A&M International Named to Top 100 Colleges for Hispanics Again

For the second year in a row, Texas A&M International University has been named one of the "Top 100 Colleges for Hispanics" by The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education magazine.

The inclusion is based on data from the Center for Education Statistics, U. S. Department of Education, that indicates that A&M International is one of the top 100 schools graduating Hispanics with bachelor's, master's or doctoral degrees. A&M International will be included in the magazine's April issue that will feature the top 100 universities and colleges.

University president Dr. Charles Jennett said the University is honored by the inclusion which he feels reinforces the University's importance to the communities it so proudly serves.

"We are honored by the national visibility this ranking accords us. For nearly 30 years, we have been the higher education venue that more than 7,000 graduates worldwide have chosen to help them attain their dream of an undergraduate or graduate degree.

"Sixty-six percent of our graduates still call Laredo home and more than 50% are the first in their family to earn a four-year degree. About 94% percent of our current students identify themselves as Hispanics. Because of their choice, this University has emerged as the leading partner in the economic, cultural and intellectual betterment of our region. About 46% of students that have graduated in the past four years have also returned for graduate coursework and degrees to better themselves further. Rankings like this help to affirm that higher education makes a difference in all of our lives," Dr. Jennett said.

Jennett noted that with an enrollment growth averaging an impressive 6% per semester, the University is poised for a future as bright as those of its students.

"Our enrollment has grown over 54% since 1994, with a record enrollment of over 3,000 students this Fall. We've expanded our degree offerings to 27 undergraduate and 22 graduate degrees and we are about to embark on our Phase III expansion. It is my belief that this University will soon emerge as the major regional university of choice in this area," he noted.

For additional information on the Top 100 Colleges for Hispanics ranking by The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, please contact the University's Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at 956.326.2180, email to pais@tamiu.edu or visit the University's home page at www.tamiu.edu.

University office hours are from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu