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Dustin Luca
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SALEM, MASS. – The percentage of Salem State University’s student population identifying as Hispanic has grown once again, making the school eligible to apply for the federal designation that would establish it as the state’s first public four-year Hispanic-Serving Institution.
Salem State University is excited to announce that it has cleared the eligibility requirements to become a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution for a second year in a row. With 25.4% of the university’s undergraduate student population identifying as Hispanic in 2024, the number increased to 28% for the current academic year, according to data captured as of Oct. 15.
To be eligible, institutions must have at least 25% of undergraduate students self-identify as Hispanic. With the data supporting its application now in-hand, Salem State will file its application for the designation in early 2026.
Currently, Hispanic and Latino students make up the largest and fastest growing minority student population, both at Salem State and in the Commonwealth. Salem State University has woven into its culture a commitment to better serve this growing population, through efforts like programmatic changes that improve the quality of education for all students attending the university.
“As we close Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month, we are ecstatic to see that our enrollment continues to support our trajectory toward becoming the state’s first four-year public HSI,” university President John Keenan said. “Serving our students and communities is an institutional mission of ours going all the way back to 1854. Today’s announcement marks a milestone in our continuing efforts and evolution to serve all who come to campus.”
The HSI designation is a statutory classification established under Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Twenty percent of all colleges and universities in the United States are HSIs, and through them, an estimated two thirds of all Hispanic college students in the country are educated. Because of that, HSIs play a vital role in improving access to education and eliminating barriers to success for their students—work that Salem State has charted through a Roadmap to Servingness it launched in 2023.
Through the Roadmap to Servingness, the university has worked to ensure that every student—especially those who are first-generation or balancing work and family responsibilities—has the resources and support to succeed.
“Becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution is not just about meeting a threshold—it’s about how we serve our students,” said Bonnie Galinski, vice president of student success at Salem State. “When we invest in programs that support Hispanic and Latino students, the result is a more connected, inclusive, and responsive campus where every student has a clearer path to success.”
As part of its work to achieve the designation, the university has expanded language access across admissions, financial aid, and student services. It has created new professional development for faculty on culturally responsive teaching and implemented Thrive Coaching to connect students in the College of Arts and Sciences with tailored academic support. Even further, faculty, staff, and students have collaborated to understand the lived experiences of Hispanic and Latino students, developing data-informed strategies to close equity gaps and strengthen academic pathways that serve all students on campus.
The work has been a campus-wide effort led by champions of inclusive excellence throughout Salem State. From faculty contributing to the Roadmap to Servingness as it was drafted, to program leaders who execute its goals in their work, becoming an HSI has been an intentional effort that has touched all areas of campus.
“This year, we are continuing to partner with students, faculty, and staff to build capacity, to make data-informed decisions, and to increase student success for all,” said Elisa Castillo, assistant vice president for HSI-MSI Initiatives at Salem State. “As a community, we remain proud of our diverse student population and committed to providing a high-quality education for the students in our region.”
For more on Salem State’s work toward becoming an HSI, please visit salemstate.edu/hsi.