designation and joins a list of 105 four-year institutions.
Hispanic students won't be the only ones to take advantage of this designation. All students of diverse backgrounds and low-income students are eligible for these new grant and research opportunities that come with being an HSI.
