Anthony Hernandez recently published a Key Findings Brief on the Scholar Strategy Network addressing leadership in Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs).
Hernandez earned a master’s degree from the School of Education’s Department of Educational Policy Studies in 2017, and received a PhD from that same department in 2022. Today, he is a faculty associate with the Department of Educational Policy Studies, and is currently writing a book on critical transformation leadership at Hispanic-serving institutions.
Hernandez’s research focuses on leadership in minority-serving institutions (MSIs) in general and on Hispanic-serving institutions in particular.
“As more focus is placed on ways academic institutions can better support their students, there must also be reflection on how leaders play a critical role in guiding the complex organizations that serve large numbers of minority college students — such as Hispanic-serving institutions,” Hernandez says. “My research suggests that fortifying leadership at HSIs would improve important outcomes which include well-being, retention, sense of belongingness, and completion rates for Hispanic students, a traditionally underrepresented and underserved group.”
Hernandez begins by giving examples of successful leaders at HSIs that demonstrate traits such as intentionality and understanding. He further explains the need for this type of leadership for Hispanic students, and the benefits to providing experienced faculty to institutions that serve minority students.
Hernandez adds: “Now is the time to create programming at our national public colleges and universities to prepare higher education leaders to serve the rapidly growing Hispanic college student population. The unique needs of Hispanic college students require leaders who are not only well-trained managers, but critical leaders who are attuned to the unique needs of Hispanic students.”
Read the full brief, “Addressing the Need to Strengthen Leadership at Hispanic-Serving Institutions.”
Hernandez’s work was also featured in the Scholar Strategy Network’s Policy in Brief e-newsletter.