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2026 Cal Poly Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) Symposium: Pathway to Becoming an HSI
HSI Symposium Program
Join Culture and Institutional Excellence for an immersive day exploring what becoming an HSI means for Cal Poly. In Fall 2024, Cal Poly reached the 25% enrollment requirement to become an HSI, and this event will engage the campus community in our ongoing efforts to holistically serve every student, provide updates on our progress, and present strategies for continued growth.
Registration is encouraged for planning purposes but not required to attend.
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Wednesday, September 30 |
Chumash Auditorium |
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8:30 am |
Doors Open |
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9:00–9:45 am |
Welcome—Pathway to Becoming an HSI Update Cal Poly President, Jeffrey Armstrong ASI President, Tanner Schinderle Associate Vice President of Culture and Institutional Excellence, Senior Diversity Officer, Dr. Beya Makekau Cantante, Mixtly Lorelei Ortiz, Music major ‘27 |
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9:45–11:15 am |
Keynote Address and Q&A Introduced by Ketzali Maciel-Jimenez, MBA Graduate Student and CIX Graduate Student |
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11:30 am–12:30 pm |
Our Stories, Our Campus: Student Perspectives on HSI Servingness Moderated by Erandy Daniella Fernandez-Ortiz, ASI Secretary of University Affairs and CIX HSI Intern |
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12:30–1:30 pm |
Lunch & Resource Fair: Somos Mustangs Photoshoot Join us for a community lunch and a resource fair featuring campus partners and local community organizations. In honor of Latinx/e Heritage Month faculty, staff, and students are invited to take a photo at our Somos Mustangs Photoshoot. |
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1:30–2:30 pm |
Servingness as a Student Success Strategy: Aligning Institutional Initiatives and CSU Priorities Associate Vice President of Culture and Institutional Excellence, Senior Diversity Officer, Dr. Beya Makekau |
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3:00–4:30 pm |
Conference-Style Workshops
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5:00 pm |
Doors Close |
Keynote Speaker: Miguel A. Cardona
12th United States Secretary of Education
Miguel A. Cardona is an American leader and educator. He served as the 12th United States Secretary of Education, a position he was nominated for by President Joe Biden. Throughout his close to three-decade career in education, Secretary Cardona has focused on improving educational access and equity, from his classroom of students as a fourth grade teacher to the nation’s 65 million students as Secretary of Education. The four pillars of his educational agenda included Academic Recovery and Excellence, Improving Conditions for Educators and Mental Health, Global Competitiveness, and College Affordability and Accessibility.
Cardona led the successful reopening of America’s schools after a pandemic, oversaw the efficient distribution of $190 billion to accelerate academic recovery and mental health support, and led unprecedented federal efforts to transform the country's student loan system, which resulted in greater accountability in higher education and over $185 billion in debt relief to 5 million Americans. As the 12th U.S. Secretary of Education, he also focused on safely reopening and reimagining schools, overhauling higher education accountability, improving access and affordability to higher education, and providing upward economic mobility to more students across the country.
Under Secretary Cardona’s leadership, the United States saw the greatest one-year growth in reading achievement for lower-performing students since 2009. It also increased from zero to 48 states initiating to pay student teachers while they learn through apprenticeships, an additional 16,000 school counselors and mental health experts, and over 1 million public servants earning debt relief.
Federal Student Aid (FSA) awarded Federal College Grants to 10% more students in 2024 compared to the previous year due to a transformational overhaul of FSA, the first in over 40 years. More students in America have affordable access to college and career pathways due to the efforts under Secretary Cardona’s leadership.
Prior to becoming U.S. Secretary of Education, Secretary Cardona served as the Commissioner of Education in Connecticut, District Leader in Connecticut, University Instructor, National Award-winning School Principal, and classroom teacher. Miguel dedicated close to three decades serving the community in these roles, which laid the foundation for his national leadership. Secretary Cardona's approach to leadership at the local, state, federal, and international levels has been grounded in intentional collaboration and lifted by a bold vision for improvement from pre-kindergarten through college to adult learning. His work has sought collaboration from local leaders, governors, philanthropists, entertainers and artists, industry executives, and international leaders.
A first-generation college student who celebrates bilingualism and biculturalism as a superpower, Secretary Cardona’s story embodies the American dream and the power of public education. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Central Connecticut State University, followed by his master’s, professional and executive certifications, and Ed.D. from the University of Connecticut. He has also been awarded two honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees from Southern Connecticut State University and Thaddeus Stevens College in Pennsylvania. Through an acknowledgment of how arts and culture have shaped his accession to the highest education position in the country, Secretary Cardona prides himself in staying true to his passion and values, from the Barrio to the Briefing Room. His greatest accomplishment, however, remains the family he built with his wife, Marissa, an educator, and their two college-aged children.
¡Adelante!, which translates to "Forward!" in Spanish, is about honoring the past, present, and future momentum of this effort and the collective drive to become an HSI that holistically serves the Latinx/e community.
