Since its founding, Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) has focused on identifying and meeting the academic, social, and financial needs of the diverse communities it serves. In recent years, it has been nationally recognized for particular efforts that have attracted Hispanic students and are open to students from all backgrounds and races through FDU’s acclaimed Hispanic Center and Center for Student Success.
Building Community Through Education
In 2003, FDU began these innovative efforts by establishing the Gateway to the Future/Puerta Al Futuro program. The university recognized that New Jersey’s adult immigrant population, particularly those who are Spanish speaking, needed an academic program that understands their educational needs as well as their desire to learn English, and leverages that with their prior college credits and degrees from their home countries to graduate adult learners who support academic, social, and economic growth in their communities. The program was an incredible success and has grown greatly.
Building on the success of Gateway to the Future/Puerta Al Futuro, the university developed FDU Promise/Latino Promise in 2007 to serve traditional age students who were looking for a personalized and affordable college experience. Students receive support from faculty and staff who are themselves bilingual with very similar backgrounds and who can break down the admissions and financial aid processes for them and their extended families. These same individuals guide them through their first two years to earn their associate degrees and support them through their bachelor’s and graduate degrees.
As these programs gained great popularity, FDU’s Hispanic Center and Center for Student Success continued expanding. The Center recognized the shifting tide among students and moved to address student needs. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the U.S. saw a marked increase in the number of English Learners (ELs) in public schools across the nation, with 76.4% of these students identifying Spanish as their primary language. New Jersey mirrors the national landscape; therefore, as in the past, FDU stepped up and developed the HACER Bilingual Program in 2015. Like Puerta Al Futuro, HACER offers students the opportunity to earn college credits in bilingual academic courses and take seven hours per week of ESL at no additional cost.
All HACER and FDU Promise/Latino Promise students automatically receive a grant that is worth 50% of tuition, which, along with federal and state financial aid, drastically reduces the cost of attendance for students and families. Additionally, to ensure that students do not miss out on funds, bilingual financial aid counselors work with the Hispanic Center and Center for Student Success to provide outreach, workshops, and guidance to all students and families.
In 2022, this work was recognized by Excelencia in Education, and Latino Promise and HACER were named Examples of Excelencia at the associate degree level. Students in these FDU programs earn their associate degrees in 2.1 years, much faster than the state and national average. This outcome is due to students’ hard work and dedication, an honoring of student culture, comprehensive services provided by FDU, and familial involvement and commitment.
As New Jersey ramped up its efforts to enroll more students in dual enrollment programs, FDU followed suit by building on its dual enrollment offerings to include a bilingual option for Spanish speaking ELs who would not otherwise qualify for this opportunity. In 2018, FDU carefully developed the Avanza Program together with its public-school partners, by examining the barriers to dual enrollment programs and overcoming them through strategies such as providing transportation, covering tuition for every enrolled student, and connecting bilingual faculty directly with families to build a stronger support system. Avanza students can transfer their earned college credits to FDU or another institution of their choosing.
Creating Social Networks
FDU’s Hispanic Center and Center for Student Success understand the cultural capital students bring to the university and help students build on this by expanding their social networks. Students, many of whom are first generation, are less likely to be able to rely on family members to help them mine career opportunities, and that is where higher education institutions can fill the gap. FDU and the Hispanic Center and Center for Student Success collaborate with elected officials, nonprofit organizations, corporate partners, and others to create networking, volunteer, internship, apprenticeship, and full-time job opportunities for students. The Center works alongside these partners to better understand the sociocultural and economic obstacles that stand in the way of graduating from college and embarking on a fulfilling career path. Cultivating these partnerships allows for a more nuanced and responsive approach to help students overcome these hurdles.
Translating their skills- including adaptability, cultural competence, and bilingualism - into a cover letter or interview is something that all college students need support with, particularly in today’s fast-paced world. Alumni are often an untapped resource; however, alumni of the Hispanic Center and Center for Student Success programs are one of the best sources of knowledge and support for current students. Building on this idea of community and family, alumni who have graduated and are currently working in fields including technology, finance, public service, graphic design, hospitality, finance, marketing, education and publishing, are invited to participate in events and speak in classes to share their experiences.
FDU’s Hispanic Center and Center for Student Success strives to serve Hispanic students and all others who are interested and who would benefit from these programs. Getting students through the admissions process and enrolling them in college is just the beginning. Colleges and universities need to be responsive and serve Hispanic students and indeed all students in dynamic ways, draw from their strengths, and build on their networks so that they are prepared to enter the ever-changing workplace. This must be central to the mission of higher education to ensure that we keep our promise to our comunidad.
For more information on FDU’s Hispanic Center and the Center for Student Success, see https://www.fdu.edu/hccss
People of all backgrounds and experiences are welcome to participate in all programs and activities offered by the Hispanic Center and Center for Student Success, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or gender expression, or any other basis protected by law.
About the author
Dr. Irene Oujo is the Executive Director of the Hispanic Center and Center for Student Success at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Since 2006, Dr. Oujo has worked as a faculty member and administrator, striving to increase the college entrance, persistence and graduation rates of Hispanic and all students.
