The Importance of Immigrant-Origin Students to Two Campuses, Higher Education, and the USA
Preview:
Our institutions differ in many ways—one of us leads a community college in California’s agricultural heartland of San Joaquin Valley; the other serves as President of an urban college in the most diverse borough of New York City. Yet at a moment of high anxiety for many immigrants and families across America, we are joined in our shared commitment to immigrant-origin students and in recognition of their importance to our nation’s future. Whether first generation (themselves an immigrant) or second generation (child of immigrants), immigrant-origin students play a vital role to both of our institutions, to higher education in general, and to our nation's well-being.One of us is President at Queens College, which is part of The City University of New York system designed to provide New Yorkers of all backgrounds with access to a local and affordable higher education option. Our institution is approximately one-third first generation immigrant, like my parents, and approximately one-third second generation immigrantthe children of newcomers. Queens is the most diverse borough in one of the most diverse cities in the world. Researchers indicate that Queens is home to more in use languages - approximately 200than anywhere else in the world. On our campus alone, at least 80 languages are spoken. As a second-generation immigrant myself, I often tell our incoming students that my family is like theirs.
Originally published: January 13, 2025
Author: Angel Reyna, Frank H. Wu
Position: President, President
Institution: Madera Community College, Queens College
Published by: Diverse Issues in Higher Education