Mount Mary is proud to be a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).  We are one of only two HSIs in Wisconsin, with 26% of our undergraduate students identifying as Latinx. As an all-women’s Catholic university with a strong focus on social justice, we strive to provide a welcoming community for our Latinx students and their families.

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. 

Esperanza

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.

Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee (HPGM):

Mount Mary University’s HPGM chapter promotes the empowerment of Hispanic and minority students by providing connections with Milwaukee professionals. The organization strives to build leadership, career development and stewardship skills by connecting students with professionals all over Milwaukee at networking events and workshops.

Cynthia

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).

  • 55% of Grace Scholars are Latinx
    • 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. 
  • 44% of Promise Program students are Latinx
    • 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.
  • 32% of degree-seeking, Latinx undergraduate students 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

"As a first-generation college student, seeing other women from my Hispanic background that share similar values, upbringings, and experiences to me is so reassuring. It helps alleviate my imposter syndrome and reminds me that I truly belong at Mount Mary. I am just as capable of achieving a degree as any other woman that I cross paths with on campus. 
 
I can’t help but feel proud of Mount Mary for our HSI designation. It definitely plays a factor in why I continue to attend and choose the university. Mount Mary offers so much financial, academic, and personal support that allows students from all ethnicities to see a college education as a possibility. It makes me feel unstoppable!"

Giselle Martin Gomez '23, English - Writing for New Media & Spanish

Quick Facts about our Latinx students:

  • In 2022, 31% 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 social work, nursing, Spanish, early childhood education, and justice.
  • 23% of our undergraduate students speak a primary language other than English, with Spanish being the second-most common spoken language on campus.
  • Bilingualism offers great value to our students’ future employers, and 12% of Mount Mary Latinx undergraduates major in Spanish or add Spanish as a second major.
  • 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.

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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.