Hispanic enrollment continues to rise – Hispanic enrollment at four-year institutions increased by 287% between 2000 and 2020. Colleges and universities need to prioritize resources and programming to support and serve this growing population of Hispanic/Latinx families.  

If you’re reading this article, you’re already on the right track. Read on for four best practices to engage Spanish-speaking families, based on advice from 3 HSIs doing this well: Northern Arizona University, Texas Woman’s University, and New Mexico State University. Looking to dive deeper? Jump to the bottom of the page to watch our full webinar recording on this topic. 

1. Collect data on family communication preferences

To engage effectively with Spanish-speaking families, you need a way to reach them in the first place. Take advantage of all vehicles to collect parent information and language preferences, including campus visits, parent RFI forms, applications, orientation, and other registration activities. 

Make sure you create a process to effectively use this data within your family communication channels. For example, during orientation registration NMSU collects data on whether parents prefer to receive communication in Spanish or English. From there, they upload those families who selected Spanish into their Spanish-speaking families community in CampusESP to ensure that those families receive content in their language of preference. 

2. Make it easy for families to find important resources in Spanish

Spanish-speaking families are more engaged than average and will likely be looking for information even before their student steps on campus. The easier you can make their experience of accessing key resources and information in Spanish, the better. 

“When one of our students told their dad about The Lumberjack Family Hub, his eyes lit up when he learned that we had resources in Spanish for him,” said Micheleen Pennington, Senior Community Program Coordinator at NAU. “We hear a lot from our students about how they are often translating things throughout the college readiness process to help their families understand, so it’s been very impactful to provide access to that information.” 

3. Offer events and presentations in Spanish 

Offering events in Spanish (even if they’re virtual) can further improve access and belonging. TWU hosts recruitment events, orientation sessions, and financial aid presentations in Spanish to connect personally with families and guide them throughout their student’s college journey.

“When we met with parents at these events, they were all connecting, asking questions and trying to get their students to be college ready and more likely to graduate,” said Javier Flores, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at TWU. “We are enhancing communication so that it directly leads to higher yield in enrollment, retention, and graduation.”  

4. Collaborate with campus partners passionate about inclusivity and access

Campus partners are important resources in helping you reach Spanish-speaking families and achieve your institutional goals. So don’t be afraid to leverage your campus networks and ask for help! In under a year, NAU built relationships with over 30 campus partners to help provide content to translate into Spanish (read more about NAU's strategy!).

“We all work in education for a reason, so finding like-minded people that are passionate about accessibility is not as hard as it sounds,” said Maggie Thom, Program Director for FACTS (Family Access, Communication, Transition, and Support). “When you talk to campus partners about the passion you have for the families that you’re serving, I think you’ll find that they have that same passion.” 

Looking to dive deeper? Watch the full webinar below.

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