Latinos constitute the largest minority
ethnic group in the country according to the 2000 census.
Latinos are also the fastest growing population in the K-12 system.
However, Latino student achievement remains far lower than other
students, due to a variety of factors such as poverty, inadequate
resources in the public school system, low participation rates in
pre-school programs, high drop out rates, and limited English
proficiency upon entry into schools. One result is that
Latinos comprised only 5 percent of all bachelor's degrees awarded
in 1999. Further, income levels of Latinos remain far below
other ethnic groups, with poverty levels rising in the wake of
economic downturn in the United States. Thus, education
remains the single most important factor for Latinos in achieving
greater social, cultural, and economic mobility.
These issues will be addressed in the
first NHU Distinguished Lecture Series featuring Dr. Patricia
Gozemba from Salem State College and co-author of Pockets of
Hope: How Students and Teachers Change the World. The book
was co-authored by Dr. Eileen de los Reyes of Harvard University.
Dr. Patricia Gozemba is a distinguished
scholar, educator, author and leader in the fields of Education and
Women's studies. She has taught for over 38 years at Salem
State College in Massachusetts and holds an Ed.D. in Language Arts
and Curriculum Development from Boston University.
The NHU Distinguished Lecture Series
addresses issues of significant impact and importance to the
Hispanic community and the larger society. This first in the
lecture series is open and free to the public and will take place on
Wednesday, March 26, 2003 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Mexican
Heritage Plaza (Pavilion Room).
The National Hispanic University is an
accredited, independent, non-profit four-year postsecondary
education institution approved to grant degrees by the State of
California and accredited to award teacher credentials by the
California Commission of Teacher Credentialing. The NHU was
established in 1981 and is located at 14271 Story Road in San Jose.
For further information on NHU or the Lecture Series please call
Roberto Cruz II at (408) 273-2712.
Please RSVP to N. Patricia Estrada at
(408) 273-2683 by March 24, 2003.