Parents inherently understand the fundamental importance of providing support for their children access to a college or university, of their choice. Each year the Hispanic Scholarship Foundation’s “Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholarship” selects some of our country’s best and brightest Latino students as models of success and leadership. They will certainly represent those who made it through the educational pathways and become the next generation of educated leaders in America.

As California reels from the greatest financial disaster in history, we will need to these youth to serve important roles in retooling our economy. The CSU has certainly reached out to the Latino community and, as a result, Latinos are participating in greater numbers in higher education. Yet, these efforts to educate parents about the importance of higher education and how to apply that knowledge effectively for their children success in higher education needs more support.

In spite of these gains, proposition 209 ,the landmark initiative that barred racial,ethnic,and gender preferences in public education will continue to isolate Latinos in The CSU system. Hopefully,it will be challenged and overturned to create greater access and equity to all of our best and brightest students in our country.