The Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CAHSI) based at The University of Texas at El Paso recently was selected as a Bright Spot in Hispanic Education in honor of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics’ 25th anniversary.
CAHSI was formed in 2004 as a nationwide grassroots effort to increase the number of Hispanic students who pursue and complete baccalaureate and advanced degrees in the Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering (CISE) areas.
Since 2004, CAHSI has played a large role in contributing to the number of doctoral degrees in computing earned by Hispanic students in the U.S. In 2014, CAHSI was responsible for approximately 10 percent of all Hispanic students in the U.S. graduating with undergraduate degrees in computer science.
“The recognition is an attribute to all the faculty and staff at CAHSI institutions who are committed to the success of our students,” said Ann Q. Gates, Ph.D., professor and chair of the UTEP computer science department and member of the CAHSI executive council. “Being included as a Bright Spot highlights the effectiveness and importance of CAHSI recruitment, retention and advancement of Hispanics, and we anticipate that it will lead to increased support and expansion of our efforts.”
“There has been notable progress in Hispanic Educational achievement and it is due to the efforts of these Bright Spots in Hispanic education working throughout the country to help Hispanic students reach their full potential,” said Alejandra Ceja, executive director of the White House initiative.
As a Bright Spot, UTEP’s CAHSI will be part of a national online catalog that includes more than 230 programs that invest in key education priorities for Hispanics, providing an overview of each Bright Spot.
The White House Initiative seeks to leverage these Bright Spots to encourage collaboration between stakeholders focused on similar issues in sharing data-driven approaches, promising practices, peer advice and effective partnerships, ultimately resulting in increased support for the educational attainment of the Hispanic community.
The initiative was established in 1990 to address the educational disparities faced by the Hispanic Community. To learn more, visit www.ed.gov/HispanicInitiative.