The number of Hispanics and Latinos enrolling in college increased 24 percent last year, according to a recent Pew Hispanic Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

Although the national population of 18- to 24-year-old Latinos grew to 19 percent from April 2009 to March 2010, the rise in Hispanics and Latinos enrolling in college is outpacing the rise of their growth in the national population, said Richard Fry, the senior research associate at the Pew Hispanic Center who authored the August report.

Latinos’ high school completion rate reached 73 percent in 2010 — the highest since 1972, Fry said. This rising educational attainment is driving the increase, he said.

‘More young Hispanics are finishing high school,’ Fry said. ‘And when young Hispanics finish high school, more are choosing to attend college.’

When the recession began at the end of 2007, Fry expected to see a rise in enrollment rates and noted a countercyclical trend between the economy and enrollment. Dismal prospects for employment make education a viable option for young people.

‘The boom of college enrollment rates is a silver lining,’ Fry said.

At Syracuse University, Hispanic and Latino enrollment increased from 5.8 to 6.5 percent of all enrolled students from 2009-10, according to data from SU’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. In 2008, 5.2 percent of all enrolled students self-identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino. This fall, the figure increased to 7.4 percent.

Donald Saleh, vice president for enrollment management at SU, acknowledged the higher college-going rate for Hispanics and Latinos and attributed the rise to several factors.

‘In part, (it’s) because of our recruitment efforts in communities that have higher Hispanic populations,’ he said. SU actively recruits in New York City, Washington, D.C., Florida, Georgia, California and Puerto Rico.

‘Our goal is to build a strong student body, and one of the strengths of our student body is diversity,’ Saleh said. ‘Syracuse is getting to be known as an institution with a very diverse student body, so it’s attractive to Hispanic students.’

That is why Harly Rodriguez, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, chose to attend SU.

‘I got accepted to Holy Cross, but I chose to go to SU because of the diversity,’ Rodriguez said. ‘I want to be with people who are similar to me.’

Myrna García Calderón, interim director of the Latino-Latin American Studies program, has observed evolving Hispanic populations and academic studies since attending college in Puerto Rico in the 1970s. She said the largest Latino population in her classes is from the Dominican Republic.

Puerto Ricans were the second-largest group she’s witnessed in her six years on campus. And she said Latinos from New York City are highly represented.

Rodriguez, and two fellow members of the Latino-focused Phi Iota Alpha fraternity, said they noticed the growing number of Hispanic and Latino students.

‘There are more and more people from ‘the Island’ (Puerto Rico), and Latinos from places like the Bronx,’ said Joluis De Los Santos, a junior in Arts and Sciences.

Some Latino students said increasing educational opportunities and cultural shifts may influence this rise, and García Calderón pointed to conflicts Latinos might face once enrolled.

‘Many have different backgrounds,’ she said. ‘We speak a lot about inclusion and openness, but the most important issue is retention.’

‘It’s great if the numbers of enrollment increase, but what’s greater is seeing those numbers reflected in graduation rates,’ García Calderón said. ‘How do we not only open the door but address other needs that traditional students might not have?’

ewcarey@syr.edu

 

Published on October 11, 2011 at 12:00 pm