The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and Our Lady of the Lake University recently hosted a landmark event entitled “The Road to 40 Years: A Conversation,” marking a significant milestone in the history of higher education advocacy. The panel discussion was held on October 7, 2026, at the Our Lady of the Lake University campus located in San Antonio, Texas, serving as a prominent early gathering in a broader series of events commemorating the upcoming 40th anniversary of HACU’s founding.
The special gathering brought together a distinguished group of educational leaders, institutional administrators, and pioneers who have dedicated decades of service to supporting, shaping, and advancing the mission of the association. The event drew faculty, students, community members, and higher education professionals to reflect upon four transformative decades of advocacy, growth, and empowerment for Hispanic-Serving Institutions and the millions of students they educate across the United States and internationally.
The panel itself featured an exceptional lineup of prominent figures in modern higher education. Antonio R. Flores, who serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of HACU, lent his overarching national perspective to the dialogue. He was joined by Mike Flores, Chancellor of the Alamo Colleges District and immediate past chair of the HACU Governing Board, who brought vital insights regarding community college systems and regional educational pipelines. The conversation was further enriched by the presence of Blandina “Bambi” Cárdenas, former president of the University of Texas-Pan American, whose extensive career in academia and public policy has left an indelible mark on Hispanic higher education. Rounding out the panel of esteemed experts was Ana “Cha” Guzman, president emerita of Palo Alto College, who provided deep perspectives on campus leadership and student support services within urban community settings.
Guiding the dynamic exchange was Our Lady of the Lake University President Abel A. Chávez, who moderated the discussion. Under President Chávez’s guidance, the conversation flowed seamlessly across generations of educational leadership, drawing out personal reflections, historical context, and forward-looking strategies for the decades ahead. The choice of OLLU as the venue for this retrospective discussion carried profound symbolic weight, returning the celebration to the very birthplace of the organization.
The conversation provided a collaborative space for these influential leaders to reflect closely upon the association’s rich history, its monumental accomplishments, and its tireless advocacy efforts on behalf of educational equity. Panelists examined how the landscape of higher education has shifted dramatically since the mid-1980s, noting the pivotal role that HACU has played in legislative advocacy, securing federal funding, and elevating the national profile of institutions that serve high concentrations of Hispanic and underrepresented students. Furthermore, the dialogue naturally expanded into a forward-looking exploration of the current challenges and future opportunities facing Hispanic-Serving Institutions, commonly known as HSIs, as well as the diverse student populations they serve in an increasingly complex socio-economic and technological environment.
The historical roots of HACU trace directly back to a transformative meeting held in 1986 right here on the campus of Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. At that foundational gathering, representatives from 18 charter member institutions came together with a shared vision of creating a unified voice for colleges and universities that were successfully educating significant numbers of Hispanic students, yet often lacked the institutional recognition and resources necessary to thrive. From those modest beginnings with just 18 pioneering colleges and universities, the association has experienced extraordinary growth over the past four decades. Today, HACU’s extensive network encompasses member institutions spanning across the United States, Latin America, and Spain. Through decades of relentless legislative advocacy, strategic partnerships, and programmatic initiatives, the association has successfully championed the unique needs of HSIs, ensuring that they receive equitable federal support and institutional recognition, thereby opening doors of opportunity for countless students who might otherwise have faced insurmountable barriers to higher education.
