Why attend a Hispanic-Serving Institution?
Advantages of attending a Hispanic-Serving Institution
Welcoming and Inclusive Environment
HSIs adapt much, if not all, campus programming to create an inclusive environment for students and their families. Oftentimes, Latinx students are the first in their family to attend college and may speak a primary language other than English in their household.
Mount Mary provides translated informational materials and presentations in Spanish to help all involved to better understand the college admissions and financial aid process. Campus tours, admissions appointments and financial aid meetings are offered in English, Spanish, or both languages for students and their supporters. We want to ensure that everyone feels welcome and educated about the college search process.
Diverse Student Organizations and Focused, Professional Connections
Many of the clubs, organizations, and activities at HSIs give students the opportunity to explore and celebrate their unique Latinx heritage and history, as well as foster relationships with Latinx leaders in the community.
Student Achieving Leadership through Spanish Activities (SALSA):
Mount Mary University’s SALSA organization is for students who are interested and informed about the language and culture of the Spanish-speaking world. Members plan and execute events, activities and fundraisers in an effort to promote cross-cultural understanding of the Latinx culture, with an emphasis on local and global communities.
Latinx Student Union (LSU):
Mount Mary University’s Latinx Student Union promotes the empowerment of Hispanic students by building leadership and career development and stewardship skills through events and workshops.
Financial Aid & Academic Support
In addition to federally funded financial aid, various scholarships and grants are available for Latinx students through grants, donations and partnerships associated with HSIs and HACU (Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities).
- Grace Scholars
- Mount Mary’s Grace Scholars Program, generously funded by the Burke Foundation, covers 85% of tuition for four years for 30 incoming freshmen from the city of Milwaukee who demonstrate leadership skills and have financial need. The program provides future female leaders with academic, personal, and financial support.
- Promise Program
- Mount Mary’s Promise Program is a federally funded program that provides academic, career and financial support to 140 first-generation and limited-income college students each year. The program emboldens students to remain in good academic standing, persist in college and graduate with a bachelor’s degree.
- 73% of all degree-seeking undergraduate students at Mount Mary are Pell Grant eligible
- Federal Pell Grants are available for low-income students seeking financial assistance. Unlike a loan, Pell Grants do not need to be repaid.
Giselle Martin Gomez '23, English - Writing for New Media & Spanish
Quick Facts about our Latinx students:
- In fall of 2024, 39% of our full-time undergraduate students and 9% of our graduate students identified as Latinx.
- The top 5 majors for Mount Mary Latinx students are Nursing, Fashion (including Fashion Business), Psychology, Biology and Education.
- Bilingualism offers great value to our students’ future employers. Fourteen percent of our undergraduate students speak a primary language other than English, with Spanish being the second-most common spoken language on campus; 10% of undergraduates have Spanish as a primary language.
- We offer exciting study abroad opportunities to Spanish-speaking countries including Costa Rica, Peru and Guatemala. Plus, generous financial aid and scholarship opportunities are available to help fund study abroad.
Our admissions team is here to help
The best way to get started is to get in touch. We’ll answer your questions, help you explore programs and walk you through the admissions and financial aid process.