Trinity University partners with NHI on 2025 Texas LDZ program

NHI’s flagship program has a new home — and it’s a longtime College Register member school in the heart of a city fully engaged with NHI’s mission. 

Trinity University —  located in San Antonio just a few miles north of its historic downtown — will host the 2025 edition of the Texas Lorenzo de Zavala (LDZ) Youth Legislative Session, on July 20-27, continuing a program that first started in 1983. 

The LDZ program is the second in the three-part series of summer programs that NHI developed to cultivate essential leadership qualities, including public speaking, policymaking, and collaboration. 

The Texas LDZ has consistently been the best-attended of all NHI programs, drawing students from across the U.S. and even other countries for the immersive, eight-day experience. 

Trinity officials are excited by the prospects of developing its long-term relationship with NHI students and communities.

“I feel the mission of NHI is aligned with Trinity’s mission,” said Justin Doty, Trinity’s Dean of Admissions. “For cultivating leaders and developing leadership skills, so much of it is based on fostering critical thinking and collaboration, which completely aligns with the way our academic curriculum is structured.” 

Founded in 1869, Trinity is, per its mission statement, “a transformational liberal arts and sciences university with selected professional and pre-professional programs … committed to the highest levels of academic and professional excellence in teaching, research, learning, service, leadership, and personal integrity.” 

“Trinity embraces innovation in all pursuits: rigorous and relevant courses, supportive mentoring relationships, and a wealth of learning opportunities wherever they occur,” the mission statement continues, “Trinity prepares its graduates to pursue lives of meaning and purpose.” 

Dr. Vanessa Beasley, Trinity University’s president, has encouraged partnerships like the one with NHI since she arrived from Vanderbilt University in 2022, and is enthusiastic about the upcoming LDZ. 

“Trinity University is proud to host the National Hispanic Institute’s Lorenzo De Zavala Youth Legislative Session this summer,” said Vanessa B. Beasley, Ph.D., Trinity University’s president. “We want these young leaders from around the globe to be inspired by Trinity’s campus and our commitment to student success through a liberal arts education.”

The combination of Trinity’s stellar academic reputation and its place within San Antonio — a city with a large, active, and invested NHI community  — made it the ideal host site for the Texas LDZ. 

“Trinity’s stellar reputation and its welcoming campus, nestled with a culturally rich and vibrant city, is perfect for the Texas LDZ,” said Nicole Nieto, NHI’s executive vice president. 

NHI (National Hispanic Institute), founded in 1979, creates experiences that engage achieving high school and college-age youth in community leadership roles that advance our quality of life.

NHI@SanAntonio, the alliance of NHI-affiliated San Antonio students and volunteers led by Dr. Hector and Mary Helen Gonzalez, the NHI@SanAntonio Community Leadership Council, and NHI Board member Anita Fernandez all helped promote the collaboration. 

“We are excited to reestablish NHI’s collaborative partnership with Trinity University. For NHI@SanAntonio, this opens a window for additional collaboration in training for freshmen preparing for the Texas Great Debate and for other college-bound services,” said Dr. Gonzalez. 

He added that it’s been important for them, in their 30th year of volunteering with NHI, to connect San Antonio high school students with its colleges and universities, and they’d be determined to connect with and include Trinity in that overarching mission. 

A limited number of spots remain for rising juniors and seniors; visit the Texas LDZ page on the NHI website to register.