Deborah A. Santiago to Deliver The National Hispanic University's Commencement Address

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Deborah A. Santiago, co-founder and vice president for policy and research at Excelencia in Education, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization advocating for Latino success in higher education, will deliver the keynote address at The National Hispanic University's commencement ceremony. The ceremony will take place Saturday, May 19, at 10 a.m. on the San Jose campus.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120503/CL00331)

Ms. Santiago has spent more than 15 years leading research and policy efforts at the community through national levels to improve educational opportunities and success for all students. She has served as a policy analyst at the Congressional Research Service, where she addressed legislative issues in higher education, and at the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education. Ms. Santiago also served as the deputy director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans.

"Deborah Santiago is committed to raising awareness and improving education opportunities for Latinos across the nation," said Dr. David P. Lopez, President of The National Hispanic University. "Her research and policy efforts have led to a greater understanding of student success in higher education, and we are honored that she will share her insight and knowledge with our new graduates and their friends and family."

Ms. Santiago's current research focuses on state and federal policy, financial aid, Hispanic-serving institutions, evaluation of effective institutional practices and student success in higher education. Some of her recent publications include "Roadmap for Ensuring America's Future by Increasing Latino College Completion," "Reality Check: Hispanic-Serving Institutions on the Texas Border Strategizing Financial Aid" and "Benchmarking Latino College Completion to Meet National Goals: 2010 to 2020." Her work has also been cited in numerous publications, including The Economist, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education and Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.

Ms. Santiago serves on the board of the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) and the National Student Clearinghouse.

For additional information about The National Hispanic University, visit www.NHU.edu.

About The National Hispanic University
For 30 years, The National Hispanic University has provided Hispanic students and others with access to quality higher education. The university offers a diverse portfolio of undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs in business, teacher education, child development and computer science, delivered in a multicultural, collaborative and supportive learning environment. The National Hispanic University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The campus is located in San Jose, Calif. For more information, visit www.NHU.edu.

SOURCE The National Hispanic University

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