Assembly member Chris Holden Awards University of La Verne for Supporting Latino Student Success

California Assembly member Chris Holden honored the University of La Verne with the Institutional Leadership Award during a forum on Sept. 21 about challenges and opportunities facing Latino students.

The award recognizes the university’s contributions to Latino student success.

“The University of La Verne has made a conscious effort to move in the direction of meeting the needs of our diverse community by implementing a campus-wide university strategic plan on diversity,” Holden said in his announcement. “The university also has a very successful Center for Multicultural Services dedicated to fostering an environment of exploration and empowerment of diverse cultural communities.”

The University of La Verne is a federally-designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Nearly 45 percent of the university’s students are Hispanic, reflecting the diversity of the surrounding region.

Holden presented the award during the Status of Latinos & Higher Education Forum, which took place at Pasadena City College. The forum helped parents and college-bound students connect with area college and university representatives and learn more about issues facing Latino students.

Vice Provost and Chief Diversity Officer Beatriz Gonzalez served on a discussion panel with higher education leaders and accepted the award on behalf of the university.

Gonzalez cited a number of factors contributing to the award such as the university’s $6 million U.S. Department of Education STEM grant, which was awarded in 2016. The university plans to use the grant to boost the number of Latinos and students from underserved backgrounds completing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics by 10 percent by 2021. She said the university has also implemented a new Latino studies program, hiring new faculty to support it, and expanded its Center for Multicultural Services, among other initiatives.