A Hispanic-Serving Institution Caring for the Entire Region
- TTUHSC El Paso - Institutional Advancement
- Sep 16, 2022
- 2 min read
Transforming the future of health care in the Borderplex
Seventy percent of TTUHSC El Paso’s personnel, including faculty, identify as Hispanic. That diversity is vital to the success of our student body, which is 48% Hispanic and often first-generation college students.
The university has been a recognized Title V Hispanic-Serving Institution since 2018. It was the second Health-Related Institution in the nation to receive the designation and the only one on the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Students of minority groups experience unique barriers and stressors that can impact their success in higher education,” said Christiane Herber-Valdez, Ed.D., assistant vice president for Academic Affairs. “As an HSI, we aim to foster a culture of belonging by creating inclusive, nurturing environments for Hispanic and other traditionally underserved students.”
The U.S. Census Bureau predicts a continued climb in the number of Hispanic people in the nation, accounting for 25% of the population in 10 years. However, less than 6% of physicians, registered nurses and dentists in the U.S. identify as Hispanic. Additionally, only 8% of “medical scientists” identify as Hispanic, according to the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report.
Since 2012, the university has graduated 1,851 physicians, nurses and biomedical researchers. It will soon add dental school graduates to its alumni. Providing access to advanced education encourages graduates from the border region to work locally as health care providers – a critical need because El Paso County is designated as a Health Professional Shortage Area.
Hispanic-Serving Institutions, similar to Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Colleges and Universities, were identified and given an official designation by the U.S. Department of Eduation as higher education leaders started to recognize and address the gaps minority groups were experiencing in education. While programs and services are made to close those gaps, it’s also important to know that Hispanic-Serving Institutions are eligible for multimillion-dollar grants that benefit the entire community and student body – even those who are not Hispanic.
Read More: TECH TALK - SEPT 16, 2022
YOU CAN HELP
At TTUHSC El Paso, we are committed to growing our own health care heroes and changing the state of health care in our Borderplex. For more information about how you can help, please contact andrea.tawney@ttuhsc.edu or craig.holden@ttuhsc.edu or visit ttuhscep.edu/elpaso/ia/giving/.
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