As part of ĸ’s commitment to equity, inclusion and academic excellence, the University proudly welcomed renowned scholar and author Dr. Gina Ann Garcia for a keynote presentation titled The event, held on the Chicago Campus with a live simulcast in Schaumburg, was hosted by the Office of Academic Affairs and organized in collaboration with the HSI-STEM Program. Dr. Marjorie Jolles, Associate Provost for Academic and Faculty Success, Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies and Director of the Honors Program, as well as Dr. Alejandra Prieto-Mendoza, Executive Director of the McNair Scholars Program, were two ĸcommunity members recognized for their leadership in coordinating the event.
Dr. Garcia, a professor in the School of Education at University of California-Berkeley, is widely recognized for her research on equity and justice in higher education, particularly her work on Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Her keynote was based on her latest book, Transforming Hispanic Serving Institutions for Equity & Justice, and brought together ĸstudents, faculty, staff and administrators for a thought-provoking conversation about institutional transformation.
Dr. Garcia’s presentation quickly moved into the heart of her message—challenging colleges and universities to move beyond enrollment metrics and embrace transformation. “The question I really want y’all to think about is: What does it mean to serve?” she asked. “Because serving isn’t just about enrolling students—it’s about transforming institutions to meet their needs.”
Garcia grounded her framework in historical context, noting that U.S. higher education is rooted in colonial systems of exclusion. “Colleges and universities are historically grounded in colonialism,” she explained. “We replicate over and over again exclusionary practices.” In order to truly serve, she argued, institutions must become “race-conscious” and recognize the realities of racism that still shape student experiences today: “We can’t dismantle it if we don’t acknowledge it actually exists.”
She outlined a comprehensive framework for transformation, which includes academic outcomes, institutional identity, liberatory practices and the redistribution of resources. “Budgets tell us what we value,” she said. “If we say we value equity, that has to show up in where we put our resources.”
Dr. Garcia also emphasized the importance of representation at every level of the university. “Are we hiring faculty that look like our students? That have the same experiences?” she asked. “It’s not about DEI—it’s about looking like our students.”
Encouraging ĸto embrace its HSI identity while staying rooted in its historic mission, Garcia offered a powerful metaphor: “You can be ĸ with your historic mission and embrace an HSI identity as a new identity. Some days you’re killing it as an HSI, and some days you suck at it… and that’s okay. Identity evolves.”
Dr. Garcia’s visit, made possible by Roosevelt’s Title III HSI-STEM grant, left a lasting impression on attendees and reinforced the University’s legacy as a leader in educational access and justice. As she reminded the audience: “Part of being an HSI is doing the hard things. That’s what this work is.”
