Goshen College’s Hispanic-Serving Institution committee gave a presentation over Homecoming Weekend to inform alumni about a series of updates on the current status and progress of the committee. The committee is composed of five members from different GC departments to best connect with students across campus. 

Gilberto Perez Jr., vice president for student life and Hispanic serving initiatives, shared more about the latest updates. One key point of the presentation was introducing the alumni to the HSI pillars: strategies and resources, HSI education and collaborative engagement. 

These pillars outline the committee’s objectives with these goals: “Create actionable campus-wide engagement, socialization and communication plans that promote the HSI designation and celebrate Latino culture;” “Offer informative sessions to students and staff about HSI status and the relevance of being an HSI;” and “Analyze current challenges of the Latino student body and develop strategies, resources and processes that actively support their academic & social success.”

Their main areas of focus are in academics, admissions, adult education and student life. Some of the ongoing projects include increased support for Latino students through bilingual success coaches, offering important informational events for both students and parents in Spanish and hosting English classes for adult learners. 

“We continue to work very closely connecting with parents across the community,” Perez Jr. said. Currently, they are working with alumni on a large study on HSIs across America,  where Perez Jr. will share “who we are as an institution, how we are growing and how we are building support for our students.”

Marisol Cardona Hernandez, assistant director of admissions, works with Hispanic and Latino students in college preparation matters and is leading the Rumbo a la Universidad “Heading to college” workshop series. These workshops are in Spanish and address topics such as preparing for college in the United States, financial aid and transitioning from high school to college. After completing the sessions, students who choose to attend GC are eligible for an annual scholarship.

Following the events of homecoming, Cardona Hernandez said they have been “considering inviting Hispanic and Latino alumni back to campus to take part in various activities and to show them how the student population has grown and all the great things students are achieving.”

Many of the impacts of the HSI committee’s work can be seen around campus, where students may not always realize who was behind the changes. One of their biggest successes was remodeling the first floor of the Harold and Wilma Good Library, including the Academic Success Center. Perez Jr. said that the ASC has done well connecting students to resources. 

The ASC provides many services to students of all backgrounds, but the funding came from the HSI grants that GC received. In September of 2025, the Department of Education cut funding to HSIs, eliminating $350 million in funds to certain colleges across the country, including GC. Those changes have impacted the way the HSI committee has been able to operate. 

“There were a number of things that were impacted by the loss in funds — not to say that our work stopped, but we’ve adjusted to a new reality, and we’re pushing forward with support as we can for all of our students,” Perez Jr. said. 

One result of the loss was restructuring the ASC with less staff, but Perez Jr. doesn’t believe this has made it any less valuable for students. He said, “They’ve had to adjust to the financial challenges, but I think they are batting a thousand, they’re doing really well with the work they’re doing.”

Cardona Hernandez said, “We want students to feel that the campus is their own, to make use of the available resources, and to know that they have a support network while at university and beyond.”

“Every member of the committee is working towards this goal in their role at the college,” she said.

Overall, Hispanic student enrollment remains strong at GC, with 29% of students identifying as Hispanic as of 2025. This number has consistently risen ever since it was first recorded as 2% in 2007. 

GC faculty and staff are committed to making campus a welcoming and supportive environment for students from the time they consider college to the time they graduate. The HSI committee represents one aspect of that support. Regardless of any changes in funding, it will not affect the dedication to the students, Perez Jr. said. 

“We were serving Latino students way before the grant arrived, and we will continue to serve Latino students,” he said.

With reporting by Ana Alves Machado and Liam Shaw