In an effort to revitalize Chicano studies at UNM, the first of a spring 2005 series of public forums was hosted by Chicano-Hispano-Mexicano studies on Tuesday.
Margaret Montoya, law school professor and director of the Southwest Hispanic Research Institute, led the discussion that featured other guests.
Montoya discussed the importance of keeping Latino and American Indian students in the educational pipeline.
"Of 13,000 Latinos in public school, 7,500 will graduate high school," Montoya said. "Two thousand of the 7,500 will earn a bachelor's degree."
She said even if students choose not to further their education, they should be aware that both the possibility and opportunity exist.
Montoya was joined by other minority women who spoke about difficulties they encountered while pursuing higher education.
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Karen Griego said she grew up believing college wasn't available to people like her.
"I want to help to change the situation," she said. "It should be an automatic expectation for Hispanics to attend college."
UNM student Susan Ponce said her own experience is similar to Griego's.
"I never thought of college," she said. "The possibility seemed like it didn't exist in my own situation."
Ponce said it wasn't easy, but she's proud of her efforts made to better her situation. The opportunity to encourage similar positive change among Latino youth is exciting, she said.
"I'm glad these issues are finally being brought to the table," she said. "Many other institutions know nothing of them."
Griego said programs like Enlace, Engaging Latino Communities for Education, create greater awareness among Latino youth that anything is possible for them.
"For young people who say, 'I want to be a doctor' or 'I want to become a lawyer,' we are trying to make these attainable goals," she said.
Valerie Romero-Leggott, director of the Office of Cultural and Ethnic Programs, said she was the first in her family to attend college.
Romero-Leggott, a doctor, said UNM's School of Medicine has a compelling interest in recruiting more minority health care professionals to serve the state.
"Minority health care professionals are significantly more likely than their white peers to serve minority and medically underserved communities," she said.
Minorities or those who grow up in rural areas are also more likely to return to serve their communities, she said.
Enrique Lamadrid, director of Chicano-Hispano-Mexicano studies, said despite significant progress made by UNM, greater awareness is needed.
"You read slanted statistics and think things are much better," he said. "But the fact remains, the pipeline is leaky."
Speakers stayed longer than scheduled in order to take questions and concerns from attendees.
