Virtual HACU Experience – 2020 to now

Over the last year, almost everything in our world has been upended. However, groups like the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities  (HACU) have kept pushing onward and upward. As a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), UTSA is able to benefit from the work HACU does with legislation, scholarships, internships, professional development, and more. Here are a few key examples of the consistent support they offer:

Virtual HACU Conference 2020 (Student & Community Tracks)
HACU held their 34th Annual Conference in a much different environment than ever before – virtually. Every session was online, the opening and closing plenary and town hall, and all the networking pieces in between. While it was a much different landscape, HACU offered various specific tracks for attendees to focus their attention, including education, policy, leadership and finance.

In order to best manage technical issues, which can arise during online conferences, HACU had presenters record themselves for part of the presentation, and host a Q&A opportunity live for the remaining portion. This allowed for well thought out and valuable information to be shared with the attendees. The question piece held mostly on Zoom or within the chat function of the conference platform, proved to be much needed. It was a great addition to this year’s event because more attendees felt comfortable raising their hands so to speak. More details were shared conference-wide even since last year’s in person event.

This year 5 students from UTSA were sponsored by varying departments to attend the Adelante Student Track!  With all factors in place to hold a safe and successful event, this year’s Fall Conference in Aurora, CO will be held in person. Sponsorship (paid attendance) for UTSA students is expected for up to 5 students, and more information will be released over Summer 2021.

Federal Internships 2021 – EXTENDED DEADLINE, MARCH 15, 2021
The HACU National Internship Program is accepting applications from college students for the summer 2021 session. HACU continues to work with federal agencies to offer virtual internships due to COVID-19, and will continue to adapt the internship program as needed to offer these important career development experiences for college students. The summer internship program dates are June 3 – Aug. 13, 2021, for UTSA students accepted to the opportunity.

Listed are just a few examples of the agencies offering paid internship positions: the CDC, FDIC, Library of Congress, U.S. Census Bureau, and the USDA.

Apply at this link à https://www.hacu.net/hacu/Apply_Online.asp

Scholarships – ROLLING DEADLINES
Thousands of dollars are given through scholarships to students by HACU partners each year, and this past year has been no exception. They continue to cultivate relationships with organizations who support our students monetarily, especially given these hard times. There are several opportunities still open, and can be found at this link à https://www.hacu.net/hacu/Scholarships.asp

By Lisa Vázquez Vigil
Lisa Vázquez Vigil Senior Career Consultant