Southern Methodist University (SMU) and the Hispanic College Fund (HCF) committed to a partnership in education with Irving Independent School District in a joint ceremony March 31.
Founded in 1993, the Hispanic College Fund (HCF) is a national non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., with a mission to develop the next generation of Hispanic professionals. For 17 years, HCF has provided educational, scholarship, and mentoring programs to students throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, establishing a career pipeline of talented and career-driven Hispanics.
A main focus of the partnership is to support IISD student participation at the Hispanic Youth Institute - a four-day, three-night college empowerment program of the HCF hosted at SMU - where high school students will learn to overcome both real and perceived barriers to college access. SMU officials said the university is proud to partner with the Hispanic College Fund and Irving ISD for the Dallas Hispanic Youth Institute as part of the university’s commitment to diversity and academic excellence. Officials said that as SMU looks forward to its second century of achievement, the university draws from the dynamic spirit and diverse culture of cities like Irving to advance as a center for teaching, research and learning.
