E-LEARNING FOR LATINOS
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY’S MEN OF COLOR NATIONAL SUMMIT CLOSING THE OPPORTUNITY GAP FOR LATINO AND AFRICAN AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL YOUNG MEN Amanda Long Luis E. González
No one knows how important it is getting to and graduating from college than Julio Hernandez. As a first- generation high school and college graduate and current Ph.D. candidate whose parents were not able to go to school past fifth grade, Hernandez sets the example for young men of color of why and how graduating from college can change the trajectory of one’s life. However, as he also knows, the path to get there isn’t easy and navigating it can be daunting. FOLLOW US www.latinoleaders.com
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J
ulio Hernandez, who today is assistant vice president for inclusive excellence and executive director for Hispanic outreach at Clemson University, also serves as the co-chair of the University’s Men of Color National Summit. Five years ago, the summit was created to help close the opportunity gap and to illuminate clearer pathways to higher edu-
cation for Latino and African American high school young men. Young high school men like Hernandez once was, who have aspirations to go to college, dreams of careers to pursue and impact to make. In 2021, Clemson celebrates the historically sold-out summit’s fifth year, where more than 2,100 students, educators and administrators, business and community leaders come together from across the country to listen, learn, network and then leave inspired to apply it all to impact change in their communities. Keynote and breakout speakers will focus on career and professional development; entrepreneurship; masculinity and personal identity; retention rates, graduation and student achievement; and social and community engagement. Due to Clemson’s commitment towards inclusive excellence, the University’s Hispanic/Latinx student body on campus increased from 3% to 6% in just in three years, better reflecting the demographics of South Carolina where
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