National Hispanic Heritage Month: How your STEM program can shape the future

Sometimes, breaking with one tradition can start another of great significance.

The nations of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua declared independence from Spain on September 15, 1821. Mexico, Chile, and Belize celebrated their own independence days on September 16, 18, and 21, respectively. In honor of Hispanic and Latinx history and culture, National Hispanic Heritage Month has been celebrated from September 15 to October 15 for the last 36 years.

Despite being 19.1% of the total workforce and the nation’s largest racial or ethnic minority at 68 million, Hispanic and Latin Americans are significantly underrepresented in high-tech careers. In fact, only 6% of technical roles are held by Latinx employees at U.S tech companies, according to the State of Tech Diversity: The Latine Tech Ecosystem report.

Both the technology and education sectors can help make this expanding population a more significant part of this innovative industry. The road to transformation starts in K-12 and higher education; it has to be paved with tailored solutions — ones that help your Hispanic and Latinx students break barriers of their own.

Refining the focus

With one in four Americans expected to be Latinx by 2060, the proportion of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) jobs occupied by Latinx professionals isn’t yet rising accordingly.

“80% of Hispanic adults say that young Hispanic people would be more likely to pursue a STEM degree if they saw more examples of Hispanic high achievers in STEM,” according to PEW Research.

To address these issues, many K-12 and higher education institutions are increasingly focused on promoting their tech-influenced offerings, ensuring Hispanic and Latinx students have access to the knowledge and resources needed to thrive in STEM fields.

With the right practices (and the right help), other schools can easily join them.

Future-proofing with digital skills

Bridging the digital divide begins with an investment in digital literacy — and therefore some new technology. Tools for extended reality are shaping our new reality with purpose-built metaverse environments, revolutionizing the classroom. One exciting development is the growing popularity of gamified learning in schools. Using VR applications in STEM curricula can:

• Increase student engagement.
• Foster collaborative problem-solving.
• Simplify goal tracking.
• Deliver personalized learning.
• Provide feedback to students in real time.

Esports are ripe for empowering students to adopt a scientific mindset, as in-game thinking becomes in-lab thinking. In both settings, students will identify a problem, formulate possible solutions, test those solutions, and determine if the problem was solved successfully. According to the Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF), students in an esports program reported an increased interest in STEM fields of study and a more serious consideration of careers in these fields.

On this front, SHI can help provide an enhanced learning experience, including engaging curricula and esports training for teachers, parents, and coaches. From funding to design to installation, our team can turn your learning space into an esports environment to suit your school’s needs.

Enabling economic empowerment

STEM careers not only contribute to the economic advancement of individuals but also to the larger community. With tech workers typically earning high wages, these careers can drive serious financial growth. Across all tech occupation categories, the median salary is more than double the median wage across all occupations of the U.S. workforce, according to CompTIA’s State of the Tech Workforce 2025 report.

To further uplift Hispanic and Latinx communities, it’s important to strengthen diverse-owned businesses. You can join SHI in:

• Establishing a supplier diversity program, which can promote innovation and equity.
• Attending career fairs to recruit students of diverse backgrounds at Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs).
• Empowering Hispanic and Latinx professionals as mentors and leaders to inspire the next generation.

Inclusion is the first step toward advancement, and it can start in your STEM program.

Providing access to technology

From education to employment, access to technology is a fundamental factor in fostering success across STEM fields. This investment can help Hispanic and Latinx students spark their curiosity and pave a future-ready path.

When it comes to budget concerns, grants can offer untapped opportunities to fan the intellectual flames, no matter where you’re located. For example, USDA Rural Development offers programs that provide funding to support high-speed internet access for rural areas. Broadband USA offers similar programs to promote digital equity through expanded high-speed internet access.

SHI’s Grant Support Program provides complimentary consultative services to help you find and secure technology grants that work for your institution. Together, we can help enable equal technology access for all your students, wherever they are.

Supporting every student

Most big shifts start with the younger generations, and this one will be rooted firmly in STEM. But to help tomorrow’s Hispanic and Latinx technologists, we have to bridge some gaps. By investing in STEM education and awareness during National Hispanic Heritage Month and beyond, we’re advancing our society as much as we are progressing our future technology.

Explore additional resources to learn more:

• SHI Grant Support Program
• SHPE: Leading Hispanics in STEM
• Latinitas: Empowering all girls to innovate through media and technology
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund

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