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OGDEN — Yudi Lewis was recently hired to direct the newly formed office of Hispanic-Serving Institution Initiatives at Weber State University.
It comes in response to an increasing Hispanic and Latino population in northern Utah and a push to increase WSU's percentage of Hispanic and Latino students to 15% by fall 2025. The university's current Hispanic and Latino enrollment is 11%.
"This is about strategically positioning the students so they can transition from high school graduation to a certificate or degree program enabling them to work in the field they're passionate about," Lewis said in a statement. "That in turn will help Utah's economy and our community."
WSU is among a number of higher education institutions that are ramping up efforts to become Hispanic-Serving Institutions, a designation by the U.S. Department of Education that requires 25% Hispanic and Latino enrollment and opens the door for more federal grants. Not a single Utah college or university was included in a 2021 list of Hispanic-Serving Institutions published by the National Center for Education Statistics.
"Achieving (Hispanic-Serving Institution) status will provide funding we currently don't have to enhance and expand access, opportunities, support services, faculty and staff development, creating positions across the board," Lewis said.
Lewis has "a solid track record of Latino recruitment and retention," according to a university press release. Before joining WSU, Lewis was the director for Latino initiatives at Utah Valley University, and completed the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities 2021-22 Fellows of the Leadership Academy,
Lewis has two bachelor's degrees, a master's in business administration and is working towards a doctorate in educational leadership and policy from the University of Utah.
She will report to WSU President Brad Mortensen as well as Vice President for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer Adrienne Andrews.
"Utah's changing demographics and ever-increasing workforce demands require our higher education institutions to better serve Hispanic and Latino communities," Mortensen said in a statement.
Andrews added that the university is fortunate to have Lewis.
"I'm excited to see what will happen next as we move the needle forward on our strategic plan goal of becoming an emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution," Andrews said. "Yudi is the right person, in the right place and this is the right time to make it happen."
