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The purpose is to provide a collaborative community of HSIs that strengthens our organizational capacity to intentionally serve Latinx and Hispanic students. The consortium supports this mission through professional development, networking opportunities, and resource sharing. It also fosters collaboration to seek federal and foundation funding and encourages strong community partnerships.

In addition, the group works to inform policymakers and other stakeholders about HSI-related issues. It advocates for enhanced funding, new initiatives, programs, and services. The consortium also stays informed on laws, regulations, policies, and trends related to HSI designation and support. These goals and objectives were developed and implemented by the steering committee. Notable work from the University of Arizona and the Arizona HSI Consortium helped guide this vision.

The inception of the Colorado HSI Consortium began with the gracious participation of Dra. Marla Franco. She served as a keynote speaker at the Higher Education Diversity Summit: Learning Critically into HSI and MSI Servingness in the spring of 2022.

After the summit, Dra. Franco had a meaningful conversation with Dr. Del Real and Dr. Montoya about the idea of forming a Colorado HSI Consortium. Her guidance helped plant the seed that would grow into this statewide effort.

Dr. Montoya later demonstrated his leadership by launching an HSI tour across Colorado during Latinx Heritage Month. This initiative reflected his strong commitment and vision.

We are also deeply grateful to Dra. Marla Franco and the Arizona HSI Consortium team, whose work served as a blueprint for shaping the Colorado HSI Consortium.

On November 15, 2022, a significant milestone was reached as the inaugural meeting of the Colorado HSI Consortium took place. This momentous occasion gathered Presidents, Chancellors, senior staff, faculty members, and esteemed HSI leaders from current and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) across Colorado. The primary purpose of this gathering was to assess their level of interest and unwavering commitment to collectively fostering a future where Colorado stands as a state dedicated to serving the Latinx community.

On May 2, 2023, we marked another significant step forward as we hosted our first steering committee meeting, with a remarkable turnout of 30 dedicated individuals. The core focus of this meeting was to facilitate introductions and establish our main goals and bylaws.

On July 18, 2023, we embraced the opportunity to connect in person at Red Rocks Community College during our first summer retreat. Guided by the expertise of Dra. Angela Marquez, we honed in on finalizing our goals and objectives, working towards establishing a robust State Servingess Framework.