Hispanic-Serving Institution | Northern Arizona University

As an HSI, NAU can redouble our commitment to access and inclusion in higher education. Part of that effort is to honor and celebrate the valuable knowledge and cultural contributions of the many Hispanic communities represented by our students, staff, and faculty.

Would you prefer to read our Hispanic-Serving Institution page in Spanish? See institución de servicio hispano in Spanish for more.

What is a Hispanic-Serving Institution?

Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) is a federal designation NAU achieved in 2021 when Hispanic student enrollment exceeded 25 percent. As an HSI, NAU has access to grant money and other resources to build and reinforce support systems for our valued and diverse Latine community.

Students studying outdoors at the NAU–Yuma campus in southern Arizona.

NAU is one of the

top 10

producers in the country of bachelor's degrees for Hispanic students in fields including public health and hospitality

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

HSI Events

View our calendar to stay up to date on all of the upcoming events that NAU has to offer.

See our events

Two students walking from class at the NAU-Yuma campus.

Student services and resources

Our locations across Arizona and online offer powerful support, tools, and resources. You’ll thrive as part of our vibrant community with help from clubs and organizations, faculty and staff mentoring, multilingual communication options, and more.

N A U faculty member writing in a journal in a lab.

Small worlds, huge impacts

Associate Professor Javier Ceja-Navarro credits his family for supporting him as he studied science and biotechnology. He is excited to encourage other Latine students to pursue science as a career.

Creating change through teaching

Undergraduate Guadalupe Hernandez finds joy in teaching young children.

Students posing on their graduation day.

Navigating new identities

Student Lizy Martinez and professor T. Mark Montoya use research to explore learning barriers for first-generation students.

Picture of students on NAU's student campus.

Charting a different path

Bryan Vazquez, a junior Business Administration student at NAU–Yuma, wants to inspire other first-generation students to pursue a college degree.

Jennifer Martinez, PhD, Professor and Director, Center for Materials Interfaces in Research and Applications, working with NAU students in a lab.

Breaking barriers for Hispanic students

When NAU set the goal of becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution, alumna Nancy Navarro acted fast to bridge the gap.

The Lumberjack Family Hub

Introducing The Lumberjack Family Hub, the ultimate tool for prospective and current families of NAU students. This new platform offers convenient access to resources, newsletters, and events around campus in English and Spanish! By signing up, families can receive regular updates designed to support their student’s growth and success—from the pathway to college, all the way to graduation.

Student's listening to President Cruz speak.

The important role of Hispanic-Serving Institutions

NAU president José Luiz Cruz Rivera is a leading national advocate for policies to expand educational opportunities. His congressional testimony outlined the critically important work of HSIs in pursuit of equitable postsecondary education, and how the US can better support that work.

Learn more

Leading the way

Faculty members Luis Fernandez and Claudia Rodas are spearheading NAU’s commitment to its Hispanic community as HSI advisors to the provost. Professor Fernandez chairs the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Associate Clinical Professor of Special Education Rodas is the lead faculty at NAU’s North Valley and Paradise Valley campuses. Together, they are mapping out programs and initiatives to serve and support Latine students across NAU’s 20+ campuses statewide.

NAU is proud to be a Hispanic-Serving Institution

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