“I love how I can easily connect with my peers and professors at Alverno. I enjoy seeing all the diversity among students, and I am happy with the small class sizes and individualized learning.”
- Lizbeth, social work major
Proud to be Wisconsin’s FIRST Hispanic-Serving Institution
At Alverno, we embrace a mission to engage students from diverse backgrounds in an education that will transform their lives and get them ready to transform the world.
This mission has earned Alverno the distinction of being the first university in Wisconsin designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).
Bienvenido a Alverno
What is an HSI?
HSIs are defined as having a full-time student population that is at least 25% Hispanic. When we first became an HSI in 2017, Hispanic students accounted for 27% of our Alverno Strong family.
As an HSI, Alverno has access to additional federal grants to fund programs and services focused on student success, including our campus greenhouse.
Alverno students, regardless of race or ethnicity, have access to private scholarships that are available to students of an HSI.
Testimonial by Lizbeth
Student and Family Resources
Alverno is dedicated to student success and to ensuring a positive experience for students and their families, from the beginning of the college search through graduation.
More than a school: Melissa’s story
As a senior at Milwaukee’s Carmen South High School, Melissa applied to a wide range of schools. Finances were important to her, and Alverno stood out for the generous financial aid package it offered her.
“It was the first college that had given me that much amount of money based on my grades and for being a minority student and for graduating from Carmen,” she says. “When I looked at my out-of-pocket tuition, it was nothing compared to what I heard other students had to pay for college.”
Melissa visited campus and immediately felt at home.
“The sense of community is something you can feel the moment you walk into Alverno. Everyone says hi to you, everyone shows interest in you, everyone is so willing to guide you,” she says. “Another Alverno student once told me that Alverno is a family. It stuck with me, and in my years at Alverno, I can say that it’s true.”
Special Events
-
Descubre Alverno: Día en Familia is Alverno College's Spanish-language open house for sophomores and juniors in high
school. Held yearly every spring.
-
New Student Orientation and Registration (SOAR)
Upon acceptance to Alverno, you and your family will be invited to learn more about starting your college journey here. Interpretation provided.
-
Convocation
This ceremony officially welcomes new students and their families to the Alverno community. Interpretation provided.
-
Latinas con Fuerza
We celebrate our graduates and the support networks who have helped them earn their degrees. Bilingual ceremony (see video below).
-
Commencement
Interpretation provided.
The HSI Network of Wisconsin
Alverno College is a founding member of the HSI Network of Wisconsin (HSI-NOW), which is a coalition of leaders from higher educational institutions in southeast Wisconsin that have obtained or are working toward the federal designation of Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and are committed to attracting, supporting, retaining and graduating underrepresented students. HSI-NOW member institutions share information and best practices, seek out collaborative opportunities to address challenges, and engage with and serve as a resource for the broader community. By tapping into the unique strengths of each institution and creating an infrastructure of mutual support, HSI-NOW collectively builds capacity to graduate an increasing number of underrepresented students in the region and to truly serve all of our diverse community stakeholders.
Ready for what's next
