Monday-Thursday: HSI Week Activities 

Friday: HSI Summit

Download our online program which contains additional information about our event.

 Accommodations

The morning in person session and Zoom Webinars will have ASL Interpreters and live captioning.

If you would like to request disability-related accommodation(s) to participate in a WOU activity or event, please complete the online request form at least three (3) business days in advance. If you have questions, contact Disability Access Services (DAS) at 503-838-8250 or das@wou.edu.

Dra. Marla Franco serves as the Special Advisor, Hispanic Serving Institution Initiatives at the University of Arizona (UA). She has worked in higher education for nearly 25 years at public universities in California and Arizona, having served in various roles within academic and student affairs to champion greater college access and degree attainment among underserved and minoritized students, which strongly informs her work today.

Dra. Franco led efforts that resulted in the UA becoming the first four-year public university in the state of Arizona to be federally recognized as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education in April 2018. She is now working across the university to develop a centralized vision for maximizing this designation in a way that truly benefits students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members from diverse backgrounds. This federal distinction has widespread implications for the UA, the greater Tucson community, and the state of Arizona.

In 2017, Dra. Franco co-led efforts with faculty that resulted in UA becoming the first recipient of the National Science Foundation’s HSI conference grant, which supported the convening of over 100 thought leaders from five states within the southwest region of the United States aimed at transforming STEM education at HSIs. As a result, she became co-founder of the STEM in HSI Working Group, co- authored Transforming STEM Education at Hispanic Serving Institutions in the United States: A Consensus Report, engaged in a broader impacts road trip to present key insights and recommendations nationally, and co-facilitated an adaptive case study competition to incite transformation in STEM education at HSIs across the nation.

As a scholar-practitioner, she has co-authored publications to inform improved practice at HSIs, including Assessing the Readiness of Hispanic Serving Institutions to Serve Latinx Students: Moving Beyond Compositional Diversity and Engaging Community Partners to Improve STEM Education at HSIs. Dra. Franco’s contributions to the field of higher education and the community are well recognized. She has received the John Hernandez Leadership Award from the American College Personnel Association, the Edith Auslander Outstanding Support of Hispanic Issues in Higher Education Award from the Pete C. Garcia Victoria Foundation, the Exemplary Leadership Award from Valle Del Sol, and Hispanic Business Woman of the Year from the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In June 2019, Dra. Franco’s leadership also resulted in the UA receiving the inaugural Seal of Excelencia, aimed at recognizing institutions that demonstrate intentional impact and success in the three core areas of work that Excelencia has determined lead to latino student success: data, practice, and leadership.

Dra. Franco is a first-generation college graduate, having earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, a master’s degree in counseling from California State University, Long Beach, and a doctoral degree in higher education leadership from Azusa Pacific University. Dra. Franco leads strategically, courageously, and with a fierce passion for what she does.

The Holman Riverfront Park Hotel

The Holman Riverfront Park Hotel is located just 20 minutes north of campus in downtown Salem. 

WOU has negotiated 15% off All available room types. To book a room use this room booking. Use our Corportate Account ID: 3285575

Address: 195 Commercial St. SE, Salem, Oregon, 97301, USA

Tel: 971-900-5560 

MaMere’s Guest House

MaMere’s Guest House is located one block away from the campus and offers a bed and breakfast style lodging. 

WOU has negotiated 20% off room rates (not including state and local taxes). HSI Summit presenters and attendees please use promo code WOUSUMMIT when booking a room. The special HSI Summit rate is applicable for April 14-21, 2026and is good for any of their rooms.  The WOU rate is subject to room availability, MaMere’s Guest House rules and policies, and not guaranteed. It is highly recommended lodging reservations be made well in advance.

Address: 212 Knox St N, Monmouth, OR 97361

Tel: 503-917-8745, Email: mameresguesthouse@gmail.com

Additional local lodging is available throughout Monmouth, Dallas, Corvallis, and Salem, OR.

Free on-site parking is available at Lot G (corner of Stadium Dr and Church St), which is a short five minute walk east to the Werner University Center.

WOU Campus Parking Map

The campus of Western Oregon University is located at 345 Monmouth Ave N, Monmouth, OR 97301. 

Campus Map

Directions

Background and Purpose

On April 1, 2022, Western Oregon University hosted its first Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Summit. We brought together a collection of campus, community, and national partners to discuss what it means to become a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). The success and community building of that first summit encouraged Western’s second and third summit which was held on April 26, 2024 where we had increased participation from university, state, and community partners. Western met eligibility as an HSI in 2025 and we are committed to engaging in this work with our entire community and focus on truly serving our students. We are stronger together. 

2026 HSI Summit Working Group

Maria Fernandez, Deputy Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion  | The Research Institute

Maricruz Chavez Reyes, NTT Instructor | Education & Leadership

Brittany Kima, Executive Assistant for the VP for Student Affairs | Student Affairs

Patricia Lopez Lopez, Bilingual Project Support Specialist | The Research Institute

Cristian Mendez Garcia, Assistant Director of Hispanic Serving Institution Initiatives | Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion