VALHEN

Virginia Latino Higher Education Network

www.valhen.org

VALHEN/NCORE 2010
 VALHEN
is the only state-wide, non-profit,
501(c)3 organization
serving as a networking structure
to support, promote, and advocate
for Latino success and advancement
in higher education
for the benefit and betterment of the
Commonwealth of Virginia.
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VALHEN members are all volunteers.

We are driven by the passionate belief

that our Latino children and
communities
must have access to education
in order to become full and contributing
members of our Commonwealth.

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 Our strength is
our inclusivity at all levels:
Latinos and non-Latinos
working side by side,
with public and private,
two- and four-year institutions
represented on our Board of Directors
and membership ranks.

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Twenty years ago . . . a transformation:
-Virginia had two main populations: whites and African
Americans.
-Latinos concentrated in urban Northern Virginia (DC
Metro area); many were associated with the diplomatic
and international communities
-Migrant workers populated the Eastern Shore and
Shenandoah Valley, working in agriculture, food
processing, and seafood industries
-The military brought Latinos to the Tidewater area
-But, many places had never had a Latino resident!

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 Today . . .
Latino presence has tripled from 1990 to 2006;
with growth all over, especially in smaller
communities
and, very importantly . . .
Virginia does not have a system of higher
education, so it is harder for professionals to
get to know each other and coordinate efforts

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 Growth in US Hispanic Population
2000-01 to 2007-08
VA +65%
ME +67.3%
ND +54.1%

NH +60.7%
SD +69.5%

NV +63.6%
DE +50.6%
UT +52.1%
MD +56.3%

WVA+57.6%

TN +74.0%

SC +77.7%

GA +70.2%
+54.7%
AR +73.0%

South: +48.9%
West: +26.1%
Midwest: +31.5% Southwest: +28.4% Middle States: +18.6% New England: +26.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
 Latino Population Growth & Projection:
U.S. and Virginia

1990 to 2030

1990 2000 2010 2020 2030

US 9% 12.5% 16% 19.4% 23%
Virginia 2.5% 4.7% 6.8% 8.3% 10%

Sources: US Census Bureau and

Virginia Employment Commission (VEC)
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 Latino College Enrollment in Virginia
Up 112% from 1998 to 2008

FALL 2009 Number of % Latino Institutions with largest

Institutions Enrolled Latino enrollment
4-yr Public 15 3.8% GMU--7.1% W&M-5.4%
VCCS 23 5.6% NVCC-13.7% GCC-5.1%
Private/Non- 34 3.1% Marymount Roanoke C.
profit U. 9.9% 5.8%

Source: SCHEV
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Where are they?

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 The Virginia Landscape
About 6.8% of Virginians are However. . .
Latino for Virginians under 18,
Of these: 60% are US- Citizens the picture is very
47% US-born
different!
13% naturalized
85% are US-born
Remaining 40% are
non-citizen immigrants 3% are naturalized-citizens
12% are immigrants

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Weldon Cooper Center 2008
 Their Roots
Central America: El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala and other

South America: Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and other

Caribbean: Cuban and other

Weldon-Cooper Center 2008

By the way . . .

?
Did you know that . . . ?
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Virginias Spanish origins
date back to the early
16th Century,
many years before
the English landed in
Jamestown in 1607.

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 In 1524, Spaniards sailed up the
Rio Guandape (James River) &
established a settlement of about
600 people (near Jamestown),
called San Miguel de Guandape.

In 1527, after ship-fever almost

exterminated the colony, a few
stayed to live with the Indians
while the rest returned to the
island of Hispanola.

In 1570, Spanish Jesuits set up

the Ajacan Mission on the York
River in the Bahia de la Madre de
Dios (the Chesapeake Bay).

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 In fact . . .
Virginias famous wild ponies of Chincoteague Island
are the descendants of Arabian horses
from a shipwrecked Spanish galleon.

It is believed that the horses swam to the island, where

they could only eat the salt marsh's coarse cord
grasses and seaweed and drink the sea water.

The next generation of

horses were stunted in
growth, but remained
very hardy in nature!

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The Three-Legged Stool Approach:

1. Create a network of professionals

2. Conduct research on our population
3. Reach out to our
community

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 Goal 1. A Network of Professionals
Be the connective tissue in Virginias
web of academic professionals and
community leaders.
Disseminate useful information and best
practices amongst our members and their
institutions.
Facilitate communication and
collaboration among our members.
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 Goal 2. Conduct Research
Seek out opportunities to conduct research
on Virginias Latino population, especially
pertaining to education.
Become the go-to-source for expert
information on Latinos and education in
the Commonwealth.
Highlight the research and work of
our members.

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 Goal 3. Reach Out
Seek partners and funders to develop
outreach programs designed to increase
access and improve success for our Latino
students in higher education.
Work with parents to help them understand
our system of education and better
encourage our students to seek post
high school education.

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Our Journey . . .

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In the Beginning . . .
1) Conversations about getting
together

2) First Encuentro at VCU in

2007

3) Participants interested in
continuing conversations
Dr. Maricel Quintana-Baker
Encuentro 2007
Scott House, VCU

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The Next Year--2008 1) Created Listserv

2) Encuentro 2008 at VCU

3) Attendees very interested in a

more formal organization

4) Began work for incorporation

5) Created Website
Participants
Encuentro 2008
Student Center, VCU
6) Incorporated in December 2008
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 2009 Encuentro hosted by
Hispanic Caucus of Virginia Tech
1) Prepared application for non-
profit status

2) VCCS WizardSpanish
version editors

4) Held first general meeting

via online method

5) Had 3 sponsors
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 2010 Encuentro hosted by Virginia State University
1) First scholarship awarded
2) 501c 3 status awarded December 2009
3) First time membership benefits secured
4) Increased sponsors to eleven

VA Secretary of Education
Gerard Robinson 27
Next
Steps

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 Encuentro 2011
Northern Virginia Community College
Annandale Campus
March 24 & 25

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The Next 12 Months:
1) Prepare for 2011 Encuentro
2) Seek additional sponsors
3) Increase membership
4) Augment scholarship funds
5) Start Lecture Series-Fall 2010
6) Create Advisory Board
7) Implement Outreach Program
8) Reinstate Listserv
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1) Re-design logo and website
2) Hire part-time executive director
3) Finalize location for 2012 Encuentro
4) Expand outreach efforts
5) Increase sponsors and membership
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 Questions?
Preguntas?