Today@Sam Article

Empowering Heritage As Graduate Students Redefine Higher Education

Aug. 13, 2024
SHSU Media Contact: Mikah Boyd

By Lidia Gutierrez

In 2022, Sam Houston State University received the federal designation of Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), making the university eligible for up to $10 million in additional funding from the U.S. Department of Education to enhance educational opportunities for students.

In support of this goal, Marcus Gutierrez and Daniela Mirabal participated in the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE) conference in February. TACHE is a professional association committed to the improvement of educational and employment opportunities for Chicanos in higher education. Gutierrez and Mirabal, both graduate students at the College of Education (COE) and full-time employees of SHSU, received support from SHSU’s Division of Student Affairs to attend TACHE for the first time. This support not only enabled them to engage and network with Hispanic higher education professionals but gave them the opportunity to bring back valuable insights for their own careers.

Gabriela Silvestre, the advisor for the Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration program, also serves as the current president of TACHE and encouraged both to attend the conference. Silvestre understands the importance of the representation of Hispanic professionals in higher education.

“I believe our role as Latinos in higher education, especially in Texas, is to participate and enhance spaces with our visibility but also with our experiences to help others discover pathways into the field,” said Silvestre. “The number of Latino students is growing; however, this doesn’t get mirrored by the number of faculty and staff. The demographics are telling the story, so it’s important for us to have an active role.”

Gutierrez grew up in Danbury, Texas; a small, predominately white, farming community south of Houston. His first exposure to a broader variety of cultures came when he moved to College Station to attend Blinn College. After two years, he transferred to SHSU to complete his degree. Since 2007, he has held various roles at SHSU and is now the learning management system (LMS) technical support coordinator.

After being accepted into the higher education administration master's program, Gutierrez was provided the opportunity to attend the TACHE conference, a transformative experience that reignited his pride in his heritage.

“I didn’t even know it existed,” said Gutierrez. “But it was an eye-opening experience for me. It renewed that spark in me to be proud and to be more involved.”

Originally from Venezuela, Mirabal moved to the United States when she was only 10 years old, when her family relocated to Dallas, to join an extended family member already living in the States. After years of living in Texas, Mirabal earned her associate’s degree at a community college nearby then attended the University of Texas at Arlington for her bachelor’s. She began working within student housing for American Campus Communities. Now, Mirabal is the interim assistant director at the Global Engagement Center on campus as well as a student within the higher education administration graduate program.

“I’ve been in higher education since February 2023,” Mirabal said. “In this short time, I’ve been exposed to a lot of different groups on campus, and TACHE became an opportunity for me. I think the things that impacted me the most were the similarities of experiences for Hispanics, specifically Hispanic individuals in Texas – not necessarily Chicano in general because there were different presenters – immigrant presenters, Chicanos, fourth-and-fifth-generation students who don’t speak Spanish, so it was really interesting how there were all these different groups in the Hispanic population that still have similar experiences.”

Silvestre understands these conferences are important for students and professionals because they offer a chance to learn, network and gain fresh insights. They also provide a space to connect with peers and stay updated on current issues, all of which contribute to personal and professional growth.

“I think it is essential for students, especially for graduate students,” Silvestre said. “The opportunities to participate in workshops and initiatives that focus on honing core competencies and skills, are essential for Latinos to continue their path onto leadership.”

Gutierrez highlighted that the connections he made impacted him the most.

“While attending these sessions and networking during meals, I found there are other people out there that have the exact same story,” he said. “It made me realize that I am not alone.”

Mirabal recalled a moment where she felt extremely influenced during a presentation from Deborah Santiago, one of the founders of Excelencia in Education. Excelencia in Education is a Latina-led organization that has become an authority in the field with a reputation as a national transformative leader and innovator in higher education by informing, organizing and compelling action.

“It really helped me understand what growing the Hispanic population on campus can do through different guest speakers,” Mirabal said. “We had Deborah speak, and it was amazing. If she can do it, we can do it too.”

Silvestre mentions how young professionals, and even seasoned professionals, benefit from attending any type of organization like TACHE.

“Regardless of where people attend conferences, regional or national, it’s important to experience them because what you learn is vital,” Silvestre said. “These experiences show any student that the future is for them.”

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