DATE: September 16, 2022
TO: The SUNY Old Westbury Campus Community
FROM: Timothy E. Sams, President
RE: National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week
As the most diverse campus in the State University of New York system, SUNY Old Westbury is recognized as a leader in bringing together students from all corners of society. No matter their ethnicity or race, our students form a community of learners who share a belief in their own growth and in the power education has to make their lives and their society better and more successful.
Evidence of our commitment to diversity lies in the federal recognition the College has as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, due to the large number of Latinx students who choose to be a part of our institution.
Nationally, 20 percent of college undergraduates are Hispanic. At Old Westbury, that number trends closer to 30 percent. The rich insights and experiences of these students add to the tapestry of conversation, research, service and experience that takes place here each and every day. It’s an important part of what our institution is, and what we can become.
I am proud to say that U.S. President Joseph Biden has elected to recognize the role and importance of institutions like ours by declaring this week “National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week.” I urge you to read the President’s Proclamation celebrating this news.
This week’s announcement by the U.S. President is a nice moment. But what takes place on this campus, inside our classrooms and outside, is what’s truly important. I look forward to continuing to engage our diverse student population, to cultivating students’ intercultural understanding, and to preparing a generation of new global leaders who help build a more just, sustainable world.
Thank you.
Tim