Hispanic Business Schools & MBA Programs
In the business world today, Hispanics are becoming a more vital part of the everyday operations of small companies and major corporations. This change is due in part to the growing Hispanic population, which is expected to represent over 15% of the U.S. population in 2010 and nearly a quarter of the entire U.S. population by 2050. Practically speaking, this jump in population would theoretically be followed by an increase in the number of Hispanics going to college and becoming managers and leaders in the workforce. Companies also find it hugely beneficial to market themselves and their products to Hispanics, as Hispanics are consistently representing a greater and greater portion of their entire customer base. Hispanics are also enjoying a more celebrated role in modern business because of the increase in international mobility and the opportunity for more companies to extend their brand across international markets. Professionals who speak different languages can market brands to other communities and customer bases more easily. Hispanics who have direct ties and travel experience to other countries may also prove valuable to companies who require their employees to have a practical knowledge of these international markets.
Hispanic business schools and Hispanic MBA programs don’t necessarily equate business schools and MBA programs that exclusively enroll Hispanic students. These terms are used to connote schools that have a high number of Hispanic students enrolled, high number of Hispanic professors, and many benefits and services that positively affect the Hispanic student population. Benefits range from a wide offering of Hispanic-oriented student groups and multicultural student associations, professional business organizations on campus that celebrate diversity or cater specifically to Hispanic students, scholarships for Hispanic students studying business, active Hispanic and Latino alumni, and others. Academic institutions that want to attract ambitious Hispanic students should also consider joining The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, or HACU. Over 450 colleges and universities are involved in this network, including schools in the U.S., Latin America, Spain, and Puerto Rico. HACU schools receive federal funding on behalf of Hispanic students and the improvement of academic resources available to them on campus. Students can also apply for scholarships, career services and internships through HACU, and faculty members at HACU schools can apply for federal grants and research contracts through the organization.
Another way for schools to attract Hispanic students and for Hispanic students to get ahead in business is to join The National Society of Hispanic MBAs, or NSHMBA. Schools can encourage their faculty and Hispanic students to join this nonprofit organization in order to make valuable contacts, research MBA programs, access career services help and to become leaders in the business world. The NSHMBA is sometimes referred to as the “Premier Hispanic Organization,” demonstrating its significance in pushing Hispanic graduate students to succeed. There are over 7,000 members in the NSHMBA, which supports chapters in the U.S. and in Puerto Rico.
Each year, HispanicBusiness.com ranks a list of the Top 10 Business Schools for Hispanics. The 2008 list featured the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business in first place, with Stanford University Graduate School of Business and Duke University Fuqua School of Business rounding out the top three. These schools were ranked highly because of their proximity to Latin America and Mexico, high enrollment of Hispanic students and faculty, offering of international business programs, and general “support for diversity.”
