Austin College and the National Hispanic Institute will commemorate 25 years of partnership this June 11-14, when the college hosts the 2015 edition of NHI’s Texas Great Debate program. Key leaders from both educational institutions will come together during the weekend to celebrate the rich history of their partnership – including the event’s official Opening Ceremonies on Thursday, June 11, 3 p.m. (with Austin College and NHI representatives available for media interviews at 2 p.m. in the Wright Campus Center).
NHI, founded in 1979 in Austin, is the largest Hispanic/Latino youth organization in the nation. The non-profit organization specializes in leadership education for high-performing Hispanic/Latino high school students, highlighted by summer programs in which high school students develop their communication and leadership skills at four-to-eight day programs hosted by universities and liberal arts colleges across the United States and Panama.
The Texas Great Debate is one of NHI’s longest-running programs, and Austin College has partnered with NHI since 1990 as the host college for the event. The Texas Great Debate features teams of high school students representing the state’s major cities and regions, and the teams prepare for months under the tutelage of NHI alumni for the speech and debate competition.
“We’ve been fortunate to have created and nurtured this partnership with Austin College for a quarter of a century now,” said NHI founder and President Ernesto Nieto. “The Texas Great Debate is our largest and one of our oldest programs, with almost 400 people in attendance; Austin College’s support has allowed us to grow and develop community-based leadership organizations in eight key cities in Texas. It’s our mission to cultivate leaders for an ever-growing U.S. Latino community, and the Texas Great Debate has changed the lives of literally thousands of young Texans who now lead in their respective communities.
“The National Hispanic Institute is an outstanding organization providing exemplary academic and co-curricular experiences for student leaders, and it has been our pleasure and honor to partner with an organization so deeply committee to access and excellence,” said Austin College president, Dr. Marjorie Hass. “These are strong Austin College values as well and we look forward to hosting this meaningful student opportunity for future leaders.”
Both Ernesto Nieto and his wife, NHI Executive Vice President Gloria de Leon, received honorary doctorates from Austin College in 2011. Nieto, a Distinguished Alumni of Southwestern University, launched NHI in 1979, and developed the “immersive-disruptive” learning curriculum at the heart of NHI’s programs. Nieto has been honored for his lifetime of leadership education by a number of institutions, including the National Education Association, which awarded him its George I. Sánchez Memorial Award in 2013. This year, Nieto was named a Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow by the Council of Independent Colleges.
Nieto will be attending Opening Ceremonies and the breakfast event with Nicole Sada, NHI’s Executive Vice President; Chris Nieto, Education Director for this year’s Texas Great Debate; and Michelle Saenz-Rodriguez, board chair for NHI. A number of NHI board members, as well as several key NHI and AC alumni, will travel to Sherman for the Saturday breakfast event as well.
Austin College will be represented by a number of its top officials at both the Opening Ceremonies event and the breakfast, including:
• Nan Davis, Vice President for Institutional Enrollment
• Dr. Sheila Amin Gutiérrez de Piñeres, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty
• Matthew Krov, Associate Vice President for Institutional Enrollment
• Michael Deen, Dean of Students
• Michael Davila, Assistant Director of SEED (Student Engagement, Enrichment, and Development)
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.