About the Hispanic Youth Institute

The Hispanic Youth Institute is a student-led educational program that mobilizes communities to partner with underserved high school students, inspiring them to achieve a college education, pursue a professional career, and give back to their communities by serving as positive change agents. The Hispanic Youth Institute (formerly referred to as the Hispanic Youth Symposium) was launched in 2004 in Arlington, Virginia. Since then, the program has grown to serve many other communities, including: Baltimore, Albuquerque, Dallas, Fresno, and Los Angeles.

The Hispanic Youth Institute commences each summer with the Hispanic Youth Symposium, a college empowerment program hosted on the campus of a college or university in each community that we serve. The symposium brings together 150-200 Hispanic high school students for four-days and three-nights, which are dedicated to helping them overcome both real and perceived barriers to college access. Through educational workshops, leadership opportunities, inspirational speakers, introductions to "Hispanic Hero" mentors, and more, the Hispanic Youth Symposium teaches these students that they can go to college, become accomplished professionals, and give back to their communities as volunteers. Following the summer symposium kick-off, the students are enrolled in the year-round programming of the Hispanic Youth Institute. This program mobilizes symposium attendees to continue meeting in supportive groups, which provide accountability and motivation for students' educational goals. These groups also provide students with an opportunity to give back to their local community, by involving peers who were unable to attend the summer symposium, but who need college and career counseling and education.