by Letty Fregoso
Staff Writer
According to a recent survey, the University of La Verne is ranked third highest among private colleges and universities in the 1991-92 academic school year at graduating Hispanic students in California.
Adeline Cardenas-Clague, dean of enrollment services, said that she was not aware of this until recent notice.
Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, a national magazine, conducted a survey across the United States looking at private colleges and universities.
This was the first time a survey, done by Hispanic Outlook, evaluated the schools percentage in recruiting and graduating Hispanic students. All schools which ranked in the top 100 were notified by the magazine.
“The response has been positive, the University has been proud and it can take pride in not only getting Latino students but also helping them achieve their dreams,” said Cardenas-Clague. “I look at it as a point of pride of the University.”
In the survey, ULV ranked among the top 100 schools in the country. In California, however, ULV ranked third.
Stanford and Loyola Marymount Universities placed No. 1 and 2, respectively.
“They evaluated what they considered to be success with Hispanic students and with that criteria they selected the colleges,” said Cardenas-Clague about the survey.
“I notified the public relations department and Deborah Mandabach, public relations director, who wrote the news release. I wrote the cover memo, and sent it out to all parents of students enrolled.”
Cardenas-Clague said that there were 420 newsletters sent out this summer to Latino families of students enrolled at ULV.
“We are going to get word out to high school counselors who refer high school students to universities,” said Cardenas-Clague. “Word will be sent out verbally and on paper. We want representatives of ULV recruiting high school students and students at community colleges.”
By having representatives going to different high school campuses and community college campuses, students will get an opportunity to know what ULV offers. Also, perspective students will be informed of ULV’s high percentage of Hispanic students graduating, according to the survey.
Cardenas-Clague said that there will be other factors in which students will be looking for when they are preparing to enter the college or university of their choice. But knowing that ULV ranked third in California will certainly be a big factor when deciding where to go, said Cardenas-Clague.
Hispanic Outlook states that successful universities are aggressive in recruiting potential Hispanic students to their campuses.
The University of La Verne is known for strong recruitment programs and for orientation programs, which involve parents, scholarship and work study grants as well as private gifts that support minority students. These are all strong points which give a positive outlook to the University.
“The University has worked hard to build a strong recruitment. It’s great that the effort is being recognized,” said Cardenas-Clague.
