First-ever NHI Digital College Fair advances college readiness for students

This article is by Tomas Miriti Pacheco.

The National Hispanic Institute debuted its Digital College Fair on Wednesday, taking one of the most popular features of its summer programs and making it available to all 2020 NHI students online.

“NHI hopes to connect our students and NHI families with colleges and universities who know the value of NHI students and hope to bring more NHIers to their campus communities,” said Alma Raymer, Associate Director of Collegiate Services and Institutional Relations, about bringing the Digital College Fair to an accessible digital platform.

“Since we were unable to host in-person LDZ programming this summer, we partnered with Gamma Iota Sigma, who is powering NHI’s digital college fairs,” she added. “Since there will be new and different challenges in the college application and selection process, we were hopeful that NHIers took this unique opportunity to make connections with colleges and universities around the U.S., and maybe even discover new college options.”

This opportunity was not lost on the more than 200 participants who attended on Wednesday, who took full advantage to learn more about their options in the changing academic environment.

“I loved having one-on-one chats with college admissions counselors for all these incredible schools, said Jessica Sanchez, a rising senior at TAG Magnet in Dallas. “Even though I didn’t get to talk to all of the schools about myself, I was able to connect with a few on a level that didn’t feel like I was separated by a screen. It was fast-paced but still very informative and helpful.”

“I received answers to my questions about financial aid, first-generation student resources, internship opportunities, and so many other important aspects of college life,” she added. “I felt less lost in the huge storm of college research and admissions. I feel like I have a place to start and resources to reach out to!”

“I was grateful to hear that I could join for free and contact many colleges across the country,” stated Mia Rodriguez, a senior at Round Rock High School in Round Rock, Texas. “I discovered colleges that had my specific major of choice, which had been difficult to find before. This college fair advanced my college readiness by broadening my horizons and helped me discover many scholarship opportunities that I can apply for, as well as college programs.”

Granting students access to such resources is fundamental to NHI’s mission.

“We are proud and honored to be able to provide this opportunity for our students and NHI families,” Raymer observed. “As a former college admission counselor, I know the importance and value of students and families being able to connect to college representatives to evaluate their options.”

“Since joining the NHI team this past February, I have worked to support a major increase in College Register member institutions and engagement at all NHI events this summer, including at the digital college fairs. I have been so impressed with our students’ flexibility and innovation as they shift their mindsets around traditional ways of engaging colleges and universities for their personal benefit and that of their communities. As NHI students engage in an increasingly digital world, we hope that they will use this experience as another boon to exploring colleges and universities in this new and changing digital landscape.”

Students who missed the first Digital College Fair — as well as those who attended and didn’t get to meet with reps for all the schools on their lists — will get another chance. NHI’s presenting another Digital College Fair on Thursday, July 30, from 2-5 pm CT. To register, click this link; an updated list of participating universities will be available in the coming days.

The 2020 NHI Digital College Fair series is powered by Gamma Iota Sigma, and the 2020 NHI Summer Programs are sponsored in part by State Farm and Union Pacific.