HACU announces speakers of the 11th Annual PreK-12/Higher Education Collaboration Symposium

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities has announced the agenda and speakers of its 11^th Annual PreK-12/Higher Education Collaboration Symposium taking place Nov. 1, 2025, at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado. The one-day pre-conference event will include discussions on artificial antelligence in education, innovative programs for college and life readiness, and opportunities in the journey to college and career.

Speakers and presentations will focus on topics under the theme "Bridging Education for Lifelong Success: Innovation, Collaboration, and Life Readiness." The Institute will be facilitated by Krishna Pattisapu, Ph.D., executive director, equity and inclusion Title IX & equal opportunity coordinator, Front Range Community College.

Three sessions will take place in the morning, with the first on "Pedagogy Before Platform: Guiding Institutional AI Adoption," presented by Iain Atkinson, chief revenue officer, Packback, that will focus on how Instructional AI can reinforce mastery learning, deliver real-time formative feedback, and protect cognitive effort.

The second session "The Power of Artificial Intelligence in Education," presented by representatives from Conectado, will focus on how AI is reshaping Pre-K-12 and higher education.

The third session "Pathways to College Success: Guiding Students from 4th-12th Grade in STEM," presented by panelist Aaron Cortes, director STEAM pathways, Northeastern Illinois University - EL Centro, will focus on innovative approaches that equip students in grades 4-12 for success in college through STEM-oriented opportunities.

The luncheon keynote speaker will be Marie Lynn Miranda, Ph.D., chancellor, University of Illinois Chicago, who will address attendees of both the PreK-12/Higher Education Collaboration Symposium and the Latino Higher Education Leadership Institute.

The afternoon session "Charting Pathways: Advancing Opportunity for Hispanic Students in the Journey to College and Career," will focus on how the AP Program prepares students for their next step toward college and careers. That session will be presented by Alyssa Aloyo, Director of Strategic Partnerships & Engagement, College Board; Juan Carlos Morales, Ed.D., director of AP credit and placement, College Board; Scott M. Alvord, department chair and professor of Hispanic linguistics of Spanish and Portuguese, Brigham Young University; Nathalie Valencia, program manager for college readiness systems, Denver Public Schools; and Jen Harkness-Quintana, Teacher, AP English language and composition, English language development, and integrated math, George Washington High School in Denver, Colorado.

For agenda, click here. To register online, click here.

The 11^th Annual PreK-12/Higher Education Collaboration Symposium is a pre-conference event of HACU's 39th Annual Conference taking place in Aurora, Colorado, Nov. 1-3, 2025.