Hispanic Outreach present at 42nd Annual TACHE Conference

Dr. Fred Fuentes, the assistant dean of Enrollment Management for Hispanic Outreach and Retention (OHOR), along with OHOR Coordinator, Julian Sanchez, collaborated with Curriculum & Instruction colleagues, Dr. Chris Green and Gilbert Hernandez on the topic “Minority Mentorships Matter” for presentation at the 42nd Annual Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE) conference.

One aspect of the presentation was to highlight the 2015-2017 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board grant funding the Latino American Mentorship Program (LAMP). The presentation team also provided a comprehensive representation of the success of LAMP and the OHOR Scholars Program.

Both programs have resulted in phenomenal positive retention rates for student participants, as further evidenced by last semester's GPA of students in each, showing LAMP with an average of 3.25 and the Scholars Program with 3.5. Although the most impressive showing yet may be the 98 percent retention rate of participant students. Dr. Fuentes believes the high retention rate is a direct reflection of the 2016 Rankin & Associates study that highlighted the importance of “feeling connected” to an institution to ensure staying and completing academic goals and graduation.

The TACHE Conference also served as a platform for A&M-Commerce to showcase the significant growth in the Hispanic population over the last decade as well as the university's commitment to serving marginalized populations in North and Northeast Texas. Vice President for Media Relations and Community, Noah L. Nelson spoke about the region's needs to continue its support for programs and diverse populations throughout the region and beyond.