The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) was established in 1986 with a founding membership of eighteen institutions.  Because of HACU’s exemplary leadership on behalf of the nation’s youngest and fastest-growing population, the Association rapidly grew in numbers and national impact.

Today, HACU represents more than 450 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the US, Puerto Rico, Latin America, Spain and Portugal.  Although our member institutions in the US represent less than 10% of all higher education institutions nationwide, together they are home to more than two-thirds of all Hispanic college students.  HACU is the only national educational association that represents Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).

The HACU National Internship Program (HNIP)

Since 1992 the HACU National Internship Program (HNIP) recruits college students for paid summer- and semester-long internships at federal agencies and private corporations in Washington, D.C. and throughout the country. These ten and fifteen-week internship programs give college students direct experience in a diversity of careers in the federal and corporate sectors.

Over the past fifteen years, HNIP has placed over 7,000 college students in rewarding and challenging internships matching their majors and career goals. Interns have enhanced their professional skills through placements in departments of public affairs, accounting, human resources and information technology, as well as laboratories, hospitals, airports, and national forests and parks, among others. Some intern assignments have included completing and analyzing research, writing speeches, conducting audits, performing land surveys, creating web pages, conducting community health surveys and developing outreach strategies for under-served populations.

Participating agencies and corporations hope to increase diversity in their workforce by providing these internships to high-achieving Hispanic students.  This creates a pipeline of future employees who have had positive and meaningful work experience.