Henry Cisneros, Former Secretary of HUD, Delivers NHU Commencement Address

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Hispanic University (NHU) held its 28th commencement ceremony on May 11 and celebrated the accomplishments of 85 students who earned their master's and bachelor's degrees, teacher education credentials and certificates. The Hon. Henry Cisneros, former secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and current chair of NHU's advisory board, addressed the graduates, sharing that this is a time of great promise in America and that there are no limits to what the graduates can accomplish.

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"Today is a day of gratitude and congratulations to the graduates. You have exercised discipline and hard work. You have mastered a body of knowledge and personal skills that will last far beyond your knowledge gained," said Mr. Cisneros. He advised the graduates, "Keep intellectually curious and restless. This graduation is not the end of your education."

Mr. Cisneros also congratulated and praised NHU as a place that recognizes Latinos and is a pioneer in educating Latinos saying, "Congratulations to NHU, what a national treasure it is to have the only institution created in this way ... this is the future ..." Mr. Cisneros highlighted what he sees as continued growth at NHU with its expanded program offerings, both on campus and online.

At the San Jose ceremony, NHU honored Mr. Cisneros with a Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa, for his tireless work and commitment to improve the lives of so many through education while contributing to the rebuilding of their communities.

Mr. Cisneros began his career serving three terms as a city council member. In 1981, he became the first Hispanic-American mayor of a major U.S. city, San Antonio, Texas. During his four terms as mayor, he helped rebuild the city's economic base and spurred the creation of jobs through massive infrastructure and downtown improvements. In 1992, President Bill Clinton appointed Mr. Cisneros to be the HUD secretary, where he was credited with initiating the revitalization of many of the nation's public housing developments and with formulating policies that contributed to achieving the nation's highest-ever home ownership rate. After leaving HUD in 1997, Mr. Cisneros was president and chief operating officer of Univision Communications. Currently, Mr. Cisneros is executive chair of the CityView companies and remains actively involved in urban investing and building for community revitalization projects in large cities throughout the United States.

For additional information about The National Hispanic University, visit www.NHU.edu.

About The National Hispanic University
For more than 30 years, The National Hispanic University has provided Hispanic students and others with access to quality higher education. Located in San Jose, Calif., the university offers a diverse portfolio of online and campus-based undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs in business, education, child development and computer science. Students are supported in a multicultural and collaborative learning environment that is based on Familia™, a personalized approach that fosters students' success through mutual respect and cultura. The National Hispanic University, a member of the Laureate International Universities network, is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). For more information, visit www.NHU.edu.

SOURCE The National Hispanic University