About CHCI
In 1978, a small group of Hispanic Members of Congress established the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) with the vision of bringing the promise of the American Dream to the next generation of Latinos. More than 30 years later their dream remains embedded in CHCI's programs, which today count with more than 5,400 alumni across the country who are Latino leaders in all sectors - public, private, and nonprofit.
CHCI programs serve more than 1,500 young Latinos annually. Many are first in their family to go to college, and the majority comes from families with annual incomes below $30,000. CHCI's unique model of educational services and leadership development – promoting college readiness, supporting college attainment and providing direct access to the most powerful network of Latino leadership – helps ensure career success and has put thousands of young people on a pathway to achieving the American Dream.
- CHCI runs three internship sessions each year that offer Latino college students unmatched job opportunities in congressional offices on Capitol Hill as well as an opportunity to participate in CHCI'snationally renowned leadership and professional training program.
- We provide Latinos who have completed college and those who have finished their graduate studies with unique fellowship opportunities – nine months in Washington, D.C. during which time they work in congressional offices and federal agencies, focusing on public policy in areas critical to the U.S.' competitive position. Fellowships include intensive, weekly education sessions and interaction with national government and private-sector leaders around public policy challenges.
- CHCI also conducts vital programs that every year give more than 1,200 high school students access to the tools and resources, role models and motivation they need to go on to college. We annually award more than $375,000 in college scholarships to Latino students with financial need. And we offer an online Education Center for young Latinos, visited by more than 1 million people who download more than 600,000 education publications each year.
The demand is exploding. This year alone the number of students interested in participating in CHCI programs jumped from 9,000 to more than 23,000! As the dramatic population growth of the Latino community in the United States continues, education and training for Hispanic youth is a national imperative.
Our Mission: To Develop the Next Generation of Latino Leaders
CHCI is the only national Latino organization that offers a wide range of programs and activities to support the educational and professional aspirations of Hispanic youth from high school through graduate school and into their chose careers.
A 2009 independent analysis by Excelencia in Education shows that CHCI consistently turns out highly prepared, workforce-ready, young Latinos who are fully prepared to take a leadership role in whatever career they choose and have an aspiration to achieve and serve their communities - students whose skills and ethics are well-aligned with the needs of business and government for the future.
With Latinos expected to be one-quarter of the population by 2030, CHCI continues to be a critical vehicle in shaping the lives of young Latinos and the future of our nation.
The National Imperative
The continued strength of the U.S. is tied to the success of the Hispanic community. Yet much work remains to be done.
Hispanic Demographics . . .
Hispanics are the largest ethnic minority in the U.S., with more than 45 million people, comprising more than 17 percent of the total population. By 2020, the U.S. Hispanic population will hit 65 million – representing 20 percent of the population, or one in every five people. By 2030 – Hispanics will be one in every four.The U.S. Hispanic population is younger than the population at large. The number of Latino youth (ages 15-24) doubled in the last 15 years. By 2030 more than half of the Latino population will be under 24 years of age.
. . . and implications for the U.S. Economy
The U.S. will be faced with a shortage of 23 million college- educated adults in the workforce by 2025. Currently one in three entrants into the U.S. labor force is Hispanic, and by 2025 Hispanics will be half of all new workers.The Hispanic dropout rate is 2.5 times higher than that of African Americans and almost four times higher than that of non-Hispanic whites.Hispanics household income is 17 percent below the national median household income. *
And in the U.S., income is frequently tied to educational access and attainment.
The Bottom Line
With the dramatic growth in the Latino population and future workforce needs, it is imperative that we significantly increase the number of Latinos ready to assume leadership positions in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Both corporate America and government have a significant stake in the outcome, and CHCI is uniquely positioned to deliver.
