DePaul University is among the top 100 schools to award bachelor’s and master’s degrees to Hispanic students, according to The Hispanic Outlook for Higher Education 2002 rankings.

The university moved up in the rankings and was one of only five Illinois schools listed in both degree categories. DePaul ranked 65th in the bachelor’s degree ranking, with 251 Hispanic students earning undergraduate degrees, compared to an 86th place ranking last year. For master’s degrees, the university ranked 62nd, with 71 Hispanic students earning master’s degrees, compared to a 72nd place ranking last year.

The university’s enrollment strategies continue to expand its reach toward students of color and this population accounted for more than 30 percent of the school’s total enrollment for the 2001-2002 academic year. Hispanic and Latino students make up about 10 percent of the student body, for a total enrollment of more than 2,000.

Additionally, the journal lists DePaul among the top 100 employers of Hispanic administrators in four-year colleges that enroll the most Hispanics. DePaul’s commitment to the overall success of students of color, including Hispanic students, is evident in the parallel presence of Hispanic faculty and staff.

“While being ranked in the Top 100 is a significant achievement, we at DePaul continually strive to do better,” said Marty Martin, DePaul’s senior executive for Institutional Diversity.

“To that end, a team of 14 faculty, staff and administrators recently returned from a six-day benchmarking visit to learn from institutions that are known for excellence in serving the needs of Hispanic students and creating opportunities for Hispanic administrators,” he said.

DePaul’s minority student recruitment has been enhanced by the efforts of the university’s Community Outreach Office. The office works with outside agencies to create programs and opportunities that will support Hispanic and Latino students. Its partners include INROADS, an international career-preparation program that specifically serves students of color, Target Hope, which assists students prior to their admission to college, and the College Bridge Program, an initiative operated by the Chicago Public Schools that prepares at-risk students for college.

“By working with partners that are in direct contact with some of the most promising minority high school students, we can more effectively reach a larger pool of talented students who are serious about college and who are most likely to be successful at DePaul,” said Glenna Ousley, director of Community Outreach.

These programs help get the students to DePaul, but initiatives such as the Center for Latino Research and Latino Studies Program provide a springboard for Hispanic students to find success with the day-to-day challenges of student life. The center advances the understanding of the Latino experience and contributes to Latino empowerment through publications on Latino life, collaborative research projects, student preparation projects and educational public programs.

The rankings–based on the 1999-2000 academic year, the most recent figures available–were reported in the May 6 edition of The Hispanic Outlook for Higher Education.

Editors’ Note: Glenna Ousley, DePaul’s director of Community Outreach, and Marty Martin, DePaul’s senior executive for Institutional Diversity, are available to speak to reporters.