National Nonprofit Launches New Initiative to Boost Student Success at Five Emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions

Mission-driven nonprofit InsideTrack launches Strive initiative to boost
Latino student success and institutional capacity at colleges and
universities on the cusp of HSI designation

PORTLAND, Ore., June 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- InsideTrack, a mission-driven nonprofit with a nearly 25-year track record of unlocking student success for millions of college students through the power of coaching, today announced the launch of Strive to Thrive (Strive) — a new three-year initiative to accelerate Latino student success across an initial cohort of four emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and one recently designated HSI. Strive will work to boost college enrollment, retention, and completion by helping institutions adopt evidence-based coaching and student success strategies.

"Because of the student demographics they serve, colleges that are on the path to becoming Hispanic-Serving Institutions are uniquely positioned to pilot and scale the kind of support services that can remove barriers to student success," said Ruth Bauer, president of InsideTrack. "By strengthening their capacity with effective coaching and proven tools, we can support these colleges as they work to expand access and improve outcomes for all learners — particularly those working to balance education with multiple work and family responsibilities."

Nearly 20% of U.S. undergraduates today identify as Latino, and more than 600 institutions are designated as HSIs under federal law because they have full-time equivalent undergraduate enrollment that is at least 25% Hispanic. These institutions now enroll approximately one-third of all college students and 60% of all Latino undergraduates, according to a recent brief from Excelencia in Education. Meanwhile, research from HACU shows that there are 425 "emerging HSIs" — defined as institutions with Latino enrollment between 15% and 24.9% — that represent a critical front for improving educational and career outcomes for Latino students in higher education.

Over the next three years, the Strive initiative will convene an initial cohort to strengthen campus-wide capacity and support services that improve success for all students, including the growing number of Latino students that these institutions enroll. Starting this summer, the initiative will provide personalized outreach and success coaching to students currently enrolled at these emerging HSIs as well as those who have stopped out before completing their degree.

In addition to direct coaching support, participating colleges and universities will benefit from institutional training in InsideTrack's evidence-based coaching methodology, which can help remove barriers to financial, academic, and social barriers to enrolling and completing higher education.

"Emerging HSIs represent some of the most dynamic institutions in higher education — deeply committed to Latino student success, yet often navigating and overcoming resource constraints to meet the needs of the regions they serve," said Marla Franco, Ph.D, Vice President of Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Initiatives at the University of Arizona, co-founder of the Arizona HSI Consortium, and a member of InsideTrack's Advisory Board. "By investing not only in direct support for students, but also the campus infrastructure needed to deliver on the promise of servingness, we deliver long-term results for all students."

The institutions expected to participate in the first phase of the work include:

• Durham Technical Community College
• Treasure Valley Community College
• Salem State University
• Salt Lake Community College
• Western Oregon University

As part of the initiative, InsideTrack will also convene a national community of practice where participating institutions and field experts can share best practices, exchange ideas, and collaborate on scalable approaches to serving Latino students. The initiative plans to expand to twelve campuses as the work progresses. InsideTrack will also publish a report sharing insights and lessons learned for improving student outcomes and building capacity across the emerging HSI sector.

"At SLCC, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and our responsibility to support every student's journey," said Kino Hurtado, Director of Hispanic Serving Initiatives at Salt Lake Community College. "This partnership is about creating a campus where students feel seen, valued, and supported — every step of the way. We're grateful for the opportunity to advance Latinx student success and to grow into our identity as an emerging HSI committed to serving all learners."

To learn more about InsideTrack and Strive to Thrive, visit insidetrack.org/hispanic-serving-institutions.

‍About InsideTrack: InsideTrack is a mission-driven nonprofit that fuels positive change by empowering and advancing all learners to achieve their educational and career goals through the transformative power of coaching. We help people get the education they need to enhance well-being, create opportunity and secure meaningful employment — ultimately facilitating economic and social mobility. Since 2001, we have served over 3.5 million learners, partnering with more than 380 institutions and organizations to directly improve enrollment, retention, completion, and career advancement — tailoring our coaching outcomes to fit the needs of our partners and the learners they support. Our coaching methodology is evidence-based and research-confirmed, supporting all types of learners at every stage of their journey — especially those who face systemic barriers to postsecondary success. We are a catalyst for transformational impact, ultimately empowering learners and the organizations that serve them. To learn more, visit www.insidetrack.org and follow us on LinkedIn @InsideTrack and X @InsideTrack. 

SOURCE InsideTrack