HACU holds Illinois HSI Summit at 39th Annual Conference

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities held its Illinois Hispanic-Serving Institution Summit on Nov. 1, 2025, for attendees from the state at HACU's 39th Annual Conference.

HACU Interim CEO John Moder welcomed attendees, and remarks were given by Illinois State Representative LaShawn Ford. A panel discussion on the midwestern region's legislative agenda featured Susana Rivera-Mills, Ph.D., president, Aurora University; Lisa Freeman, Ph.D., president, Northern Illinois University; and Juan Salgado, chancellor, City Colleges of Chicago.

Discussions focused on HACU policy and legislative priorities in Illinois, which includes the role of college and university presidents play advancing and sustaining HSIs across the state. The summit served as a venue for dialogue around the opportunities and challenges unique to HSIs, sharing of promising practices, and the exploration of collaborative approaches strengthening institutional success and capacity.

The Illinois HSI Summit was part of HACU's 39th Annual Conference, "Championing Hispanic Higher Education Success: Forging Transformational Leaders to Uplift Democracy and Prosperity," held Nov. 1-3, 2025, in Aurora, Colorado.

Additional photos from the event can be viewed here.