Before Marina Jimenez was ever enrolled at Stanislaus State, she felt a sense of belonging and acceptance while on campus as she watched friends and family pursue a higher education.
“I had the pleasure of seeing and experiencing some of their journeys alongside them,” Jimenez said. “I was able to witness my friends and many others who looked just like me succeed.”
As her friends were honored at the annual Chicanx/Latinx Graduation Celebration, one of six end-of-year celebrations celebrating Stan State’s diverse student body, Jimenez started to visualize herself someday walking the same stage.
“I am very excited to participate in the program when my time for graduation comes,” said Jimenez, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in creative media. “Creating a special graduation ceremony that honors our people and our hard work is something so special. A lot of our stories are very similar with our families coming from immigrant beginnings. Many of our parents, grandparents and family gave up everything to see their family achieve dreams that would not be possible without their sacrifice. The thought of seeing many students honor and celebrate their graduation through their culture is so impactful. It goes beyond academics.
“From the events to the curriculum, and the students, faculty and staff, Stan State provides a diverse culture that shows how much they really understand their community. Now being a student, I get to witness just how much more the school community takes action to show that their students’ matter.”
As a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), the University is committed to creating an environment where students, faculty and staff feel welcomed, supported and empowered to succeed.
During National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week, observed this year Sept. 14-20, and National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated annually from Sept. 15-Oct. 15., the celebration at Stan State carries particular meaning.
For Jimenez, attending an HSI means knowing that her culture and background are valued.
“Being part of a Hispanic-Serving Institution gives me the opportunity to carry that title with pride,” Jimenez said. “Growing up, the representation of myself and the people of my world was very minimal. I felt the pressure to silence such a big part of my identity to fit into the standards of society. As I have come into my adulthood, I understand that those standards were never meant to be a part of my story.”
At Stan State, approximately 62 percent of undergraduate students identify as Hispanic or Latino. To qualify for the designation, a university must have an enrollment of at least 25percent Hispanic undergraduate students and meet additional federal eligibility requirements.
But being an HSI is more than meeting an enrollment benchmark. It means creating an environment where students feel welcomed, supported and empowered.
That sense of community and identity comes through in the relationships developed across campus. Vincent De La Paz, a first-year transfer student studying English, said the camaraderie of classmates has enhanced his experience as a Warrior.
“It’s comforting to see people that have a background similar to mine also going through a similar journey getting our education,” De La Paz said.
Nursing student Mari Carmen Onofre Javier said access to mentors and professors who understand students’ journeys is an important part of academic success. She also pointed to the diversity of ideas and cultures on campus as an opportunity for students to build cultural awareness that will support them in their education and future careers.
Melanie Medina, an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, joined Stan State in August and quickly became involved the Chicanx/Latinx Faculty and Staff Association (CLFSA) to connect with others on campus and share ideas about how to better serve students and campus community.
“As an educator, I see this commitment reflected in the importance of creating inclusive classrooms, providing meaningful mentorship and helping students recognize that they belong in higher education, in science and in whatever professional paths they choose,” Medina said. “I am still learning and getting involved, but I hope to contribute through mentorship, support for students and efforts that help students feel represented and encouraged, especially in STEM fields.
“Students’ backgrounds, families, languages and life experiences are an important part of who they are. It’s important that students feel they can bring their full selves into the classroom and still feel supported, capable and welcome.”
For Rocio Alvarez, a lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, the CLFSA has been an important source of connection during her eight years at Stan State.
“Since becoming a member of CLFSA, I have had the opportunity to meet so many great people who work on this campus and who share similar life experiences, language, goals and beliefs that I do,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez now serves as one of the association’s co-chairs and looks forward to helping cultivate that sense of belonging for others.
The CLFSA is one of the several cultural and affinity groups at Stan State, all aiming to empower transformative learning using a student-centered approach to promote and validate intersectional identities and experiences.
At Stan State, being an HSI is an ongoing responsibility: to understand who students are, listen to their needs and continually strengthen how the University serves them.
The University’s work toward this responsibility was recently recognized with a finalist designation for the Seal of Excelencia from Excelencia in Education, the nation’s highest recognition for institutions that intentionally serve Latino students while strengthening success for all Warriors.
During her Fall Welcome Address, President Britt Rios-Ellis described the finalist recognition as an important milestone in Stan State’s history and as a call for the University to build on work already taking place across campus.
As part of its continued to development as an HSI, Stan State established the Seal of Excelencia Readiness (SOER) grants, which support collaboration among faculty and staff as they develop projects designed to create meaningful impact and inform promising practices nationwide. One of these projects is Cultivating Excelencia, led by Educational Opportunity Program Summer Bridge Specialist Lili Cruz. The project supports a culturally responsive model for a summer program that integrates academic preparation, identity development and community building for incoming Warriors.
By honoring the rich histories and cultures of the campus community, Stan State affirms its commitment to an inclusive campus where students of all backgrounds can learn, contribute and thrive.
